High CPU Usage by kernel_task on Powerful MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

By far the easiest way to cause poor performance, instability, overheating and crashing is to install ANY third-party speeder-uppers, Cleaners, Optimizers, or Virus scanners. or a VPN that you installed yourself. The main reason is that they are relentless in scanning your files, non-stop, looking for things virus-like patterns in Everything. When completed, they do it all again.

The idea that a third party, with no special knowledge of the inner workings of MacOS, can somehow find a simple way to protect your computer — that is not already being done by MacOS itself — suggests that the MacOS developers are somehow "holding out on you". That is absurd.

You should remove any and all (other than Apple built-in) virus scanners, speeder uppers, optimizers, cleaners, App deleters or VPN packages you installed yourself, or anything of that ilk.

Third-party file Sync-ers such as DropBox, BackBlaze, OneDrive, or GoogleDrive can ruin performance, but are not inherently dangerous.

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community

I finally fixed it!

Here is my short story, I faced the same exactly issue for over 3 months ( kernal_task ) always high CPU usage especially when i open any YouTube video even if it low quality, or if i use any app and it doesn't matter heavy app or not

I even reinstalled a fresh macOS, without any application and faced the same issue, i even deleted everything from my iMac 2017, 27" and installed everything and still same , and after a lot of software and CPU monitoring i didn't found any solution!

Finally,

I fixed it by cleaned my iMac Fan, Man a lot of dust was stuck inside it, i didn't imagine that the dust was blocking the Fan from cooling the CPU

So technically,

the Fan is always cooling the CPU and this is the quite mode, no noise at all

But, if you run any heavy app the CPU starts be heating, and the Fan will start work faster for cooling the CPU

Now, when the CPU is reaching a specific number of temperature, the CPU will back to normal temperature, BUT if your Fan is contain any dust, this will block the Fan from send the air to the CPU, the Fan will because so noisy because it's keep trying to send the air to the CPU

imagine now,

Fan -> trying to cooling the CPU

Dust -> blocked the Fan from sending the air to CPU

kernal_task -> the process response to keep the CPU cold

Trust me, just clean the Fan by a powerful air compressor and it will fix everything.

your biggest issue as I see it is that you are using cleanmymac x. that app is considered malware by many users here. it definitely can cause issues such as the one you are describing. apps such as that are well known to cause major issues while providing zero protection or benefit. you would do well to uninstall it using the developers instructions.

you may also want to read Effective defenses against malware and other threats - Apple Community. it's a long article, but worth your time to read every word.

I am not using cleanmymac and I am experiencing the same issue so I don’t think that’s the cause.

mattiacolombomc wrote:

I then tried to kill all the other MacPaw (CleanMyMac's devs) apps I had installed (CleanShot X - which I've been using for years without noticing any issue - and Setapp); my Mac magically came back working as normal after 30 seconds.

it's not magic. you removed the junk, and it allowed the Mac to start working the way it should. :)

I don't really know what to think now. What upsets me the most is that kernel_task process is clearly not triggered by a CPU overheating issue.

that could also be a symptom of CMM. maybe the CPU wasn't really overheating after all. I would keep an eye on it for a day or so and see if it happens again.

mattiacolombomc wrote:

Also, how could possibly Apple sell a malware on their own App Store?

just because an app is in the App Store doesn't't mean that it is recommended ny apple. it doesn't even mean that it isn't junk ware. it just means that the app conforms to apple's standards, which can be pretty broad.

I am always open to new points of view and reflections

that is an excellent attitude to have.

and this is why I'm discussing this with you; maybe I'm missing something...

if you have some time, you may want to peruse https://discussions.apple.com/search?q=cleanmymac

you will see many instances where issues such as those you are having are solved by uninstalling CMM.

regardless, even if it's not technically malware etc it's absolutely bloatware nonsense and installing multiple instances of this garbage guarntees a slow, kernel panic'd crashing mac. Additionally all your info being scraped and sold. Im not at all tying to be a jerk, Mac might be new to you but 'clean my mac' is one of the OG's of this racket.

Unfortunately the annti virus industry, generally speaking; the vast majority is in the 'clean my mac' category. dog poop and totally unnecessary. Something you want to run adhoc on occasion is reasonable but any subscription based "security" product that must run in the background when the mac is on= steaming turd.

The best virus program is couple common sense rules- dont click links or open anything from someone you dont know and virus programs are a colossal waste of resources. I've not used one since the old windows xp days.

if you ever werent sure, like say the email is from someone you know but there's a file and it seems off. you can always upload the file (but dont open it) to 'virus total uploader' site or app (both free). additionally you can run something like virus barrier every now and then just for peace of mind (also free). Emails can be spoofed so an email from a friend may in fact not be.

all the other stuff they sell island, unnecessary and WAY more detrimental than helpful.

Just one example that's recently back in thr news (kinda)would be Avast. They've spent a lot of resources with 'webutation' (and paying google) because they've done a good job and getting this buried. their 'virus protection' was actually malware, sounds like at leasy from close to it's inception. Lots of articles on DDG

FTC says Avast promised privacy, but pirated consumers’ data for treasure

****

FTC to ban Avast from selling browsing data for advertising purposes

[Edited by Moderator]

By far the easiest way to cause poor performance, instability, overheating and crashing is to install ANY third-party speeder-uppers, Cleaners, Optimizers, or Virus scanners. or a VPN that you installed yourself. The main reason is that they are relentless in scanning your files, non-stop, looking for things virus-like patterns in Everything. When completed, they do it all again.

The idea that a third party, with no special knowledge of the inner workings of MacOS, can somehow find a simple way to protect your computer — that is not already being done by MacOS itself — suggests that the MacOS developers are somehow "holding out on you". That is absurd.

You should remove any and all (other than Apple built-in) virus scanners, speeder uppers, optimizers, cleaners, App deleters or VPN packages you installed yourself, or anything of that ilk.

Third-party file Sync-ers such as DropBox, BackBlaze, OneDrive, or GoogleDrive can ruin performance, but are not inherently dangerous.

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community

Fans coming on higher than usual and kernel-task using very high amounts of CPU is caused by your Mac's measured internal temperatures getting too high. High kernel_task use is the symptom, NOT the cause.

Kernel task contains an idle loop that allows faster, hotter parts of the CPU chip to rest and cool down. When your Mac is getting really hot, it will spend more and more and more cycles in that cool-down loop, rather than doing processing that might raise the CPU temperature further.

Your boot drive is essentially full.

You have only about 62 GB free on your boot drive. if you suddenly have to handle a large use of Virtual Memory files, that drive could become completely full and crash.

 Antivirus software: Apple and CleanMyMac

get rid of that junk-ware.

and while you are up, get rid of the woefully obsolete Cindori sensei, including these orphan files:

Clean up:

  /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.cindori.SenseiDaemon.plist

    /Library/Application Support/Sensei/SenseiDaemon

    Executable not found

  /Library/LaunchAgents/org.cindori.SenseiMonitor.plist

    /Library/Application Support/Sensei/Sensei Monitor.app/Contents/MacOS/Sensei Monitor

    Executable not found

mattiacolombomc wrote:

I don't think the issue could be strictly linked to CleanMyMac

I respectfully disagree.

Also, thanks for that great resource 😉

you're welcome.