Disabling Superfetch in Windows 10: A Step-by-Step Guide
Superfetch is a service in Windows 10 designed to improve system performance by prefetching data that the system might need in the near future. However, some users have reported that Superfetch can cause high disk usage and slow down their systems. If you're experiencing similar issues, you might want to disable Superfetch. This guide will walk you through the process using Command Prompt (cmd).
Understanding Superfetch
Before we dive into the process, let's briefly understand what Superfetch does. Superfetch is a service that learns from your computer usage patterns and preloads resources that it predicts you'll need. For instance, if you typically open Microsoft Word at 9 AM, Superfetch will preload the Word executable and related files to your RAM overnight to speed up the launch process in the morning.
Why Disable Superfetch?
While Superfetch is designed to improve system performance, it can sometimes cause high disk usage, especially on systems with SSDs. This is because Superfetch constantly writes data to the disk, which can lead to excessive wear and tear on SSDs. Additionally, some users have reported that Superfetch can cause system slowdowns and high CPU usage.

Disabling Superfetch via Command Prompt
Now that you understand what Superfetch is and why you might want to disable it, let's get down to business. Here's how you can disable Superfetch using Command Prompt:
Method 1: Disable Superfetch Service
This method involves stopping the Superfetch service and setting it to disabled.
- Press Win + X on your keyboard and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
- Type the following command and press Enter:
net stop superfetch
- To disable the Superfetch service, type the following command and press Enter:
sc config superfetch start= disabled
Method 2: Disable Superfetch via Registry Editor
This method involves modifying the Windows registry to disable Superfetch.

- Press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
- Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
- Navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SysMain
- Right-click on the right side panel, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the new value DisableSuperfetch.
- Double-click on DisableSuperfetch, set its value data to 1, and click OK.
- Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Monitoring Disk Usage After Disabling Superfetch
After disabling Superfetch, it's a good idea to monitor your disk usage to see if the change has had the desired effect. You can use the built-in Resource Monitor tool in Windows 10 to do this:
- Press Win + X on your keyboard and select Resource Monitor.
- Go to the Disk tab to monitor disk activity.
If you find that your disk usage has decreased after disabling Superfetch, you've likely solved your high disk usage issue. However, if you don't notice any changes, or if you experience other issues after disabling Superfetch, you might want to consider re-enabling it.
Remember, disabling Superfetch might slightly decrease your system's performance, but it should help reduce disk usage and prevent excessive wear and tear on your SSD. As always, it's important to monitor your system's performance after making significant changes like this to ensure that they're having the desired effect.