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By Jenefey Aaron

Updated on 2025-09-01

100 % Helpful

Microsoft Office Click-to-Run: High CPU, Disk Fix & Disable

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By Jenefey Aaron

2025-09-01 / Knowledge

Who doesn’t have Microsoft Office installed on their computer? Have you checked the task manager while working? You may notice a background process called Microsoft Office Click to Run. This service is designed to make Office apps easier to install and update.

However, many users report problems such as MS Office Click to Run high CPU or Microsoft Office Click to Run high disk usage. These issues slow down the system and create frustration. Let’s explore the reasons, how to fix it, and find the best alternative.

Part 1: What is Microsoft Office Click-to-Run?

Microsoft Office Click to Run is the Microsoft streaming and virtualization technology. It installs office programmes like Word, Excel, and Outlook without the need to download the whole package.

How it Works

  • Streaming Installation: Like a video streaming, the streaming allows you to use Office even though the installation is not finished.
  • Virtualized Environment: The Office apps are in a different layer that avoids software conflicts.
  • Quick Updates: patches and other features are provided automatically in the background.
  • Office C2R Client: The background process that deals with installation, updates, and maintenance is the Office C2R client.

This service is convenient and helps users in many ways. It is also the reason many people see OfficeClickToRun.exe in Task Manager consuming resources. That is when problems such as MS Office Click to Run high CPU or Microsoft Office Click to Run high disk usage occur.

Part 2: How to Fix Microsoft Office Click-to-Run High CPU & Disk Usage?

Before solving the issue, first find out whether you are facing the issue or not. To find out the problem, follow these simple processes

Identifying the Issue

Method 1:

To confirm the problem, open Task Manager. Here’s how to do it:

  • First, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
  • Look for the Office Click to Run exe in the process list.
  • If it uses more than 50% of CPU or a high percentage of disk, it is the cause.
  • finding microsoft office click to run issue

Method 2:

You should also check the Microsoft Office Click to Run SxS folder:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\ClickToRun

 finding microsoft office clic to run problem

Large cache files in this folder may lead to Microsoft Office Click to Run high disk usage.

Here’s How to Fix High Resource Usage:

Here are practical solutions:

  • Wait It Out: During updates, the process spikes temporarily. Give it 30–60 minutes.
  • Restart Apps: Close Word, Excel, or Outlook and relaunch them.
  • close apps and relaunch them
  • Manual Update: Open any Office app, then go to File. Then Account and Update Options. Click on Update Now.
  •  manually updating the microsoft office program
  • Repair Office: Go to Control Panel → Programs → Microsoft Office → Change → Quick Repair.
  • repairing microsoft office
  • Check SxS Folder: If cache files are too large, clear them carefully.

These steps often fix MS Office Click to Run high CPU or disk usage.

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Note:

If troubleshooting feels complicated, switching to a program that avoids Click-to-Run is easier. Tenorshare PDNob Editor is one example. It has no background processes like Click-to-Run and offers full editing features.

Part 3: How to Disable Microsoft Office Click-to-Run (Windows 10/11)

If Click-to-Run slows down your PC often, you can disable it.

Method 1: Through Services

  • First, press Windows + R. Now, type services.msc, and press Enter.

  • Check for Microsoft Office Click-to-Run Service.

  • Now, right-click on “Properties”

  • You have to change the Startup type to Disabled.

  • Select Apply and OK.

Method 2: Through Control Panel

  • First, open the Control Panel and go to Programs and Features.
  • Find Microsoft Office in the list.
  • Click Change.
  • Select the option to remove Click-to-Run.
  • disable microsoft click to run

These steps allow you to Microsoft Office Click to Run disable safely. For full removal, you can use the official Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant. This tool helps to uninstall Office and removes Click-to-Run.

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technique:

If you uninstall instead of disabling, it’s OK. But reinstalling requires the full Office installer from Microsoft’s website.

Part 4: Common Issues After Disabling Microsoft Office Click-to-Run

Turning off the Microsoft Office Click to Run service can cause other challenges:

  • Slower Updates: No automatic patches.
  • Longer Install Time: Full installers take longer.
  • Add-in Errors: Some plugins may stop working after uninstalling
  • Manual Maintenance: You will have to update Office manually.

Tips:

  • You can check for updates to keep Office secure.
  • Users can also utilize Microsoft’s official update page for downloads.
  • Keep backups of important work before changing Office settings.

Part 5: Best Microsoft Office Alternative Without Click-to-Run

Dealing with MS Office Click to Run high CPU usage can be stressful. If you want a smoother experience, consider Tenorshare PDNob.

Available for Windows and macOS, PDNob offers comprehensive PDF editing, conversion, and organization. It features built-in AI tools for summarization, analysis, and interactive document chat. With OCR and robust security features like encryption and access control, it’s ideal for professionals seeking an efficient, all-in-one PDF solution beyond standard office suites.

Why Choose PDNob?

  • No dependency on Click-to-Run.
  • Regular security updates.
  • World-class OCR technology.
  • Over 100 editing functions (text, image, watermark, background, links).
  • Merge, split, and protect PDFs.

How to Use PDNob?

  • Open the PDNob PDF Editor,then click on“Open PDF” button to import any PDF file you’ve downloaded.
  • open pdf file via pdnob pdf editor
  • Click the “Edit” button on the top toolbar, then select the text you want to modify. A text box will appear, allowing you to change the text, font, style, size, and color.
  • edit pdf with pdnob pdf editor
  • To add new text, click “Add Text” under the “Edit” section and place it where needed.
  • To insert images, click the “Add Image” button and choose the image file to add.
  • add image to pdf with pdnob pdf editor
  • Once you have made all the necessary edits, click on the "Save" button in the top left corner.

This software gives you professional editing tools without the problems linked to the Office Click to Run exe.

Part 6: FAQs of Microsoft Office Click-to-Run

What is Microsoft Office Click to Run for?

It installs and updates Office quickly using streaming technology.

Why is Microsoft Office Click to Run running in the background?

The application manages installation, patches, and updates. This is why the application may run in the background.

Why does Microsoft Office Click to Run use so much disk?

It’s because cache builds up in the Microsoft Office Click to Run SxS folder. This may also happen for updates or disk usage increases.

Do I need OfficeClickToRun?

Yes, if you want auto-updates. If not, you can disable Microsoft Office Click to Run disable manually.

Is Microsoft Office One Click to Run the same as Click-to-Run?

Yes, both mean the same streaming installation system.

Conclusion

Microsoft Office Click-to-Run offers faster installation and updates, but may lead to high disk usage. These issues can usually be resolved through troubleshooting. If necessary, Click-to-Run can be disabled on Windows 10 and 11, but doing so might slow down future updates and cause other system issues.

Tenorshare PDNob is a good choice, especially for those who just want a more straightforward solution. It is a complete editing capability without relying on Click-to-Run, and enables you to simply organize documents.

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