Office Performance Issues

Fix Microsoft 365 High CPU Usage (odt4DA4.tmp.exe) on Windows 10

Guest Writer Oct 9, 2026 872 views

Question details

Users need a solution to stop an Office background process from consuming excessive system resources and causing continuous fan noise.

How to Fix Microsoft 365 High CPU Usage (odt4DA4.tmp.exe) on Windows 10

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: Windows 10
Scenario: Running Microsoft 365 applications when the computer unexpectedly slows down and the cooling fan starts spinning loudly.
Observed behavior: A process named odt4DA4.tmp.exe utilizes 20–25% of the CPU per instance, and multiple instances can run simultaneously, driving total CPU usage near 100%.

Before you start

Before proceeding with configuration changes, verify that the 'odt4DA4.tmp.exe' file is digitally signed by Microsoft to rule out malware masquerading as a legitimate Office process.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration

Turning off hardware graphics acceleration in Office settings can resolve high CPU utilization caused by rendering conflicts.

In some versions of Microsoft 365, offloading graphical tasks to your computer's GPU can cause background processes to malfunction. Disabling this forces Office to use software rendering, which often stabilizes CPU usage.

Open Office Settings

Launch any Microsoft Office application, such as Word or Excel. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the sidebar.

Navigate to Advanced Display Settings

In the Options dialog box, click on the 'Advanced' tab on the left. Scroll down the list until you find the 'Display' section.

Disable Acceleration and Adjust Font Positioning

Check the box next to 'Disable hardware graphics acceleration'. If available, you can also test unchecking the subpixel font-positioning and feedback-animation settings.

Apply and Restart

Click 'OK' to save your changes. Close all open Office applications and restart your Windows 10 computer to ensure the background processes are fully terminated.

Settings Availability: The 'Disable hardware graphics acceleration' option has been removed in some newer builds of Microsoft 365. If you cannot find this setting, proceed to the next solution.

Solution 2

Verify File Signature and Install Updates

Ensure the process is not malicious and update Office to patch known performance bugs.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for a Fast, Lightweight Experience

If Microsoft 365 continues to drain your system resources and cause high CPU usage, consider switching to WPS Office. It is designed to be highly efficient, lightweight, and fully compatible with all major Microsoft formats.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for Windows.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the installer and follow the quick on-screen instructions to set up the software.
3. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Microsoft Office files directly with perfect formatting preservation.

Optimized performance with minimal CPU and RAM consumption.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Familiar user interface with no steep learning curve.Completely free to download and use for essential daily document tasks.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the odt4DA4.tmp.exe process in Windows 10?

It is a temporary executable file normally associated with Microsoft Office updates or background telemetry tasks. Under normal circumstances, it runs briefly and closes, but software bugs can cause it to loop and consume excessive CPU.

Why is my computer fan so loud when using Microsoft Word or Excel?

A loud fan indicates that your computer is working hard to cool down the processor. This happens when an Office process (like a stuck update or background task) continuously uses a large percentage of your CPU.

Will disabling hardware graphics acceleration make Office run slower?

For most daily tasks like typing documents or managing spreadsheets, you will not notice a difference. It forces the CPU to handle rendering instead of the GPU, which can actually fix lagging or crashing issues on certain system configurations.

What should I do if the process restarts automatically after I close it in Task Manager?

If ending the task does not stop it from returning, it is likely part of an active Office service. You should install the latest Microsoft 365 updates or perform an Online Repair of your Office installation through the Windows Control Panel.

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