Forum Discussion
Found a fix (may not work for everyone)
Go into
C:\Users\[Redacted]\AppData\LocalLow\Intel
(friends have also found the relevant intel folder in 'Local' rather than 'locallow')
Look for the ShaderCache folder. Open apex legends and check the folder. There should be a large file (around 250mb) that will show up as recently modified. Apex is using this cache file. To verify this, attempt to delete everything in the folder (they're cache files so this is okay and won't damage your computer) the files Apex is using will not be deletable and a dialogue box will inform you of this.
Close apex and delete the files that Apex was using in that shaderCache folder. Change r5Apex.exe's permissions so it has full control under every user group. Add the user group 'Everyone' and give apex full permissions over this as well.
Restart your computer and open apex. Apex should now start to write a new ShaderCache file in the aforementioned ShaderCache folder it'll take around 20ish minutes and you may need to select different game modes (without entering the game) for it to fully finish. After this finishes CPU will return to normal levels and you should be able to play with no stutters. The shadercache file apex was writing to should also stay at the same size.
I'm not sure whats going on but it seems as though my game was unable to use the shadercache file that it had previously wrote to resulting in high cpu usage. It created a new file every time it started up resulting in high cpu usage and in game stutters.
- 4 years ago
@lPumpsDadl u r awesome.
100% what u wrote is true from my observation.
What i found, after genesis update i had high usage only in lobby, when match started was fine. Affter shader compiling problem, when i fixed this i found my CPU going high even in game on some fragments of the map.
sorry for my bad english - 4 years ago
@TMXWZ let me try it
i dont see intel folder in both folders.
i deleted only NV cache folder, but that was not working. from other tut- 4 years ago@xiopiyeotl I have an intel gpu so you have to look for a shader cache folder unique to your cpu
- 4 years ago
As a follow up to my previous post, there are other problems that people are having just like with other programs/games. Things will vary wildly based on bad hardware, unhealthy Windows installs, corrupt files, missing files, etc.
As far as the shader cache issues, this is more rare, but can happen in some cases, especially if you have a slower hard disk or you had some file corruption for whatever reason (failing hardware, power outage, etc.). To reset your shader cache, it will be a cache folder under your GPU brands folder under \ProgramData\. For Nvidia GPUs, it is under \ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NV_Cache. You also will have the DirectX cache and GL cache that I recommend be deleted also. These files are under \Users\Your User Folder\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\DXCache and also the GLCache folder files. You will want to delete all the files in those three folders. If you have your Apex open or some other programs that use your GPU and cache, then you won't be able to delete all the files since some will be in use. Just close all your programs and you should be good. In some rare cases, you can also go to the Nvidia Control Panel and change the shader cache setting from on to off and save. After you delete all your cache files, don't forget to re-enable the shader cache option again. This is also an easy way to diagnose shader cache issues. If you disable it and run your game and things are working, but with just a drop in FPS, then your shader cache files could be corrupt and you will benefit from all these steps. I do not believe it is necessary, but it's always good practice to give your PC a reboot after big changes like this. Once you reboot and get back into Apex, your Nvidia, DirectX or/and OpenGL caches will be replenished and be corruption free hopefully. Unfortunately, if you issue is not related to shader cache, then all this will do nothing for you.
I've tried adding exceptions for Windows Security to help the high CPU issue, but it has not helped. Other players that have different brands of antivirus software may have compatibility issues between that antivirus brand and Apex and even other programs. I have not seen any issues between Windows Security/Defender, but that is the only antivirus that I have tested. In any case, to do exceptions, you need to go to the main Windows Security menu and choose the first tab for Virus and Threat Protection. Then go to Manage Settings under Virus and Threat Protection Settings. Here you want to scroll all the way down to Exclusions and click add exclusion. You then choose add exclusion for process and add r5apex.exe. now go back to main windows security menu and choose App and Browser Control. Then choose Exploit Protection. Now choose Program Settings. Here you can add a program by name and type in again r5apex.exe. Then check override system settings and turn off for each section under that. It should be 23 sections for current Windows 10 versions like 21H2. As I mentioned, I have not found any benefit from these settings, but maybe in some other users weird cases, their antivirus could be causing issues. Obviously only do these exceptions for the Apex EXE and not other things or folders. You do not want to leave yourself vulnerable to malware, etc. If I find other possible help to outlying issues not exactly related to the high CPU problem I referenced in my first post, I'll try to update y'all here.
About Apex Legends Technical Issues
Community Highlights
- EA_Blueberry7 years ago
Community Manager
Recent Discussions
- 50 minutes ago
- 2 hours ago
- 3 hours ago
- 3 hours ago