Instead, there may be too many CPU-intensive programs actively running at the same time and the CPU could have reached its usage limit. That means slow processing performance may not be a sign that there’s an issue with the CPU itself. graphics and video editing software), you may notice that certain commands and actions may take longer to be executed. When working with CPU-intensive programs (e.g. CPU speed changes are then noticeable in the time required for the system to start-up or the time it takes for applications to respond to commands. Depending on the applications you open, CPU may increase. The higher the performance of a CPU, the faster the PC will run. The speed at which all programs and processes run depends on the CPU’s performance capacity. It processes data and delegates commands. You'll see a graph showing your CPU usage over time, and you can find your current usage listed under 'Utilization.The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of a computer and performs many of its main tasks. In this menu, click 'CPU' in the left sidebar. Quick tip: If you don't see this option, your Task Manager might be in 'Fewer details' view - click 'More details' in the bottom-left to reveal all the options.

On the screen that's summoned, select 'Task Manager' at the bottom.Īt the top of the Task Manager, click 'Performance.'.

Press Control + Alt + Delete on your keyboard.How to check your CPU usage on a Windows PC Using the Task Manager That way, you can make sure the CPU's usage percentage is staying in a healthy range, both when your computer is idle and running at high gear. If you've noticed performance issues, like a slow startup time or lagging apps, you'll want to check your computer's current CPU usage. When running videos, games, or other intensive applications, the CPU usage should jump, but still never stay at 100% for too long. When your computer is idle, your CPU usage should float around the single digits or low teens. Your CPU usage - in simpler terms, how much of the CPU's energy is being used - is measured with a percentage. It's the piece of your computer that tells every other part how to work, which programs to launch, which pictures to show, and more. Your PC or Mac's central processing unit (CPU) is like its brain.

Check cpu usage windows 10