diff --git a/optional-skills/creative/hyperframes/SKILL.md b/optional-skills/creative/hyperframes/SKILL.md
index 16a5c8d1bac5a..b05c6cde91bbd 100644
--- a/optional-skills/creative/hyperframes/SKILL.md
+++ b/optional-skills/creative/hyperframes/SKILL.md
@@ -43,11 +43,13 @@ Do **not** use this skill for:
 npx hyperframes init my-video               # scaffold a project
 cd my-video
 npx hyperframes lint                        # validate before preview/render
-npx hyperframes preview                     # live-reload browser preview (port 3002)
+npx hyperframes preview                     # live-reload preview (long-lived server, port 3002)
 npx hyperframes render --output final.mp4   # render to MP4
 npx hyperframes doctor                      # diagnose environment issues
 ```
 
+`preview` is a **long-lived** Next.js server that holds Chrome render workers open. Always stop it when done (see [Cleanup](#cleanup)) — a forgotten preview keeps idle `chrome-headless-shell` workers alive that, on GPU-less hosts (WSL, containers, CI), spin a CPU core each indefinitely via software WebGL (swiftshader).
+
 Render flags: `--quality draft|standard|high` · `--fps 24|30|60` · `--format mp4|webm` · `--docker` (reproducible) · `--strict`.
 
 Full CLI reference: [references/cli.md](references/cli.md).
@@ -150,8 +152,23 @@ npx hyperframes render --quality high --output final.mp4     # final delivery
 
 Use the 7-step capture-to-video workflow in [references/website-to-video.md](references/website-to-video.md): capture → DESIGN.md → SCRIPT.md → storyboard → composition → render → deliver.
 
+## Cleanup
+
+`render` is one-shot (workers exit when it finishes). `preview` is **not** — it runs a background Next.js server that keeps Chrome workers resident until you stop it. Never leave one running: on GPU-less hosts each idle worker's swiftshader process pegs a CPU core, and a preview left open for days stacks up multiple.
+
+Stop a preview when the user is done reviewing (or before starting a new one):
+
+```bash
+pkill -f "hyperframes.*preview"     # the Studio server (frees port 3002)
+pkill -f chrome-headless-shell      # its render workers; only safe if nothing else uses them
+```
+
+If unsure whether other tools use `chrome-headless-shell`, check first: `pgrep -af chrome-headless-shell`. Recover a wedged host (many idle workers spinning CPU) the same way — see [references/troubleshooting.md](references/troubleshooting.md#runaway-cpu-from-leftover-preview-workers).
+
 ## Pitfalls
 
+- **Leaving `preview` running** — it's a long-lived server holding Chrome workers; on WSL/containers/CI those idle workers spin a CPU core each (software WebGL). Stop it when done — see [Cleanup](#cleanup).
+
 - **`HeadlessExperimental.beginFrame' wasn't found`** — Chromium 147+ removed this protocol. Ensure you're on `hyperframes@>=0.4.2` (auto-detects and falls back to screenshot mode). Escape hatch: `export PRODUCER_FORCE_SCREENSHOT=true`. See [hyperframes#294](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/issues/294) and [references/troubleshooting.md](references/troubleshooting.md).
 - **System Chrome (not `chrome-headless-shell`)** — renders hang for 120s then timeout. Run `npx puppeteer browsers install chrome-headless-shell` (setup.sh does this). `hyperframes doctor` reports which binary will be used.
 - **`repeat: -1` anywhere** — breaks the capture engine. Always compute a finite repeat count.
diff --git a/optional-skills/creative/hyperframes/references/troubleshooting.md b/optional-skills/creative/hyperframes/references/troubleshooting.md
index 8f561310d8cbd..9a50d1dd0ed09 100644
--- a/optional-skills/creative/hyperframes/references/troubleshooting.md
+++ b/optional-skills/creative/hyperframes/references/troubleshooting.md
@@ -132,6 +132,29 @@ npx hyperframes render --docker --docker-args "--cap-add=SYS_ADMIN"
 
 The headless browser needs namespace permissions for sandboxing.
 
+## Runaway CPU from leftover preview workers
+
+**Symptom:** load average climbs and stays high; `top` shows several `chrome-headless-shell --type=gpu-process` at ~300%+ CPU each, alive for hours/days, even when you're not rendering.
+
+**Cause:** `npx hyperframes preview` is a long-lived server that keeps Chrome render workers resident. On hosts with no real GPU (WSL, containers, most CI), each idle worker falls back to software WebGL (`swiftshader`) whose GPU process busy-spins a CPU core. A preview left open — or several started over time — stacks these up.
+
+**Diagnose:**
+
+```bash
+pgrep -af chrome-headless-shell        # list the workers + their parent flags
+pgrep -af "hyperframes.*preview"       # the preview server(s) holding them open
+uptime                                 # confirm elevated load average
+```
+
+**Fix:** stop the preview server and its workers (see [SKILL.md#cleanup](../SKILL.md)):
+
+```bash
+pkill -f "hyperframes.*preview"
+pkill -f chrome-headless-shell         # only if no other tool uses it — check pgrep first
+```
+
+**Avoid:** never leave a `preview` running after review; use `render` (one-shot, self-cleaning) for output. Keep `--workers` low on shared/GPU-less hosts.
+
 ## Bug reports
 
 Include `npx hyperframes info` output + the full error log. File at [github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/issues).