Fix CTF Loader High CPU, Memory or Disk usage

Some Windows computers became slow and unresponsive, and when the user started probing for the cause, they discovered that a process called ctfmon.exe or CTF Loader is consuming high computer resources. Usually, when this happens user tries to close the program, this process is associated with, but in this case, the victims could not fathom which app the CTF Loader is related to. In this post, we will discuss this issue and see what you need to fix CTF Loader High CPU, Memory or Disk usage.

What is CTF Loader and do I need it?

CTF (ctfmon.exe) stands for Collaborative Translation Framework. It is a core Windows process that allows some components of your computer to interact with each other. The CTF Loader is required to provide tech support for alternative user input software. This tool also enables the Language Bar feature in Microsoft Office, allowing the user to access different language options. It is not a virus and must be on your computer.

Even though sometimes the CTF Loader does end up taking a lot of your resources, such as CPU and Memory, it never continues to use them for a long period of time. So, if you notice that the process is consuming a lot of your CPU and Memory, there is something wrong with either your system files or the tool itself. Some users even encountered a virus masquerading as CTF Loader. After this, we will talk about the virus situation and other solutions that you can try to stop the CTF Loader from consuming your computer’s resources.

Fix CTF Loader High CPU, Memory or Disk usage

If Collaborative Translation Framework or CTF Loader consumes high memory, disk or CPU, go through the following suggestions, workarounds, and solutions.

1. Check if it is a virus
2. Stop some services
3. Disable MsCtfMonitor
4. Repair System Files
5. Troubleshoot in Clean Boot

Let us talk about each of them in detail.

1] Check if it is a virus

The first thing you should do is make sure that the CTF Loader on your computer is not a virus. There is a high chance that a virus can take the name of a genuine process, such as Collaborative Translation Framework, and cause trouble for you.

There are two ways to do the same, you can either check the location or the Copyright certificate. We will talk about both of them. Follow the prescribed steps to do the same.

1. Launch Task Manager by Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Look for CTF Loader, right-click on it and select Properties.
3. Check the Location of the process, it should be the following if the process is genuine.
   C:\Windows\System32
4. Now, go to the Details tab and check if the Copyright is of Microsoft Corporation.

If the CTF Loader on your computer satisfies the conditions mentioned above, there is nothing to worry about as it is not a virus. However, if you conclude that the process is a virus, scan your computer. If you already have an antivirus, scan your system using it. If you don’t have one, try the Microsoft Defender program.

Follow the prescribed steps to do the same.

1. Launch the Microsoft Security application from the Start Menu.
2. Go to Virus & threat protection > Scan options.
3. Select Microsoft Defender antivirus or Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
4. Click on the Scan now button.

Let the antivirus complete its process and check if the issue persists.

2] Stop some services

There are a lot of services that work alongside CTF Loader. However, most people don’t use them and it won’t hurt to disable those services. The services you should be disabling are Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel and Text Input Management Service service which should be disabled if you do not use touch controls on your computer. To do the same, first of all, launch Services and then look for these services. When you stumble upon one, right-click on it and select Properties. Change the Startup type to Disabled and click on Apply > Ok.

Finally, restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved.

3] Disable MsCtfMonitor

MsCtfMonitor process is related to CTF Loader and if you are fed of the process taking a lot of your resources, disabling MsCtfMonitor is not a bad option. Since we are not removing the process, but instead disabling it, so, in case you need CTF Loader, the same procedure can be used to enable it again.

So, to disable MsCtfMonitor using Task Scheduler, follow the prescribed steps.

1. Launch the Task Scheduler app from the Start Menu.
2. Go to Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows.
3. Look for TextServicesFramework.
4. Right-click on MsCtfMonitor and select Disable.

Hopefully, this will do the job for you.

5] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot

Maybe there is a third-party app interfering with the Windows process. To find out which app it is, you should perform Clean Boot, and manually enable processes to stumble upon the culprit. Once you know which app is causing this issue, remove it from your system to resolve the problem.

4] Repair System Files

If some of the core Windows files are corrupted, there is a high chance that you may see some peculiar station such as the one we are seeing here. To repair those files, launch Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following command.

sfc /scannow

If this command doesn’t work, repair your system files from the Installation Media. Once your files are repaired, check if the issue is resolved.

Hopefully, you will be able to resolve the issue using the solutions mentioned here.

Read: CTF Loader error: CTF Loader has stopped working.

How to enable ctfmon.exe at startup in windows 11/10?

To enable the ctfmon.exe process at startup, you can either enable the process from the Task Scheduler or paste the Ctfmon file in the startup folder. If you want to enable the process from the Task Scheduler, follow the prescribed steps.

1. Open Task Scheduler.
2. Navigate to Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows.
3. Then click on TextServicesFramework.
4. Right-click on MsCtfMonitor and select Enable.

Go to the next section to move the CTF Loader file to the Startup folder.

How to add ctfmon.exe in startup in windows 11/10?

If you want to paste its shortcut, just go to C:\Windows\System32, copy the ctfmon file, go to the following location and paste the copied file there.

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp

Finally, restart your computer and the process will turn on at startup.

How to remove ctfmon.exe from Windows 11/10?

CTF Loader or ctfmon.exe is a core Windows process and you can not remove it from your system. However, if it is causing any trouble for you, the best thing is to disable the  Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel service as it triggers the ctfmon.exe process. You should also check some other solutions mentioned here for solutions.

Can I stop CTF loader?

CTF Loader allows Windows to control alternative inputs and the Language Bar in MS Office. It is used when you want to access your computer using Speech, Pen Tablet, or when using On-Screen Keyboards for certain languages. In case, you don’t need those features, you can CTF Loader by disabling Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel service. Go to the second solution to know how to do the same.