To see what programs and processes are currently running on your Windows 10 computer, the easiest and most common way is to use the Task Manager.
Accessing Task Manager
You can open the Task Manager using several quick methods:
- Right-click the Taskbar and select Task Manager.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager.
Using the Processes Tab
Once Task Manager is open, you will typically land on the Processes tab. This tab provides a comprehensive view of everything currently running on your system.
According to the reference (dated 28-Jan-2023), you can look under Apps in the Processes tab in Task Manager to see all currently running apps and processes.
The Processes tab is organized into different sections to help you understand what's running:
- Apps: This section lists the programs you actively opened and are interacting with (like your web browser, document editor, or media player). These are the main applications you see running.
- Background processes: These are processes running in the background, often without a visible window. They might be helper applications for your installed software, synchronization tools, or other utilities.
- Windows processes: These are core processes essential for Windows 10 itself to function. They include critical system services and operating system components.
Each running process or app is usually associated with an executable file (.exe) located somewhere on your computer, though Task Manager primarily shows the process name or app name for clarity.
Information Displayed
The Processes tab shows useful information for each running item in various columns:
| Column Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | The name of the application or process. |
| Status | Indicates if the application is running or suspended. |
| CPU | How much of the processor's power the process is using. |
| Memory | How much RAM the process is using. |
| Disk | How much disk activity the process is causing. |
| Network | How much network bandwidth the process is using. |
| GPU | How much of the graphics card the process is using. |
You can click on the column headers to sort the list by that criteria (e.g., click "CPU" to see which process is using the most CPU).
Practical Insight: Ending a Task
If an application is unresponsive, you can select it in the "Apps" section of the Processes tab and click the End task button at the bottom right. Be cautious when ending processes in the "Background processes" or "Windows processes" sections, as this can sometimes cause instability or errors if you stop a critical system function.
Using Task Manager provides a real-time snapshot of your system's activity, showing you exactly which applications and processes are currently executing.
