Path of Exile 2 is supposed to be a thrilling ride, but lately, it’s been more of a stop-and-go nightmare. Every time I jump into a new area, my PC locks up like it’s forgotten how to function. The gears on the loading screen is stuck. If you’ve been in the same situation, let me break it down for you.
After some digging, I found the culprit: the Windows 11 24H2 update is causing CPU usage to spike to 100% during gameplay transitions, freezing the entire system. It’s not just Path of Exile 2, either—this update has been wreaking havoc on Ubisoft Connect and Microsoft Outlook as well. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue but hasn’t released a fix yet.
Table of Contents
Solution 1: Roll Back the Update
If you installed the update within the last week, you can roll it back:
- Open Settings in Windows.
- Go to Recovery and select Restore Recovery Point.
- Choose a restore point from before the update was installed and revert to it.
Solution 2: Limit CPU Usage for Path of Exile 2
This workaround can stop your PC from locking up completely:
- Launch Path of Exile 2.
- Press Alt + Tab to minimize the game.
- Open Task Manager and go to the Details tab.
- Find PathOfExile.exe, right-click it, and select Set Affinity.
- Uncheck a few CPU cores (start from the bottom) and click OK.
Note: You’ll need to repeat this every time you launch the game.
Solution 3: Reinstall Windows
If nothing else works, reinstalling Windows might be your only option:
- Back up your files.
- Format your drive and reinstall Windows.
- Restore your files and applications.
This is extreme but effective.
Until Microsoft releases a fix, avoid installing the Windows 11 24H2 update if you haven’t already. If you’re stuck with it, these workarounds might save you some headaches. Gaming should be fun, not frustrating—let’s hope Microsoft gets its act together soon.