How to find out what processes are running on Windows?

Understanding the processes running on a Windows system is fundamental for troubleshooting, optimizing performance, and ensuring system security. In this article, we will explore various methods and tools available to identify and analyze the processes currently running on a Windows operating system. Whether you're a system administrator, IT professional, or an everyday user looking to gain insights into your system's activity, understanding how to find out what processes are running on Windows is a valuable skill.

In Windows, you can use various methods and tools to find out what processes are running. Here are some common approaches:

Task Manager:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc or Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select "Task Manager."
In Task Manager, go to the "Processes" or "Details" tab to see a list of running processes.
You can right-click on the column headers to add or remove columns, such as CPU usage, memory usage, etc.

Resource Monitor:

Open Task Manager and go to the "Performance" tab.
Click on "Open Resource Monitor" at the bottom.
In Resource Monitor, go to the "CPU," "Memory," or "Disk" tabs for detailed information about running processes.

Command Prompt (wmic):

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell.
To list all processes:

wmic process get caption,processid

To find a specific process by name:

wmic process where "name like '%process_name%'" get caption,processid

PowerShell:

Open PowerShell.
To list all processes:

Get-Process

To find a specific process by name:

Get-Process -Name "process_name"

Tasklist Command:

Open Command Prompt.
To list all processes:

tasklist

To find a specific process by name:

tasklist | find "process_name"

 

System Configuration (msconfig):

Open the "Run" dialog (Win + R) and type msconfig.
Go to the "Services" or "Startup" tab to see processes that run at system startup.

Process Explorer:

Download and run "Process Explorer" from the official Microsoft website.
This tool provides a more detailed view of processes, including open handles and DLLs.

In conclusion, having the ability to identify and analyze the processes running on a Windows system is essential for maintaining system stability, performance, and security. By using the methods and tools discussed in this article, users can gain valuable insights into their system's activity, detect potential issues or resource bottlenecks, and take necessary actions to optimize and troubleshoot effectively. Whether it's monitoring for suspicious processes, optimizing resource utilization, or diagnosing performance issues, a comprehensive understanding of Windows processes empowers users to make informed decisions and ensure the smooth operation of their systems.