Microsoft: The high CPU usage bug in Windows 11 Cross Device Service is real

When certain background tasks lead to high CPU usage on your computer, it usually means that the workload is erratic, leading to it not working properly, and often, certain Windows processes or services can also be the culprit.

This month, Windows users and experts noticed something fishy with their systems and dug deeper into the problem with a handy old Task Manager, which revealed that the potential cause of the high CPU usage is Microsoft Cross Device Service.

However, these reports have not been few and far between as many users have confirmed the issue. Here’s a Microsoft forum thread started by user leginmat90, which has been supported by 46 other people at the time of writing. Here’s another thread on the Windows Eleven forum.

The issue has also been reported to the Feedback Hub by a user, and at the time of writing there have been 160 others:

Cross Device Service suddenly consumes an unexpected amount of CPU in the latest Windows 11 Insider builds (as of early June 2024)

Microsoft engineer Jennifer G responded to the issue, confirming it and adding that the company is working on a solution:

Thank you for your patience. We have identified the cause and are working on a solution

The answer was posted a week ago, but we haven’t received the fix yet.

Cross Device Service, as the name suggests, helps your Windows PC connect, sync, and share files with devices like phones, and basically helps power Phone Link in Windows. The latest Beta Insider builds of Windows 11 are testing features related to better Phone Link support, and it’s possible that a bug has slipped through the cracks.

The latest one brings improved file sharing to Android, and the next one from February updated the Cross Device Experience Host service, which replaced Remote Capture.