How to Check CPU Temperature on Windows
Windows 11 doesn't show CPU temperature on its own. Here is how to read it in the BIOS or a free tool, and what counts as a safe temperature.
Windows 11 does not show your CPU temperature anywhere built in — Task Manager’s Performance tab reports a GPU temperature, but never the processor. To read the CPU you either check the BIOS/UEFI or install a small, trusted monitoring tool. Both take a couple of minutes.
Why Task Manager won’t tell you
People look in Task Manager, see no CPU temperature, and assume everything is fine — it simply is not measured there. The Performance tab can show a GPU temperature when the graphics driver exposes it, and that is the only temperature Windows surfaces on its own. For the processor you need firmware or a third-party reader.
Two reliable ways to read it
The quickest one-off check is the BIOS/UEFI: restart, tap the setup key during boot (often Del or F2), and the CPU temperature is usually on the main hardware page. For ongoing monitoring inside Windows, install a trusted tool such as Core Temp, HWiNFO, or HWMonitor, or your motherboard maker’s app. These show live per-core temperatures while you work or game.
| Method | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| BIOS/UEFI | A quick at-rest reading | Can’t watch it under load |
| Core Temp / HWiNFO | Live monitoring | Free, shows per-core temps |
| Motherboard app | Desktops with a vendor suite | Armoury Crate, Ryzen Master, etc. |
What counts as a safe temperature
Numbers vary by chip, but as a rough guide: idle around 30-50°C, under load roughly 60-85°C, and thermal throttling near 95-100°C. A modern CPU touching the high 80s during a game is normal; sitting near 100°C, or throttling, is not. When one runs hot, the usual causes are dust in the heatsink and fans, poor case airflow, old thermal paste, or a process pinning the processor. If temperatures climb whenever load spikes, check high CPU usage, and if heat is making the machine lock up, why Windows 11 keeps freezing covers the crash side.
Read the temperature before you worry about it — most PCs run warmer than people expect and are completely fine. Clean the dust and improve airflow first; repasting the cooler is the step to try only if a clean, well-ventilated machine still runs hot.