High CPU usage by the database (100%)

This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

Problem:
The client is experiencing a performance issue on their website, where the database CPU utilization reaches 100% during the creation or updating of posts. They suspect that WPML may be contributing to this issue.
Solution:
We recommend the following steps to isolate the cause of the high CPU usage:
1. Create a full site backup or set up a staging site using a plugin like WP Staging.
2. Update any outdated plugins or themes.
3. Flush any existing cache memory.
4. Deactivate all plugins, including WPML ones.
5. Activate a default WordPress theme, such as Twenty Twenty.
6. Enable WordPress debug mode by following the guide at https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/debug/debug-wordpress/
7. Reactivate the WPML plugins.
8. If the issue is resolved, reactivate the theme and other plugins one by one to identify the culprit.
9. Check for any errors related to the performance issue in the debug.log file within the wp-content folder.

If these steps do not resolve the issue or if the solution seems outdated or irrelevant to your case, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If the problem persists, please open a new support ticket.

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Tagged: Performance

This topic contains 3 replies, has 0 voices.

Last updated by Carlos Rojas 1 week, 4 days ago.

Assisted by: Carlos Rojas.

Author	Posts
July 2, 2025 at 3:06 am #17190545
lordG	Background of the issue: I am experiencing a performance issue on our website, where the database CPU utilization reaches 100%, especially when new posts are created or existing ones are updated. I suspect that WPML may be contributing to this issue. Here is the link to a page where the issue can be seen: hidden link. Here are the specs of the server: App Server 8vCPUs 32GB RAM 10GB Storage Cloud SQL: 4vCPUs 32GB RAM 50GB Storage Cloud Storage - media store Symptoms: Database CPU utilization spikes to 100%, particularly during post creation or update operations. Questions: What could be causing the high CPU usage by the database? How can I resolve the performance issue related to WPML?
July 3, 2025 at 11:20 am #17196923
Carlos Rojas WPML Supporter since 03/2017 Languages: English (English ) Spanish (Español ) Timezone: Europe/Madrid (GMT+02:00)	Hello, Thank you for contacting us Generally, the performance issues are not caused by the WPML plugins, but by an interaction with third-party functionalities. I kindly ask you to follow these steps to isolate the cause of the problem and get more information about it: - Create a full site backup or create a staging site with a copy of the live site (you can use the WP Staging plugin for free to create the staging site) - Update any outdated plugins or themes - Flush any cache memory that might exist - Deactivate all plugins, including the WPML ones - Activate a default WordPress theme, like Twenty Twenty - Activate the WordPress debug mode by following the steps described in this guide: https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/debug/debug-wordpress/ - Activate the WPML plugins - If the issue disappeared, start by activating the theme and then the rest of the plugins, one by one, until the issue appears again and you find the culprit - Also, check if there is any error related to the performance issue in the debug.log file located within the wp-content folder Please let me know the results of the steps described above. Looking forward to your message. Regards, Carlos
July 4, 2025 at 11:41 am #17201357
lordG	Hello, Thank you for your assistance. I’m sharing the CPU utilization results before and after disabling the plugin. I edited several pages on the website while WPML's auto-translation feature was enabled. As shown in the graph, CPU usage spiked to 100% during the translation process. After disabling the WPML-related plugins and performing the same page edits, the CPU usage only reached around 20%. I’ve included the CPU utilization data and the activity history with timestamps for your reference.
July 4, 2025 at 11:44 am #17201390
Carlos Rojas WPML Supporter since 03/2017 Languages: English (English ) Spanish (Español ) Timezone: Europe/Madrid (GMT+02:00)	Thank you very much for your message. Could you provide the results of the steps described in my previous message? It will allow us to rule out a conflict with a third-party functionality.