🔧 What is TiWorker.exe, and why does it go wild?

🧠 “The reason your CPU suddenly goes berserk? This guy right here.”

Your computer freezes out of nowhere.
You open Task Manager, and there it is: TiWorker.exe — hogging 80%, 90%, even 100% of the CPU.
You've never heard of it.
You search it online and see all kinds of alarming stuff.

Is it a virus?
Can I delete it?

Here's the truth.

📎 What is TiWorker.exe?

Its full name is Windows Modules Installer Worker.
It’s a core Windows process that handles updates behind the scenes.
Kind of like a silent janitor tidying things up.

The problem?
Sometimes that janitor sets the whole server on fire while cleaning.

🔥 Why does it use so much CPU?

Here’s what I’ve seen in real-life situations:

Windows updates running silently in the background
Post-update systems that weren’t restarted properly
Old systems with months (or years) of never-done disk cleanup

In those moments, TiWorker.exe suddenly wakes up and starts consuming everything.

A few minutes is okay.
But if it goes on for over an hour? Something’s definitely stuck.

🛠 4 Fixes That Worked for Me

1. Manually complete pending updates

Go to Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update
Don’t wait. Just run the update manually and get it done.

2. Reboot – simple but surprisingly effective

Especially when you see "Configuring Updates..." stuck forever.
Without a reboot, TiWorker never shuts down.

3. Disk Cleanup + SFC Combo

Clear out junk files first. Then open CMD (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin):

sfc /scannow

Let Windows scan and fix any corrupted system files.

4. Try the Windows Troubleshooter

Settings → Troubleshoot → Windows Update
Yeah, I didn’t believe in it either. But surprisingly, it fixed a few things on its own.

⚠️ Why you should NEVER force-end TiWorker.exe

Killing the process in Task Manager might seem like a quick win,
but you’re asking for long-term pain.

Updates get corrupted
CBS log starts filling with errors
Worst case? Blue screen on next boot

Let it finish naturally. That’s the golden rule.

🧰 Want to avoid this mess again?

Turn off automatic updates and manage them manually
Get into the habit of regular disk cleanup
Schedule updates during the day (or night, for servers)

🧩 What I Learned

At first, I thought this was just another “update problem.”
But here’s the deeper truth:

Sometimes Windows doesn’t even know what it’s doing.
And the only ones who notice? People like us.

I wrote this so someone out there doesn’t waste a whole day fighting TiWorker.exe.

I’ve been there too.

TiWorker.exe (Windows Modules Installer Worker) – Why It Eats Your CPU and How I Fix It