CPU high system process

The kernel_task high CPU usage may become unreasonably high if the CPU temperature rises due to the following factors:

1. Active mode programs and operations running in the background and using the CPU too intensively.

2. Your Mac is heating up while charging.

3. Cooling fan issues.

4. Hardware-related cases.

To minimize CPU usage on Mac, you can begin with force quitting programs that are not in use. Further, you can also try the below troubleshooting methods to fix the Mac high cpu usage issue:

1. Switch the USB Charging Port

2. Move your Mac to a Cooler Room

3. Restart your Mac

4. Boot into Safe Mode

5. Reset SMC (System Management Controller)

6. Reset NVRAM

Hope it helps!

In addition to the advice you have already got: please download the diagnostic tool Etrecheck, and post its full report using the "additional text" button below your message.

By looking at the report we may find if there is some hardware issue or perhaps a problem with some software that is not working or should not be installed.

Very much agree on all the suggestions including Running the EtreCheck from @ Luis S above .

The application is free or paid from added features. 

It will take a Snap Shot -  both the hardware and software.

 The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information. 

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste ——> using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last ) <——

We can have a look at the report for possible issues and may have possible suggestions to resolve the issues

As P. Phillips correctly pointed out: your system is NOT running Monterey, but High Sierra.

So maybe you downloaded Monterey, but installation did not go through.

Also: there are several issues - starting with the security features of the OS being turned off.

The report also seems to be incomplete and garbled, which makes it difficult to read. Some lines are joined together, no spacing, and some parts appear to be missing.

Did you click Share Report->Copy Report, and paste into the text box, or did you get the text somehow in a different manner?

To add to what has already been mentioned.

Suggest working through was issues exist under High Sierra before attempting the upGrade to Monterey.

This Slowness under High Sierra will not doubt be carried through to Monterey leaving the user experience less than expected.

Factor in, the report is showing the Internal Drive is the smallest available 128 GB SSD which must be factored into this situation.

Monterey is very CPU and RAM intensive so one may consider this before attempting any type of an upgrade

WarSxNes wrote:

Please do not get confuse,

P. Phillips wrote:

From the Suppled Report above - this computer is still running High Sierra 10.13.6

" macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 (17G66)”

I said

So, I proceeded to install a clean OS using the format APFS.

First I installed Monterey, slow as a turtle trying to cross a street.

then I installed Big Sur, Catalina, and right now I am on High Sierra.

Please read before type (-.-)

P. Phillips wrote:

Monterey is very CPU and RAM intensive so one may consider this before attempting any type of an upgrade

•

But now is not only Monterrey which is consuming a lot of CPU.

I installed a clean OS of:

High Sierra

• Mojave

• Catalina

• Big Sur

• Monterrey

all the installers downloaded from APPSTORE

so there is no way that could be a virus, third party app, also my MacBook Air 2017 was original released with High Sierra; but still slooooOoOOoww… and consuming high CPU.

now the only issue that I notice on the report of the app that YOU GUYS suggested me was:

SSD too slow - SSD is showing poor performance.

I was spending some of my time making a search online and I notice that many other users of MacBook Air have the same problem of high CPU consuming starting from 2020

I hope this issue does not come from Apple. Trying to force people to throw their old devices to get a new one.

So. I will change the storage unid and replace it with a new one and I will try to install again a clean OS download directly from AppStore.

I let you know guys if I get better results.

Regardless of what the user is saying and I refer back to the original posting P. Phillips wrote " From the Suppled Report above - this computer is still running High Sierra 10.13.6

" macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 (17G66)  " "

Working from the suppled information supplied by the User ( you ) , all we can comment on is based upon that specific information.

Thank you for the Report.

I or We will dissect the Report , in detail. 

Will get back to you shortly

From the Suppled Report above - this computer is still running High Sierra 10.13.6

" macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 (17G66)  "