How to Fix High CPU and Disk Usage by wmpnetwk.exe.
Windows Media Player (WMP) has a media sharing feature that lets you stream your PC's media library to other devices over the network. Wmpnetwk.exe is a process that processes the Media Sharing Service in the background.
How to Fix High CPU Usage on Windows 10
When you first enable media sharing on WMP, wmpnetwk.exe immediately starts indexing your media library. You may notice a spike in CPU usage during this operation or when streaming media files to other devices.
This should plummet once your files are successfully indexed. If wmpnetwk.exe continues to load system resources when you are not sharing media files, proceed to the troubleshooting steps below. But first, check the security and legitimacy of the wmpnetwk.exe file.
Wmpnetwk.exe Could Be a Virus or Malware
A virus or trojan can disguise itself as the legitimate program file wmpnetwk.exe in order to infect your computer. Therefore, first of all, make sure that the wmpnetwk.exe slowing down your computer is a genuine program file.
1. Launch Task Manager, go to the Details tab, right-click wmpnetwk.exe and select Properties.
2. On the General tab, make sure the file location is C: Program Files Window Media Player.
If the file is located outside this folder, it is most likely malware disguised as wmpnetwk.exe. Run the file through an anti-malware scanner or delete it immediately from your device. However, if wmpnetwk.exe is in the correct location, the following troubleshooting steps should resolve the issue.
1. Stop the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
To resolve the issue with wmpnetwk.exe using high memory or CPU resources, we recommend that you terminate the Windows Media Player Sharing Service. Press Windows Key + R to launch the Windows Run window. Enter services in the dialog box and click OK.
This will start the Windows Service Manager. Scroll down the list of services, right-click Windows Media Player Sharing Service and select Stop.
Go to Task Manager and make sure Windows has stopped the service. Restart your computer and check the Task Manager after about 5-20 minutes. If the wmpnetwk.exe exploit has been restarted or otherwise continues to run in the background, continue to the next troubleshooting step to change its startup behavior.
2. Disable Automatic Startup for the WMP Network Sharing Service
By default, Windows automatically launches the wmpnetwk.exe process about 2 minutes after starting your PC and other important services. This is known as Delayed Start.
The ripple effect of this startup type is that wmpnetwk.exe can remain in the background, consuming large amounts of memory indefinitely and causing high CPU usage, even if you are not using Windows Media Player.
Configuring the WMP Network Sharing service to start only on startup manually should fix the issue. Open Windows Service Manager and double-click Windows Media Player Sharing Service.
Click the Startup Type dropdown button and select Manual from the options.
After that select "Apply" and then click "OK" to save the changes.
3. Disable the App’s Network Sharing Service
Configuring the WMP sharing service to start manually is a temporary solution, especially if you are not using Windows Media Player. A much better alternative is to disable the service.
You will not be able to stream or publish content to network devices using Windows Media Player. But that shouldn't be a problem since you're not using the app, right? Plus, you can always re-enable the service at any time in the future.
Open Windows Service Manager, double-click Windows Media Player Sharing Service, click the Startup Type drop-down button and select Disabled.
4. Turn Off Media Streaming
If wmpnetwk.exe detects a problem with indexing or streaming media files, it may freeze in the background. Disabling media streaming should fix the issue, especially if you don't plan on streaming media to other devices.
1. Launch Windows Media Player, select the Streaming drop-down list in the upper right corner and select Advanced Streaming Options.
2. Alternatively, open the Windows Control Panel, select Network and Sharing Center, and then select Streaming Media Settings in the sidebar.
3. Finally, uncheck the Allowed box next to Media programs on this PC and remote connections and click OK to save your changes.
This will disable streaming media on your local network and stop the wmpnetwk.exe process from running in the background.
5. Uninstall Windows Media Player
You will never have to face the wmpnetwk.exe threat if you uninstall Windows Media Player from your computer. This is a permanent solution to a problem - for example, uprooting weeds in the garden.
Consider uninstalling Windows Media Player in the unlikely event that none of the above troubleshooting steps resolved the issue. Or if you are using third party media players or servers like VLC, Quicktime, Plex or Kodi.
1. Launch Control Panel, select Programs and Features, then select Turn Windows features on or off.
2. Expand the Media Feature folder, clear the Windows Media Player check box, and click OK.
3. Select Yes at the confirmation prompt to continue. You may need to provide your account credentials during the process.
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4. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect. If you ever need to reinstall the application, please refer to this Windows Media Player 12 for Windows download guide.
Did shutting down wmpnetwk.exe resolve high memory or CPU usage issues? Or did you have to stop or disconnect the process? Let us know which one worked.
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How to Fix High CPU and Disk Usage by wmpnetwk.exe
2. On the General tab, make sure the file location is C: Program Files Window Media Player.
If the file is located outside this folder, it is most likely malware disguised as wmpnetwk.exe. Run the file through an anti-malware scanner or delete it immediately from your device. However, if wmpnetwk.exe is in the correct location, the following troubleshooting steps should resolve the issue.
This will start the Windows Service Manager. Scroll down the list of services, right-click Windows Media Player Sharing Service and select Stop.
Go to Task Manager and make sure Windows has stopped the service. Restart your computer and check the Task Manager after about 5-20 minutes. If the wmpnetwk.exe exploit has been restarted or otherwise continues to run in the background, continue to the next troubleshooting step to change its startup behavior.
Click the Startup Type dropdown button and select Manual from the options.
After that select "Apply" and then click "OK" to save the changes.
2. Alternatively, open the Windows Control Panel, select Network and Sharing Center, and then select Streaming Media Settings in the sidebar.
3. Finally, uncheck the Allowed box next to Media programs on this PC and remote connections and click OK to save your changes.
This will disable streaming media on your local network and stop the wmpnetwk.exe process from running in the background.
2. Expand the Media Feature folder, clear the Windows Media Player check box, and click OK.
3. Select Yes at the confirmation prompt to continue. You may need to provide your account credentials during the process.
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4. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect. If you ever need to reinstall the application, please refer to this Windows Media Player 12 for Windows download guide.
Did shutting down wmpnetwk.exe resolve high memory or CPU usage issues? Or did you have to stop or disconnect the process? Let us know which one worked.
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