Keeping an eye on your CPU temperature is crucial for maintaining the performance and longevity of your Windows 11 PC. Overheating can lead to system instability, reduced performance, or even hardware damage.
Fortunately, there are several quick and easy methods to monitor CPU temperatures—ranging from built-in system tools to third-party applications.
Whether you’re a casual user looking for a simple solution or a power user wanting detailed insights, this guide walks you through multiple ways to check your CPU temperature on a Windows 11 PC.
How to Monitor CPU Temperature On A Windows 11 PC
Follow the methods explained below to monitor the CPU temperature on a Windows 11 PC.
1. Check CPU Using UEFI/BIOS
If you prefer to check your CPU temperature without installing extra software, the UEFI or BIOS is a built-in option available on most PCs.
However, this method only displays real-time temperatures and does not provide historical data.
Now here’s is how to check the CPU in BIOS:
- Boot into the UEFI or BIOS.
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Navigate to System then Recovery and click Restart Now under Advanced startup.
- Choose Troubleshoot then select Advanced Options then select UEFI Firmware Settings, then click Restart.
- The process to enter the BIOS can indeed vary depending on your motherboard. However, the commonly used keys to access it during boot-up are F2, F12, Del, and Esc.
- You need to restart your computer and press the appropriate key repeatedly as it starts up to access the BIOS.
- Since the exact key may differ, you can refer to your user manual or visit the manufacturer’s website for specific details about your device.
- Now after entering into BIOS, look for a section labeled Hardware Monitor, CPU, Performance, or Power—this also varies based on your motherboard manufacturer.
- You should see the current CPU temperature displayed there.
2. Use Free Tools To Check The CPU Temperature
To check the CPU temperature you can use free and lightweight tools like Core Temp. It can show you the real-time CPU temperature monitoring.
Now here is how to check CPU temperature using Core Temp.
- Download Core Temp from the official website.
- Install the software, ensuring you deselect any bundled extras during setup.
- Launch Core Temp from the Start menu.
- Monitor Your CPU Temperature.
- You’ll see temperature readings for each core in real-time.
- Go to Options then Overheat Protection to set up alerts for high temperatures.
3. Use Speccy For a Comprehensive System Info
Speccy, from the makers of CCleaner, provides detailed system information, including CPU temperature. It’s an excellent choice if you also want to monitor other hardware components.
- Download Speccy from the Microsoft Store.
- Install and open Speccy from the Start menu.
- Click “CPU” from the left panel to view temperature details.
- Monitor temperatures for each core and an average CPU temp.
4. Use MSI Afterburner to check CPU Temperature
MSI Afterburner is primarily a GPU monitoring tool, but it also provides real-time CPU temperature monitoring with an overlay feature for in-game monitoring. Now here is how you can use the tool:
- Download MSI Afterburner from MSI’s official page.
- Install and open the program. Confirm installation of RivaTuner Statistics Server for overlays.
- Once done, open the tool.
- Click the gear icon to access settings.
- Navigate to the “Monitoring” tab and enable “CPU Temperature”.
- Choose to check the box for On-Screen Display.
- Click on each CPU temperature reading, then check “Show in On-Screen Display.” You will be able to check the CPU temperature on the software.
5. Use Intel Extreme Tuning Utility For Intel Users
Intel’s Extreme Tuning Utility is a great option for users with Intel K or X-series processors. It provides detailed CPU stats, including temperature monitoring over time. Here is how you can use it to check CPU temperature.
- Download XTU from Intel’s official website.
- Install the tool and restart your PC if prompted.
- Open XTU and go to “Advanced Tuning”.
- Monitor your CPU temperature via the graph showing real-time and historical data.
You can customize monitoring settings by selecting additional parameters.
6. Use AMD Ryzen Master For Ryzen Users
If you have an AMD Ryzen processor, Ryzen Master is the official tool for monitoring CPU performance and temperatures.
- Download AMD Ryzen Master from AMD’s website.
- Install and open the application.
- Check the temperature in the Basic View, where you’ll also see clock speeds and voltages.
- Switch to Advanced View to see per-core temperatures and additional performance data.
Wrapping Up
And that is how to Monitor CPU Temperature on a Windows 11 PC.
We hope one of these methods worked for you. If you found this article helpful, drop a comment below to share which solution worked for you—it might help others too!
