How To Fix Shell Infrastructure Host High CPU and Memory Usage

Running into high CPU and memory spikes from the Shell Infrastructure Host process can be pretty unsettling. It’s one of those moments when you open Task Manager and see your system resources getting eaten up by what looks like a mundane Windows process. Usually, it’s caused by system bugs, corrupted files, or even malware hiding in the background. Fixing this isn’t always straightforward, but some tried-and-true methods can bring down that resource hog and get things smoother. The goal here is to identify the culprit and make sure Windows isn’t doing something weird or unnecessary behind the scenes, which often resolves these frustrating spikes.

How to Fix Shell Infrastructure Host Running High

Method 1: End the Process and See What Happens

This feels kind of basic, but sometimes just killing that process helps short-term. It’s like a quick reset for the process. If it keeps coming back high, then you know it’s more than just a random glitch. On some setups, this will sort itself out after a restart, but on others, it might pop right back.

Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc or right-clicking the taskbar and choosing Task Manager.
Go to the Processes tab, search for Shell Infrastructure Host – it might be listed as AudioGFX or shown under a different name on some systems.
Right-click it, then choose End Task. Confirm if prompted. This will temporarily kill the process.

Keep in mind, you might see some flickering or small glitches afterwards, but it’s generally harmless. If Windows rebuilds it immediately, then it’s likely that other fixes are needed.

Method 2: Restart the PC

Seems obvious, but rebooting actually flushes out part of the problem, especially if it was caused by a weird bug or a malicious quick fix gone wrong. Sometimes, the process spikes in resource usage because of lingering glitches, and a restart clears that cache.

Click the Start menu, then select Power, and pick Restart.

Expect that resource use will be quite normal after reboot, especially if the problem was just a random hiccup. But if the issue comes right back after a few minutes, then it’s time to dig deeper.

Method 3: Run Windows Update to Fix Known Bugs

Outdated Windows versions can cause all sorts of issues, including high resource usage. Checking for updates isn’t glamorous but can patch bugs that cause the Shell Infrastructure Host to go rogue.

Press Windows + I to open Settings.
Click on Update & Security and then go to the Windows Update tab.
Hit Check for Updates. Install all updates listed, especially cumulative updates released recently—Microsoft regularly patches these kinds of bugs.

After updating, reboot and see if the problem persists. Sometimes, just keeping Windows fresh can fix resource leaks in critical system processes.

Method 4: Update Your Graphics Driver (Because of Course Windows Needs Help)

This is another sneaky cause. Outdated or buggy graphics drivers can trigger UI redraw issues, which might push the Shell Infrastructure Host into high gear. Updating it is kinda like giving your system a nudge in the right direction.

Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
Double-click on Display Adapters to expand it. Right-click your graphics card and pick Update Driver.
Choose Search automatically for drivers. Let Windows find the latest version, then install if available.

Reboot afterward. On some machines, this was enough to bring the CPU hogging down a notch.

Method 5: Run SFC and DISM for System Health

If your system files are corrupted—maybe from a bad update or malware—Windows can get confused, and that might cause the process to go haywire. Running System File Checker (sfc /scannow) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) commands can repair and restore system integrity.

Open the Run dialog with Windows + R, then type cmd. Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run as admin.
Type sfc /scannow and hit Enter. Wait for it to scan and repair files. Usually takes a few minutes.
After that finishes, run these commands one after another:
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Reboot your PC and see if the CPU spike persists.

If your system files were corrupted, this should fix it. Sometimes, it’s just enough to make that process behave again.

Method 6: Run Virus & Malware Scanning (Because Sometimes It’s Evil)

Malware can masquerade as legit processes or mess with your system files, so never overlook this step. An aggressive scan can reveal nasties hiding there and fix whatever they broke.

Open Windows Security from Start Menu.
Click on Virus & Threat Protection and select Scan Options.
Pick Full Scan and click Scan Now. This might take a while, but it’s worth it.

If you use third-party antivirus software, run a full scan there too—sometimes Windows Security isn’t enough.

Method 7: Run DISM for Deeper Repair

If SFC and virus scans didn’t help much, running DISM commands can repair Windows images deeper down. This often fixes stubborn corruption that causes weird process spikes.

Open Command Prompt as administrator.

Run the commands one by one:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Once done, restart your PC. Sometimes, this feels like magic—fixes underlying system flaws.

Method 8: Run System Maintenance Tool (It’s Hidden But Useful)

This tool checks for common issues—disk errors, system file issues—and fixes them automatically. It’s kind of hidden because Microsoft doesn’t shove it front and center anymore, but it’s still there.

Press Windows + R, then type %systemroot%\system32\msdt.exe -id MaintenanceDiagnostic and hit Enter.
Click Advanced, then select Run As Administrator.
Click Next and let it do its thing. It might take some time.

Method 9: Perform a Clean Boot to Pinpoint the Culprit

If some third-party app or service is causing the high resource usage, a clean boot can tell. It disables all non-Microsoft services temporarily. If the spike disappears, then some app is behind it.

Search for msconfig in Start, open it, and go to the Services tab.
Check Hide All Microsoft Services, then click Disable All.
Switch to the Startup tab, then click Open Task Manager.
Disable all startup items there—right-click each and choose Disable—then close Task Manager and click OK in msconfig.
Reboot. If the resource spike stops, slowly re-enable services/apps to find the culprit.

Bottom Line

These steps cover the usual suspects—outdated drivers, corrupted files, malware, background apps. In many cases, a combination of updates, scans, and system maintenance will do the trick. If you started seeing this issue after a recent update or driver install, consider rolling back or doing a system restore first. Sometimes, resetting your system becomes the last resort, but hopefully, one of these methods gets you back to normal without that.

Summary

End the Shell Infrastructure process temporarily if it spikes.
Reboot and see if it pops back up.
Check Windows for updates and install everything.
Update graphics drivers via Device Manager.
Run system scans: SFC, DISM, virus check.
Run system maintenance and do a clean boot if needed.

Wrap-up

High resource usage from the Shell Infrastructure Host isn’t always malicious—it’s often just Windows doing its thing, maybe overly aggressively. These fixes are fairly safe and usually effective. If the problem persists, it might be worth resetting your system or digging into specific logs for deeper clues. Fingers crossed, this helps someone get their PC back in shape without too much headache.