To check CPU usage in Windows 10, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. On the Processes tab, the CPU column shows how much each app is using, and the total is at the top. Select the CPU heading to put the busiest apps first.
Applies to: Windows 10. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, so a PC without Extended Security Updates no longer receives security fixes; that program runs until October 12, 2027.
See which apps use the most CPU
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. If Task Manager opens small, select More details. There are other ways to open Task Manager in Windows 10 too.
- On the Processes tab, select the CPU column heading. The apps using the most CPU move to the top.
See the total over time
- In Task Manager, select the Performance tab.
- Select CPU. The graph shows the last 60 seconds, and Utilization is the current total.
For more detail, select Open Resource Monitor at the bottom of the Performance tab, then the CPU tab.
Keep an eye on CPU usage while you work
- Task Manager on top: in Task Manager, select Options > Always on top. Switch to the Performance tab and double-click the graph for a small view you can leave in a corner.
- Game Bar: press Windows logo key + G and open the Performance widget. It shows CPU, GPU, and memory use over your game or app.
- Resource Monitor: press Windows logo key + R, type resmon, and press Enter. The CPU tab shows every process and service, including ones Task Manager groups together.
Check with PowerShell
Open PowerShell and run:
Get-Counter '\Processor(_Total)\% Processor Time'
It shows the total CPU use as a percentage.
What counts as normal CPU usage
When the PC is idle, CPU usage usually sits below 10 percent. Short spikes to 100 percent are normal when you open an app, install updates or run a virus scan. Usage that stays above 80 to 90 percent for several minutes while you aren’t doing anything demanding points to a problem, so check which app is at the top of the list.
To record CPU usage over a longer stretch, press Windows logo key + R, type perfmon, and select Performance Monitor under Monitoring Tools. The line labeled % Processor Time is your total CPU usage. You can save it to a file with a Data Collector Set if a problem only shows up now and then.
If CPU usage stays high
- Close the app at the top of the list, or select it and select End task. If it won’t close, force close the app in Windows 10.
- Stop apps from starting with Windows by disabling startup programs in Windows 10.
- Close apps running in the background on Windows 10.
- Run a scan in Windows Security if an app you don’t recognize is busy.
- Restart the PC. More tips are in speeding up a Windows 10 computer.
- Antimalware Service Executable is busy: Windows Security is scanning. It usually settles down once the scan finishes, so give it some time.
- Windows Modules Installer Worker is busy: Windows is installing updates. Let it finish, then restart.
- Your browser is at the top: one tab may be the cause. In Edge or Chrome, press Shift + Esc to open the browser’s own task manager and end the busy tab.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give one app more CPU?
Yes, by raising its priority. You can set a program to high priority in Windows 10 from Task Manager.
Why is CPU usage high when nothing is open?
Windows does maintenance, updates, indexing, and scans when the PC is idle. Short bursts are normal. If it stays high for a long time, find the process on the Processes tab and look it up.
Is 100% CPU usage bad for my PC?
Not for short periods. Processors are built to run at full speed, and they slow themselves down if they get too hot. If it stays at 100% for a long time, the PC will feel slow and the fans will run loudly, so find the cause. Keeping the vents clear of dust also helps it stay cool.
How do I check my CPU temperature?
Windows 10 doesn’t show it. Task Manager only shows the GPU temperature. Check your PC maker’s app, the BIOS or UEFI setup screen, or a trusted hardware monitoring app.
Memory, disk and network use show up in Task Manager as well; checking PC performance in Windows 10 covers all of them.
Microsoft’s references are System configuration tools in Windows (Task Manager) and Get-Counter.
If the PC runs hot under load, check the CPU temperature in Windows 10 next.
Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.