How to monitor CPU usage in Windows using Resource Monitor

Monitoring CPU usage in Windows ensures stable and efficient system performance, especially with resource-intensive applications. High CPU usage can degrade performance or lead to instability. Utilizing Resource Monitor, a built-in Windows utility, provides real-time data on processor activity, helping identify processes that heavily tax system resources.

Resource Monitor delivers more granular insights than Task Manager, displaying the load for each running process, threads usage, and overall processor load. This level of detail is essential for troubleshooting performance bottlenecks, diagnosing application issues, and fine-tuning resource allocation. Accurate measurements of CPU consumption facilitate optimization and prevent the strain caused by excessive resource demands.

With access to detailed process and thread data, administrators can pinpoint high-usage patterns and handle them proactively. The ability to observe each process’s impact on the processor ensures that system resources remain balanced and stable. This information is key when addressing performance concerns and maintaining optimal CPU functionality in both routine and specialized environments.

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc or right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager.
2. Click on the Performance tab.
3. At the bottom of the window, click Open Resource Monitor.
4. Select the CPU tab within Resource Monitor.
5. View the CPU activity for each process under the Processes pane.

   The CPU tab lists processes, their associated CPU usage, and the number of active threads.

6. Observe the CPU Usage graph at the top for a real-time overview of processor load.
7. Scroll through the Processes and Services pane to identify high-usage processes.

   Sorting by Average CPU usage highlights the most resource-intensive processes.

8. Use the Threads pane to view the number of threads used by each process.

   This is useful for identifying processes with unusually high thread counts, which may indicate performance issues.