Microsoft acknowledges high CPU usage Windows 10 bug

We reported a few days ago that Windows 10 users who installed KB4512941 were complaining of high CPU usage by SearchUI.exe, a component of Cortana on the desktop.

“After installing KB4512941 (OS Build 18362.329) the pop-out window with the search results stays blank, SearchUI.exe is constantly using CPU and ~200MB of memory,” a user documented the problem on Microsoft’s Feedback Hub.

Now Microsoft’s Windows Update twitter account has acknowledged the issue, saying:

We are currently investigating an issue where users are reporting high CPU usage linked to SeachUI.EXE after installing the optional update on August 30 (KB4512941). We will provide an update in an upcoming release.

— Windows Update (@WindowsUpdate) September 3, 2019

Microsoft released KB4512941 with very little testing in the Release Preview ring and no known issues, and despite Release Preview users reporting the issue in the Feedback Hub. The company had earlier vowed to do better at picking up issues before shipping them to the general public.

If you one of those affected the simplest fix may be to uninstall the update. To do this:

• Hit Windows+I to open the Settings app.
• Click the “Update & security” option.
• On the Update & security screen, click the “View update history” option.
• On the next screen, click the “Uninstall updates” link.
• Select the update (KB4512941), and then click the “Uninstall” button.

Via Mary Jo Foley.