Skype Helper High CPU usage. FIX!!!
I use Skype extensively for my job, so I recently bought a new (used) 2014 Macbook Air because my old 2009 Macbook was just too slow. Skype worked like a charm on it… for about a week. Then I got the Skype Helper update (NOT a new version of Skype, just the Skype Helper.app, ran it, and suddenly found my new Macbook Air was running just as slowly as my old Macbook. Skype Helper was again using over 100% CPU, making screen sharing and browsing impossibly slow.
Well folks, there is good news. I’ve found a simple way to fix this problem. You can do it in a few minutes and your Skype will be running as snappily as the day you first installed it. Here’s the fix:
First, go here (or any website that offers Old Skype Versions) to download an old version of Skype (I chose 8.9.0.1 for no particular reason).
Second, run DMG, but DO NOT INSTALL!
Third, right-click Skype app and select “Show Package Contents”.
Fourth, navigate to Framework folder and locate the Skype Helper.app.
Fifth, go to the Applications folder on your Mac, find existing Skype.app, right click, and select “Show Package Contents”. Open Frameworks folder.
Sixth, drag Skype Helper.app from Skype DMG and drop it into Framework folder from you Applications folder. Select “replace” option.
Restart skype and discover Skype Helper.app isn’t using as much CPU as before.
Basically we’ve deleted the newset Skype Helper.app which is designed for the latest, most powerful Macs and replaced it with an older, slower, less CPU-hungry Skype Helper.app from a few years ago. And it works!
During Screen Share, My CPU usage went from 150% to a mere 70–80%. This makes all the difference in the world.
Next post will feature HOW TO DISABLE Apple Business Manager (MDM) profiles and software downloads.
Leave a comment, let us know about your experience with this hack.
