The fastest way to see your PC specs

Open the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I, then go to System in the left menu and select About. This page shows your processor, RAM, system type, and Windows version in one place. It is the quickest route if you only need the basics.

If you need more detail — storage breakdown, graphics card model, or device drivers — you will need to dig into other built-in tools. Windows 11 spreads this information across several places, so knowing where to look saves time.

Key Takeaways

  • Settings > System > About shows your processor, RAM, and Windows version without opening any other tools.
  • Device Manager lists every hardware component, including graphics cards and network adapters, with driver versions.
  • Disk Management shows how your storage is divided across drives and partitions.
  • System Information (msinfo32) displays detailed specs in one searchable window, including BIOS version and system uptime.
  • DirectX Diagnostic Tool shows graphics card memory and audio device details in a format useful for gaming or video work.

Using Device Manager to see all hardware

Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager, or press Windows key + X and choose it from the menu. Device Manager lists every piece of hardware Windows recognizes, organized by category: processors, graphics cards, network adapters, storage drives, and more.

Click the arrow next to any category to expand it and see the specific model. Right-click a device and select Properties to see the driver version, driver date, and hardware ID. This is where you go when you need to know the exact model of your graphics card or network adapter, or when you need to update a driver.

Finding storage and partition details in Disk Management

Press Windows key + X and select Disk Management, or search for it in the Start menu. This tool shows every storage drive connected to your PC and how the space is divided into partitions. You can see the total capacity of each drive, how much space is used, and how much is free.

Disk Management also shows which partitions are formatted as NTFS, FAT32, or other file systems, and which drive is your system drive (usually C:). If you are planning to add a new drive or resize a partition, this is where you start.

System Information for a complete hardware and software snapshot

Press Windows key + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter. System Information opens in a single window with tabs for different categories. The System Summary tab shows your processor, total RAM, system manufacturer, BIOS version, and system uptime all at once.

Other tabs break down hardware resources, components (including storage, display, and network adapters), and software environment. You can search within System Information using the search box at the bottom, which is useful if you are looking for a specific detail like your BIOS date or motherboard model. You can also export this information as a text file if you need to share it with tech support.

DirectX Diagnostic Tool for graphics and audio specs

Press Windows key + R, type dxdiag, and press Enter. The DirectX Diagnostic Tool opens with tabs for different hardware categories. The Display tab shows your graphics card model, dedicated video memory, and driver version — this is the tool to use if you are checking whether your GPU meets the requirements for a game or video software.

The Sound tab lists your audio devices and drivers. The System tab repeats some information from Settings > About but adds your system locale and language. If you are troubleshooting graphics or audio problems, DirectX Diagnostic Tool also has a Notes section where you can run tests on your display and sound devices.

Task Manager for real-time performance and hardware info

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager directly. Click the Performance tab to see live graphs of CPU, memory, disk, and network usage. At the bottom of each graph, you can see the total capacity — for example, "16.0 GB" for RAM or "476 GB" for storage.

Task Manager does not show model numbers or driver versions, but it is useful for checking how much RAM you actually have and how much is in use right now. If your PC is running slowly, Task Manager shows you which process is using the most CPU or memory, which can help you decide whether a hardware upgrade would help.

Using PowerShell for command-line hardware details

Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin), or search for PowerShell and run it as administrator. Paste this command and press Enter: Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object CsSystemManufacturer, CsModel, CsProcessors, CsTotalPhysicalMemory, OsVersion. PowerShell returns your system manufacturer, model, processor, RAM in bytes, and Windows version.

PowerShell commands are useful if you are comfortable with text-based tools or if you need to check specs on multiple PCs at once. For most people, the graphical tools above are faster and easier to read. If you are not sure how much RAM the output shows, divide the number by 1,073,741,824 to convert bytes to gigabytes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find my graphics card model and how much video memory it has?

Open Device Manager (Windows key + X, then Device Manager), expand Display adapters, and right-click your graphics card to see the model. For video memory, open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (Windows key + R, type dxdiag, press Enter), click the Display tab, and look for "Dedicated Video Memory" near the top.

How do I check if my PC has enough RAM for a specific program?

Go to Settings > System > About and look for "Installed RAM." Compare that number to the program's system requirements. If the requirement says "8 GB RAM" and you have 16 GB, you meet it. Task Manager's Performance tab also shows how much RAM is currently in use, which tells you whether your PC is running out of memory during normal work.

Can I see my processor speed and number of cores?

Yes. Open System Information (Windows key + R, type msinfo32, press Enter) and look at the System Summary tab. The "Processor" line shows your CPU model and speed. Device Manager also lists your processor under the Processors category, though it does not always show the speed clearly.

What is the difference between "Installed RAM" and the number shown in Task Manager?

Installed RAM is the total amount of memory your PC has. Task Manager's Performance tab shows how much is currently in use. If you have 16 GB installed but Task Manager shows only 8 GB in use, the other 8 GB is available for programs to use. If usage is consistently near the total, your PC may need more RAM.

How do I find out what version of Windows 11 I have?

Go to Settings > System > About and look for "Edition" (shows Home, Pro, etc.) and "Version" (shows a number like 23H2). You can also see the build number on the same page. All three pieces of information together tell you exactly which Windows 11 release you are running.