Windows Inside & Out · Task Manager & Performance · Lesson 3 of 5

Finding What's Hogging Your Computer

Track down the app slowing you down, close it safely, and know when to scan or restart.

Sorting the Processes list

When the computer feels slow, Task Manager can show you which app is to blame. Open it with Ctrl+Shift+Esc and click Processes.

A process is a program that is running right now. One app can have several processes. A web browser often runs one for each tab.

The list has columns for CPU, Memory, Disk and Network. Click a column's title to sort by it. Click CPU, and the busiest app jumps to the top. Click it again to flip the order.

Watch for a few seconds before you decide. The numbers jump around. An app using a lot for a moment is normal. An app that stays near the top for minutes is the one to look at.

When you find it, you have choices:

• If it is your own app, save your work and close it the normal way.
• If it is frozen, select it and click End task. Any unsaved work in it will be lost.

Be careful with names you don't know. Many processes belong to Windows itself, like Service Host or System. Ending those can make Windows act strangely until you restart.

If you don't know what something is, right-click it and choose Search online before you end it. Trust answers from Microsoft or the app's maker.

Ending a task only stops it for now. It does not uninstall the app, and it may start again next time.

On a Mac, open Activity Monitor and click a column to sort. To quit an app, select it and click the stop button, an X in a circle.

Tabs, extensions, malware and a fresh start

Often the biggest thing in the list is the web browser. That's usually not a fault. Each open tab uses memory, and some pages keep working, like videos, maps and online games.

Close tabs you don't need. Bookmark the ones you want to come back to. Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome can also put unused tabs to sleep to save memory.

Those browsers have a task manager of their own. Press Shift+Esc inside Edge or Chrome. It shows which tab or extension is using the most.

An extension is a small add-on that gives the browser extra features, like a coupon finder. Each one uses some power. Some bad ones show ads or spy on you. Remove extensions you don't use or don't remember adding.

Sometimes something you don't recognize keeps using lots of CPU. Or the slowness comes with pop-ups and strange ads. Then malware may be the cause. Malware is harmful software. Run a scan:

1. Open Start and search for Windows Security.
2. Click Virus & threat protection.
3. Click Quick scan. For a deeper check, choose Scan options, then Full scan.

Don't forget the simplest fix. A restart closes everything and starts fresh. It clears stuck processes, frees memory and finishes updates. If your computer has been on for days or weeks, try it before anything else.

Choose Restart rather than Shut down. Many Windows computers use Fast startup, which saves part of the system when you shut down so it starts quicker. A restart gives a cleaner fresh start.

On a Mac, restart from the Apple menu.