Open Task Manager to see all running programs
The fastest way to see what is running on your PC is to open Task Manager, which shows every program, background process, and service currently active. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard — this opens Task Manager directly. If that does not work, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then click Task Manager from the menu that appears.
Task Manager displays a list of running applications in the Processes tab. Each entry shows the program name, how much memory it is using, and how much CPU power it is consuming. Programs you launched yourself appear under Apps. Background processes and Windows services appear under Background processes. If you see a program you do not recognize, you can right-click it and select Search online to find out what it does.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and see every running program in one window.
- The Processes tab shows how much memory and CPU each program is using, which helps you spot what is slowing your PC down.
- Programs you opened yourself appear under Apps, while background services appear under Background processes.
- Right-click any unfamiliar program name and select Search online to find out what it does before you close it.
- You can close any program by clicking it and selecting End Task, though closing system processes can cause problems.
Use the Performance tab to see overall system load
The Performance tab in Task Manager shows how hard your PC is working right now. Click the Performance tab at the top of the window. You will see graphs for CPU, memory, disk, and network activity. If CPU or memory is at 100 percent, something is consuming all your resources and slowing everything down.
Click on Open Resource Monitor at the bottom of the Performance tab to dig deeper. Resource Monitor breaks down which specific programs are using the most CPU, memory, disk, and network bandwidth. This is useful when your PC is slow and you want to know exactly which program is the culprit.
Check the Startup tab to see what launches when you turn on your PC
Some programs start automatically every time you boot your PC, even if you never use them. Click the Startup tab in Task Manager to see which programs are set to launch at startup. Each entry shows the program name and its Startup impact — either High, Medium, Low, or Not measured.
If a program has High startup impact and you do not use it, you can right-click it and select Disable. This prevents it from launching at startup, which can speed up your boot time. Be careful not to disable programs you actually need, like antivirus software or drivers for hardware you use regularly.
Look at Services to see background system processes
The Services tab shows background processes that Windows and your installed programs run constantly. Most of these are necessary for your PC to function. Each service shows a status of either Running or Stopped. Unless you know exactly what a service does, do not stop it — stopping the wrong service can cause Windows to malfunction.
If you need to investigate a service, right-click it and select Search online to find out what it is. Services with names like svchost.exe or rundll32.exe are Windows system processes and should always be left running. If you see an unfamiliar service that is not a Windows process, it may be part of a program you installed.
Use Resource Monitor for detailed breakdown by program
Resource Monitor is a more detailed version of Task Manager's Performance tab. Open it by pressing Windows key + R, typing resmon, and pressing Enter. You can also reach it through Task Manager by clicking the Performance tab and selecting Open Resource Monitor at the bottom.
Resource Monitor has separate tabs for CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network. Each tab shows which programs are using that resource and how much. For example, the Memory tab shows exactly how much RAM each program is consuming. The Disk tab shows which programs are reading from or writing to your hard drive. This level of detail helps you understand why your PC is slow or unresponsive.
Check Event Viewer to see what happened when your PC crashed or froze
If your PC crashed, froze, or shut down unexpectedly, Event Viewer records what happened. Open it by pressing Windows key + R, typing eventvwr.msc, and pressing Enter. Click Windows Logs on the left, then click System to see system events.
Look for entries marked Error or Critical near the time your PC had problems. Click on an error entry to see details about what caused it. The information is technical, but the error code and description can be searched online to find out what went wrong. This is most useful when a program keeps crashing or your PC keeps restarting on its own.
Disable programs you do not need to free up memory and speed
If you see programs running in Task Manager that you do not use, you can close them to free up memory and CPU power. Click the program name and select End Task. The program will close when ready. If you want to prevent it from launching in the future, go to the Startup tab, find the program, right-click it, and select Disable.
Be cautious about closing programs you do not recognize. Some background processes are necessary for Windows or your hardware to work correctly. If you close something and your PC starts behaving strangely, restart your PC — all programs will launch again normally. When in doubt, search the program name online before closing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does svchost.exe do and why are there so many of them?
Svchost.exe is a Windows system process that hosts multiple services. Windows runs several instances of it to organize different services. You should never close svchost.exe — it is essential for your PC to function. If you see an unusually high number of them or one using extreme amounts of memory, search online for the specific service it is hosting.
Is it safe to end a task in Task Manager?
It is safe to close programs you opened yourself, like web browsers or word processors. Closing system processes or services can cause Windows to malfunction or crash. If you close something and your PC behaves strangely, restart it. When in doubt, search the program name online before closing it.
Why is my PC slow even though nothing shows high CPU or memory use?
Check the Disk tab in Resource Monitor — a program might be reading or writing to your hard drive constantly, which slows everything down even if CPU and memory are low. Disk activity is slower than memory, so heavy disk use feels like slowness. Malware, Windows updates, or a failing hard drive can cause constant disk activity.
Can I delete programs from Task Manager?
Task Manager only closes running programs — it does not uninstall them. To permanently remove a program, go to Settings, click Apps, find the program, and select Uninstall. Closing a program in Task Manager just stops it from running until you launch it again or restart your PC.
What should I do if an unknown program is running?
Right-click the program name in Task Manager and select Search online. This will show you what the program does and whether it is legitimate. If it is malware or bloatware you do not want, you can uninstall it through Settings > Apps > Uninstall. If you are unsure, leave it running and research it before taking action.