"What is SoftThinks Agent Service, and how to solve its high disk and CPU usage issue?"

The high CPU usage of the SoftThinks Agent Service is a concern for many users. So, how can this issue be resolved?

We live in a world where major game developers release new processors annually (e.g., AMD and Intel). As a result, hardware becomes outdated pretty quickly, and CPUs that are 5-8 years old start showing their age and experiencing performance issues.

However, the SoftThinks Agent Service is also causing high CPU usage on the latest computers. Why is this so and how can it be fixed?

This article will help you understand what the SoftThinks Agent Service is and why it might be taking up a high percentage of your CPU. We'll also discuss a few ways to resolve and fix the issue. Let's get right to it.

What is SoftThinks Agent Service? SoftThinks Agent Service is a software service that is typically associated with automated support and management systems. It is a component provided by SoftThinks, designed to monitor, manage, and optimize the behavior of computer systems or network devices. This service might collect device information, track software usage, facilitate update management, and assist in resolving technical issues. In this way, the SoftThinks Agent Service can help businesses enhance efficiency, ensure correct software operation, and provide users with a better support experience. However, the specific features and functions may vary depending on different software versions and configurations.

Dell computers come with several built-in services in their laptops and desktops. One of these is the SoftThinks Agent Service, a service in collaboration with the company of the same name. This service creates backups of system files on your PC or laptop.

Thus, restoring your Dell computer to a previous or optimal restore point is crucial. This is especially helpful when Windows encounters issues like freezing or file corruption. In many cases, it's part of the Dell DataSafe Local Backup utility.

Since it is a background service, it cannot be simply turned on or off, as it runs in the background of your computer. Recently, however, this utility has caused no end of problems for Dell computers.

One of the significant issues users face is slow performance on their computers and laptops. Consequently, when they open Task Manager, they notice high CPU usage. So, let's delve into why this occurs.

Why does SoftThinks consume high disk and CPU resources?

SoftThinks is a backup utility that consumes your memory and CPU resources every time you run the backup process. More importantly, it can have an impact on your disk usage. However, since it's not a primary backup tool, it might perform poorly in terms of CPU stress management.

In other words, it doesn't chunk the backup; it does it all at once – leading to high CPU and disk usage in Task Manager, as shown below:

In the Services and Startup settings, the SoftThinks Agent Service is set to start up with Windows. Therefore, it runs immediately when you log in to your computer, which is one of the main reasons for its high CPU and disk usage.

This is because it starts before any other service, and does not allow the allocation of resources such as CPU, RAM or disk to other devices. As a result, you may see 100% CPU usage in Task Manager when you log in.

How to Resolve High Disk and CPU Usage Issues with SoftThinks

Now that we know what the SoftThinks Agent Service is, let's discuss how to fix it. It's a service you can do without to free up some resources on your computer. Therefore, we will explore two main solution methods. So, let's dive right in.

1. Method 1: Disable the SoftThinks Agent Service
2. Method 2: Uninstall Dell Backup and Recovery Utility

Method 1: Disable the SoftThinks Agent Service

The primary and perhaps the most feasible way to ensure that the SoftThinks Agent Service doesn't hog all your CPU is by disabling it. To do this, you need to access the Windows Services dashboard to disable the service. Here's how: 1. **Press the Windows key + R** on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. 2. **Type "services.msc"** in the Run dialog box and press Enter. This will open the Services window. 3. **Scroll down** through the list of services until you find **"SoftThinks Agent Service"**. 4. **Right-click** on the service, and then select **Properties** from the context menu. 5. In the Properties window, under the **"General"** tab, you'll see a **"Startup type:"** dropdown menu. 6. **Select "Disabled"** from the dropdown menu. 7. **Click on the "Stop" button** if the service is currently running to stop it immediately. 8. **Finally, click "Apply"** and then **"OK"** to save the changes. After following these steps, the SoftThinks Agent Service should be disabled, preventing it from using excessive CPU resources. However, please note that disabling a service might affect related software or functionality. If you're unsure about the implications, consult the software vendor or seek technical assistance.

Step 1: Click the Start button, and then type Services.

Step 2. Right-click on "Services" and select "Run as administrator."

Step 3: Press the S key on your keyboard until you find SoftThinks Agent Service.

Step 4: Right-click and select "Properties."

Step 5: Under "Startup Type," select "Headless."

Step 6: Scroll down and select Disabled

Step 7: Apply your settings and click “OK.”

Step 8: Restart your computer

Step 9: Completion

Note that the Service Status option is not available in this particular screenshot, because the service has already been stopped:

So, in your case, the service would still be running. So you would have to stop it first, and then disable it through these steps. And then, once you're done, just reboot your computer, and you should be good to go.

Method 2: Uninstall the Dell Backup and Recovery Utility

The second method is to uninstall the Dell Backup and Recovery utility. Windows 11 and 10 come with an "Apps & Features" option to uninstall programs, but it's recommended that you use the Control Panel to remove the Dell Backup and Recovery utility as shown below:

Step 1: Click the Start button

Step 2: Type Control Panel

Step 3: Under Programs, click on "Uninstall a program"

Step 4. Look for the Dell Backup and Recovery Utility

Step 5: Click on "Uninstall/Change" from the top bar.

Step 6: Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation.

Step 7: Wait for the process to complete.

Step 8: Finished

After a reboot, you'll find that the Dell Backup and Recovery utility is gone, and the SoftThinks Agent service is no longer chewing up your CPU cycles.

Last Words

The above are some basic methods to get rid of the SoftThinks Agent Service and prevent it from consuming CPU. Hence, make sure you follow these steps correctly. While disabling the service might solve the issue, we recommend uninstalling the Dell Backup and Recovery Utility to ensure it doesn't auto-enable again.