Monitoring your CPU’s temperature is critical for performance and system health. This article explains various methods to check CPU temperature in Windows 11, ensuring your system runs smoothly and avoids overheating.
Why Check CPU Temperature in Windows 11?
Your CPU (Central Processing Unit) generates heat during operation, and too much heat can lead to performance issues or even hardware damage. Monitoring the temperature helps you maintain optimal performance and prevent potential overheating problems. While Windows 11 doesn’t have a built-in tool to check CPU temperature, there are multiple ways to track it using BIOS/UEFI or third-party software.
How to Check CPU Temperature via BIOS/UEFI in Windows 11
The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is the easiest way to check CPU temperature before your system fully boots. However, this method only allows you to see the temperature when your computer is idle.
Steps:
- Restart your computer.
- Enter BIOS/UEFI by pressing the appropriate key during boot (commonly F2, Delete, or ESC).
- Navigate to the Hardware Monitor or CPU Settings section. Here, you’ll find the CPU temperature displayed in degrees Celsius.
While this method is simple, it doesn’t allow you to monitor the temperature while using Windows 11, making third-party tools essential for real-time monitoring.
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Monitor CPU Temperature in Windows 11 Using Third-Party Tools
To continuously monitor your CPU temperature during regular use or under load, you’ll need a third-party tool. Here are some of the best options:
1. Use Speccy to Monitor CPU Temperature
Speccy is a free tool that provides detailed hardware information, including real-time CPU temperature readings.
Steps:
- Download and install Speccy from its official website.
- Open Speccy, and under the CPU section, you’ll see the current temperature of your CPU, along with information for each core.
The word “temperature” is now plural. Although central processing units (CPUs) have multiple cores, issues can occur when even a single core becomes excessively hot. There may just be one number shown in the BIOS/UEFI menu; however, third-party apps like Speccy can provide information on each core’s temperature.
If you are unable to find Speccy in the Microsoft Store, then you can download it using the link above. After downloading the speccy you can open it to check CPU temperature.
2. Use Open Hardware Monitor to Track CPU Temperature
Open Hardware Monitor is a lightweight and open-source tool that provides real-time temperature readings for your CPU and other components.
Steps:
- Download Open Hardware Monitor from here.
- Extract the downloaded file and run the application.
- Scroll down to the CPU section to view the temperature readings for each core.
This tool is ideal for users who want a simple and free solution to monitor temperatures and voltages.
Right-click the application (.exe) and choose Run as administrator. Click Yes.
Then click Yes in the Open Hardware Monitor application, navigate to the CPU name, and access the second tab to view the temperatures. This will show the temperature of your CPU.
Note: Alienware and other gaming PCs come with in-built software that shows the temperature of the CPU and GPU units.
3. Find CPU Temperature Using HWiNFO
HWiNFO is a more advanced tool that provides detailed information about your system’s hardware, including in-depth CPU temperature monitoring.
Steps:
Navigate to the CPU section in the sensors window to view the temperature readings for each core, including the current, minimum, maximum, and average temperatures.
Download HWiNFO from here.
Install the software and choose the “Sensors-only” option during setup.
After downloading, run the setup.
Choose next.
Click next
Select next
Choose next.
Click on the install button to install HWiNFO.
Click finish.
Click the box Sensors-only and select Start.
Expand the third dropdown, and you will find core temperatures. The present, lowest, highest, and average temperatures are shown in the different columns.
Conclusion: Keep Your CPU Cool
Monitoring your CPU temperature is essential for maintaining the health and performance of your computer. Whether you’re using the BIOS/UEFI interface or a third-party tool like Speccy, Open Hardware Monitor, or HWiNFO, regularly checking your CPU temperature helps you detect potential issues before they lead to more significant problems.
By following these methods, you can ensure that your Windows 11 system stays cool and performs at its best. If you notice consistently high temperatures, consider improving your cooling system or optimizing your workload to prevent overheating.
Learn more: How to Set an Alarm in Windows 11
