Sometimes msmpeng.exe can cause a high disk usage - you need to check the PC’s hard drive for errors (by running chkdsk command).

In such cases you can try to use an advanced antimalware and/or antivirus tool

In case when Windows Defender “missed” the virus or malware and your machine has been infected, Antimalware Service Executable process can cause a high RAM usage.

You can try to completely remove this software

In case you have an old version of other third-party antivirus software installed on your computer, it can cause a conflict between Windows Defender and the software.

In case after the restart everything is OK, you might need to disable some applications to auto start during Windows boot

Check if the CPU load is similar after you are using Shut down button to turn off your computer and when you are using Restart button in your Start menu.

In such cases the following tips can help you fix the problem: It’s important to mention that in some cases msmpeng.exe can also cause high resources usage because of other issues.

While installing applications and games, unpacking archives, downloading executable files from Internet.

When you leave your computer for some time and then an automatic maintenance starts.

Right after boot or after some time (after a few minutes on some old laptops).

In case your Windows 10 is functioning properly, the issue with msmpeng.exe can appear in the next situations:

Msmpeng high disk usage windows 10