Keep Cool and Carry On: How to Monitor Your CPU Temperature
Just as you don’t want your phone getting too hot, an overheating computer is no joke. If your CPU gets over a certain temperature, it will start throttling performance in an effort to reduce excess heat. Still, if your internal components get too hot for too long, it can decrease the lifespan of your PC, not to mention burn your thighs if you’re using your laptop on bare legs.
Unfortunately, most PCs don’t have built-in temperature-monitoring tools, so you can’t easily check how hot your computer is getting at any given time. If you want to see how hot your computer is running, you will need to download some extra software. Here’s what you need to check your machine’s internal temperature.
Windows: Monitor CPU Temperature with Core Temp
Core Temp provides as much information as you need
(Credit: Core Temp / ALCPU)
There are dozens of temperature-monitoring programs out there, but for most users, I recommend Core Temp(Opens in a new window). It provides plenty of information without being as overwhelming as more thorough utilities, and it comes both as an installer and in standalone EXE format. Plus, it allows you to monitor your temperature from the Windows taskbar, which is great if you want to keep an eye on it over time.
Download Core Temp, install it (be careful to uncheck the «Goodgame Empire» bloatware), and launch the program. The top portion of the window lists the CPU you have in your system, its current load, and a few other technical tidbits. The real meat is at the bottom of the window, where it says Temperature Readings.
You will see the current temperature in the left column, alongside the lowest and highest temperatures the program recorded since you last launched it. If you’re using an AMD CPU, you’ll probably just have one value here, while Intel CPUs will likely have one temperature reading per CPU core—just keep an eye on the hottest core to keep things simple.
I highly recommend heading to Options > Settings and playing with the options available here, especially those under the Notification Area tab, which will let you view your CPU temperature in the taskbar.
I personally recommend selecting Highest Temperature here—then click the system tray’s arrow and drag Core Temp’s icon to the taskbar to keep it visible at all times.
MacOS: Monitor CPU Temperature with Fanny
Fanny includes easy-to-use options
(Credit: Fanny Widget / Daniel Storm)
If you’re using a Mac, iStat Menus(Opens in a new window) is widely regarded as the best system monitoring app around, and if you’re an advanced user looking to keep an eye on your Mac’s internals, it’s well worth the $12. However, for most folks, Fanny(Opens in a new window) is a much simpler choice—and it’s free.
Download Fanny, unzip the app, and drag it to your Applications folder. When you start it up, you should see the icon appear in the menu bar. Fanny bills itself as a Notification Center widget, but this requires you to slide it out every time you want to check the temperature—not ideal.
Instead, I recommend changing the Fanny icon to display the temperature.
Click on Fanny’s menu bar icon and choose Preferences to adjust the app’s settings. Change the Menu Bar setting to CPU Temperature, and you should see the icon change to a value in degrees Celsius, which is ideal for monitoring your CPU temperature as you work.
How Hot Is Too Hot?
iStats Menus can monitor temperature spikes
(Credit: iStat Menus)
If your CPU gets too hot, it will reduce performance to try and reduce the temperature—meaning whatever you’re doing at the time will probably run slower. It will also keep your fans spinning at high speeds, meaning lots of noise. Plus, high temperatures over long periods of time can decrease the lifespan of your CPU, not to mention other components like the fan and battery.
«Normal» temperatures, though, can vary wildly depending on the CPU in your computer and what type of computer it is. A thin and light ultraportable laptop that crams a powerful CPU into a small space with little airflow, for example, will likely get hotter than a desktop PC with a low-power CPU, even when performing the same tasks.
And a CPU running at 70 degrees is likely to be just as effective as a CPU running at 40 degrees in that given moment.
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That said, your CPU does have a maximum threshold—a specific temperature it will try to avoid going over. This is known as the maximum temperature junction, or TJ Max. It varies from CPU to CPU, but for most chips, it lies somewhere between 95° C and 105° C. So if your computer is regularly hitting that temperature, it’s probably throttling itself (and, if it can’t decrease the temperature, it may even shut itself off to prevent overheating.)
How to Lower CPU Temperature
You can control fan speed from MSI Afterburner
(Credit: MSI)
If you’re regularly seeing that kind of heat, you have a few options.
First, open up your computer—either by removing the side panel on a desktop or unscrewing the bottom case on a laptop—and blow out any dust bunnies with an air blower(Opens in a new window). This should help improve airflow and reduce temperatures. You can also adjust your CPU’s fan behavior, allowing it to run at higher speeds more often.
If you have a desktop, you may even want to reseat the CPU cooler to make sure it’s making good contact with the CPU, and if your computer is rather old, some new thermal paste could help lower temperatures as well.
If you have a thin-and-light laptop known for overheating, though, these tips may only take you so far—and you’ll just have to deal with the excess heat. The next time you buy a laptop, be sure to read thorough reviews that include heat and fan noise before you commit.
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How to Check CPU Temperature in Windows 10
We all know that the CPU temperature should not be too high. A high temperature would cause damage to the CPU, even the computer. But what’s the high temperature of a CPU? How to check CPU temperature if we need to manage it? Read on to discover some tips that will answer the above questions.
- Way 1: Monitor CPU temperature via applications
- Way 2: Check CPU temperature through BIOS
- Way 3: View CPU temperature via tools provided by manufacturers
In general, the maximum temperature of the CPU should not exceed 85°C. When the temperature of the CPU exceeds 80°C, it’s easy to cause problems like computer crashes, automatic shutdown, etc.
If you want to know the maximum temperature of your CPU, you can check it through the CPU manufacture’s official website. For example, through searching the AMD website, you can know that the max temperature of AMD Ryzen™ 5 5600X is 95°C.
If you want to control the temperature, you need to know the real-time data. How can you know what temperature the CPU is running at? There are there ways available for you to view the CPU temperature.
Way 1: Monitor CPU temperature via applications
The easiest and quickest way to check the real-time temperature of the CPU is using applications. Many software supports to monitor real-time CPU temperature. Among them, I recommend GPU-Z, Open Hardware Monitor, and HWiNFO.
GPU-Z has a concise interface and it occupies little memory. Open it and click the «Senors» tab, you can see the real-time temperature of the CPU. The red stripe on the right side shows the variation of the temperature, which can be seen from the figure.
You can see the real-time CPU temperature and max temperature in Open Hardware Monitor. The data is easy to find. When opening Open Hardware Monitor, remember to run it as administrator. Because running it in normal users may result in a lack of temperature information.
HWiNFO has relatively comprehensive support for all kinds of sensors. It is a good choice for those who want to learn more about the computer or look at the data to make more conclusions. Through it, you can not only monitor the current temperature of the CPU but also know its max and mini temperature during the run times of the software.
Way 2: Check CPU temperature through BIOS
In addition to using third-party software to check the temperature, you can also know the CPU temperature through BIOS. The power consumption is very tiny when the computer is just turned on. The temperature, which is viewed on the BIOS when the computer is just running, couldn’t reflect the normal operating temperature of your CPU exactly.
Therefore, it’s suggested to restart the computer and enter the BIOS after the computer has been running for a while.
Here’s how to enter BIOS to check the CPU temperature:
Step 1: To restart your computer after the computer is running for a while.
Step 2: When the computer enters the black screen, click the Delete key several times to enter the BIOS. Most Windows 10 computers can enter BIOS by pressing the Delete key. If it doesn’t work, refer to your computer’s manual.
Step 3: In the BIOS interface, you can see more hardware information, including the CPU temperature. On some computers, you need to click Power to enter the next interface to see the CPU temperature.
Way 3: View CPU temperature via tools provided by manufacturers
Manufacturers provide many tools for us to use, including tools for overclocking, checking temperature, etc. These tools need to be searched by the motherboard model.
Therefore, we need to search the motherboard model on the manufacturer’s official website, to find those tools. Follow this procedure to view CPU temperature via tools provided by manufacturers:
Step 1: Check the motherboard model via Command Prompt
Press the Windows key + R to open Run dialog box. Type «CMD» and press «Enter» to open Command Prompt. Type wmic baseboard get product, manufacturer and press «Enter». Then you can see the manufacture and model of the motherboard. Record it. For example, the model of my motherboard is ASUS PRIME A320M-A.
Step 2: To search for tools on the official website
To search the motherboard on the official website, click the result to its details page and then click «Support» to find tools. On the official Asus website, we need to enter the details page of the motherboard, click Support and then Driver&Tools. After selecting the system, you can see the tools Asus provided for the motherboard.
Step 3: Download available tools to check CPU temperature
There may be many tools available from the manufacturer, including but not limited to Audio, USB, etc. We need to look for tools that display CPU temperature, like tools that show system information. Once you’ve made your decision, download the tool you’ve chosen. Then check the CPU temperature after the tool is installed.
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- 5 Ways to Fix CPU Usage 100 Percent Windows 10
How to view the temperature of the processor in Windows
4.2
(5)
When working on a computer, you need to monitor the temperature of the processor and video card. It is these two components that bear the main load.
An increased load can cause overheating, reduce processor performance, damage the computer, and even cause it to catch fire. To prevent this from happening, you should follow simple rules and understand how to correctly use an electronic machine. 9Ol000
Speccy.0014
Causes of heating of PC components
During normal operation of the computer, heating and performance degradation may not be noticeable. Problems begin to arise when performing complex operations: video processing, photo materials, high-definition video playback or live broadcasting. This is especially noticeable during games that greatly increase the load on the processor and video card of the computer. The drop in performance in this case is most noticeable.
The game starts to slow down, the picture is interrupted, and it becomes uncomfortable to play.
Important! In the latest versions of Windows, processors with graphics cards support an emergency shutdown of the PC when the temperature of any element exceeds the maximum allowed. If the device periodically turns off during operation, then this is a serious reason to sort out the problem.
Main causes of overheating:
- Dried thermal paste.
Thermal paste is a thick white or gray paste. It contains small particles of various metals with high thermal conductivity, which accelerate heat transfer between components and the cooling radiator. It is recommended to change it every 1-3 years. Depending on the modes of computer use and the quality of the paste itself. Dried thermal paste interferes with cooling.
Dry thermal paste example
- Cooling system failure.
The computer requires regular mechanical cleaning at least every six months . Fans, which are responsible for cooling the system, suck in dust and fine dirt along with the air. All this accumulates inside the unit, reduces the efficiency of the fan, which ultimately leads to an increase in the temperature of the components (see photo).
Example of a clogged device
- Malware.
It’s easy to catch the virus. Especially for inexperienced users. It’s good if malware only uses computer resources to perform third-party tasks. In this case, the issue is resolved by a simple check by the anti-virus program. The worst case would be when the virus loads the system to a complete failure. The virus can also disable overheating protection systems, or replace data on high temperatures with working ones so that the user does not notice the changes. This problem is also fixed using a special program.
You can try running several anti-virus programs one by one. The algorithms of the programs differ, so the overall effectiveness of the «treatment» increases.
- Poor assembly.
CPU cooler requires cooler . When assembling a computer on your own, situations arise in which the power of the existing cooler does not meet the cooling requirements of the processor. This can also cause overheating, because the processor will not have time to cool. For video cards, this is less relevant. They have a factory-installed cooling system.
5. Processor frequency too high.
To increase the performance of the processor, you can «overclock» it, that is, make it work at an increased frequency. Overlocking (overclocking) without sufficient experience is dangerous. You can easily get a situation where the system starts to malfunction, because the components are not always designed for overclocking. This causes overheating. If you bought a used computer, chances are that the previous owner tried to increase performance by overlocking. With insufficient scrutiny, nothing will indicate this and with normal use everything will be fine. But as the load increases, the computer will start to warm up.
Operating temperature of the processor and video card
To understand that the computer is overheating before it crashes, you need to know
Important! These are average values. Each model has its own indicators. Notebook components have temperatures 10-15 points higher.
How to check the temperature of the processor, video card
- Online? (When preparing the article, we saw that there are a lot of such requests to search engines). It is not possible to check the temperature online , only with the help of special programs.
Programs access device files that provide the necessary data. Online services cannot have such capabilities. - Via BIOS. This is a rather inferior method, but it is usually sufficient. In this case, it will not be possible to check the data under load on the system. Also, not all motherboards support this functionality. To enter the BIOS, you must press the call key when starting the PC. This is usually done many times until the desired result is obtained. Next, you need to find the required tab. (see example)
The tab can be labeled as “monitor”, “monitor”, “power”. It may differ on different versions. There just should be the temperature of most elements.
Help. The call key is different on different motherboards. You can find out about this in the user manual or on the Internet.
- PowerShell. This is a standard component of the Windows system (starting with Windows XP and ending with Windows 7, 8 and 10).
You can launch it using the search in the start. There you need to enter the command “Get-WMIObject msacpi_thermalzonetemperature -namespace “root/wmi” | Select CurrentTemperature | ForEach-Object { ($_.CurrentTemperature/10)-273.15 }» without quotes. The program will display the temperature in degrees Celsius.
Important! Must be run as administrator.
- Command line. Enter the command «wmic /namespace:\\root\wmi PATH MSAcpi_ThermalZoneTemperature get CurrentTemperature» without quotes. Among the information that appears, you need to find the item “Current Temperature”.
Divide this number by 10 and subtract 273 to get degrees Celsius.
- Third-party utilities. This is the most common way. Even when highlighting the most popular of them, a list of about 12 items is obtained.
– – Core Temp + – – RivaTuner – + – CAM + + + SPEED FAN + + — Open Hardware Monitor + — —
—
—
— HOUSE0126
+ Paid (trial period — month) CPU-Z
This is one of the most common programs for obtaining information about the system.
You can download it here: https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html. Contrary to misconceptions, it is impossible to check how hot the processor is here, but this does not make the utility bad. Usage: easy to open. CPU-Thermometer
Does not require installation. You just need to download the file with the program (http://www.cputhermometer.com/). Shows the temperature of the processor, its load for each individual core. Usage: easy to open.
HWINFO
There is a version that does not require installation. There is detailed information about the entire system. Registered users get the opportunity to conduct tests. It can be difficult to understand without English. (https://www.hwinfo.com/)
Real Temp
Shows all processor information. Unfortunately, only for Intel processors starting from the Pentium 4 model. The temperature is separate for each core.
Usage: easy to open. (https://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/) Core Temp
Shows the processor temperature separately for each core and their load. You can install additional modules that will give information about other components of the system. Usage: Easy to open. (https://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/)
RivaTuner
Graphics card utility. With its help, you can get any information, configure, view the temperature of the graphics core during the game, and much more. Usage: Temperature display. (https://rivatuner.ru.uptodown.com/windows)
CAM
A universal program for monitoring the status of a video card and processor. Nice, clear interface. Usage: View temperature. (https://camwebapp.com/)
1 — processor temperature.
2 – video card temperature.
Speed Fan
Processor temperature for all cores.
Possibility to adjust fan speed. Usage: easy to open. (https://speedfan.ru.softonic.com/)
In this video, the Speedfan program is discussed in detail.
Open Hardware Monitor
Does not require installation. Shows temperature for all cores. Information about each component of the system separately. Ability to write all parameters to a text file. Usage: easy to open. (https://openhardwaremonitor.org/)
1 — processor temperature.
2 – video card temperature.
HWMonitor
Most similar to the previous one. Usage: easy to open. (https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html)
1 — processor temperature.
2 – video card temperature.
Speccy
Detailed information on all system components. Usage: easy to open. On the 1st screenshot, the processor data, and on the 2nd — video cards. (https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy/download)
The video will tell you more about the program.
Aida 64
Aida64 has the widest functionality on the market. There is not only control of system elements, but you can also check the software component. People often compare this utility to Everest. It is a simple predecessor of Aida64. Everest is less supported by developers, has less functionality, old-fashioned work algorithms. Usage: easy to open. (https://www.aida64.
com/) The video will tell you more about how to use Aida64. And also what should be the temperature of the computer, and how to lower it.
How to lower the temperature and prevention
Methods to lower the temperature depend on what is causing the overheating.
- If it is thermal paste, it must be replaced. It is better to entrust it to professionals.
- In the event of a malfunction due to contamination, the system must be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or a can of compressed air. Again: be careful when doing this, or entrust it to professionals.
- Malware will help you remove the antivirus.
- To avoid problems after self-assembly, you need to study the process well yourself or trust the master.
- Do not install the PC system unit near the battery.
Computer needs maintenance. You can’t leave him unattended. Knowing the condition of PC components, you can extend its service life, and you can find out the temperature of the processor and video card using special simple programs. In case of deviations, it is better to contact the master.
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5 Ways to View CPU Temperature in Windows 10
The Complete Guide to Windows 10
The central processing unit (CPU) essentially implements instructions received from software and hardware.
This causes the CPU to heat up, and if it gets too hot for an extended period, hardware issues can occur. As part of regular computer maintenance, periodically checking your processor temperature will help protect your computer’s internal components. How to check CPU temperature in Windows 10? We’ll show you how to monitor your CPU temperature with a range of third-party tools best suited for Windows 10. In addition, our FAQ has tips on how to lower your CPU temperature.
What is a normal processor temperature?
Find out the «normal value» or tolerance range of your computer. External conditions, such as the location of your computer or room temperature, can affect processor temperatures.
Because normal temperatures vary by computer processor type, the following are rough guidelines for evaluation:
- Minimum processor usage (typical processing): approximately 30 to 50 °C (86 to 122 °F)
- Heavy processor usage: up to 95°C (up to 203°F)
- Whenever possible, the temperature should not exceed 100°C (212°F) — especially for long periods of time.
CPU temperature in Windows 10 can be found using some applications — ThrottleStop, MSI Afterburner, Open Hardware Monitor, Core Temp, Speccy and others .
How to check CPU temperature in Windows 10 using ThrottleStop
ThrottleStop is an application designed to monitor and fix the three main types of CPU throttling: thermal, power limit, and CPU power module. To have ThrottleStop run automatically on startup and display your CPU temperature in the taskbar:
- Download the latest version of ThrottleStop.
- Click the Start button.
- Then select Settings, Applications, then Start.
- Find the ThrottleStop application and turn it on.
Alternatively, if the Start option is not in Settings:
- Right-click the Start button.
- Click Task Manager.
- Click the Startup or Details tab.
- Select and enable the ThrottleStop application.
To display the temperature in the taskbar notification area at startup:
- Find and launch the ThrottleStop application.
- At the bottom of the main window, select Options.
- Then check the «CPU Temp» box under the «Notification area» in the middle.
How to Check CPU Temperature in Windows 10 with MSI Afterburner
MSI Afterburner was designed for gamers. It supports in-game graphics performance monitoring, testing, overclocking and video capture. It is also a great tool for monitoring computer temperature. To find out your CPU temperature with MSI Afterburner:
- Download the latest version of MSI Afterburner.
- Find and launch the application.
- The main screen will display your CPU temperature and related information.
- To display your CPU temperature graph first:
- Select Settings, then the Monitoring tab.
- In the menu you can choose what you want to display on the main screen. Then drag the selected items in the order you want them to appear in the graphs on the right.
- After you have dragged the CPU temperature to where you want it, select OK.
- Select Processor Temperature, and then select the Show on On-Screen Display check box. The current temperature will be displayed in the corner each time you launch the OSD shortcut.
How to view CPU temperature in Windows 10 using Open Hardware Monitor
The free and open source software Open Hardware Monitor monitors PC fan speeds, temperature sensors, voltages, as well as load and clock speed. This is a great all-in-one tool for monitoring your PC’s temperature.
To check CPU temperature:
- Download the latest version of Open Hardware Monitor.
- Find and launch the application.
- In the main window, under the category with the name of your processors, the current processor temperature is displayed and the temperatures of each main processor are listed.
To display the temperature on the taskbar:
- Right-click the temperature and select Show in Tray.
- If the temperature is hidden under the «extra» section, drag it to the active tray.
How to check CPU temperature in Windows 10 using Core Temp
Core Temp is a lightweight and powerful processor and another important information monitoring tool. Like some of the other tools we’ve covered so far, it displays the temperature for each CPU core. It also shows real-time fluctuations as workloads change.
To see the CPU temperature in Core Temp:
- Download the latest version of Core Temp.
- Find and launch the application.
- The temperature readings section of the main window displays your processor temperatures.
How to Check CPU Temperature in Windows 10 Using Speccy
Speccy provides comprehensive statistics on all of your computer’s hardware, including CPUs, graphics cards, hard drives, and more. Temperatures for each piece of equipment are displayed; thus highlighting any potential problems.
- Download the latest Speccy.
- Find and launch the application.
- All applicable temperatures are displayed.
- Select «CPU» on the left for more detailed information about the processor.
To display the temperature in the System Tray:
- Select View and Options.
- Click Taskbar, then Minimize to Taskbar.
- Now select «Display metrics in tray», then «CPU».
FAQ
What temperature is right for my Windows 10 processor?
Many third-party hardware monitoring tools detect the maximum temperature for your particular processor and let you know if your processor is approaching or exceeding it.
Since normal temperatures may vary depending on the processor, the following is a rough guideline for evaluation:
- Minimum CPU Usage (Standard Processing): Approximately 30 to 50°C (86 to 122°F).
- Heavy CPU use: up to 95°C (up to 203°F).
- Temperature should not exceed 100°C (212°F) whenever possible — especially for long periods of time.
What are the consequences of running hot too long?
Processor overheating, especially for extended periods, can have the following effects:
- PC is slow to respond to input or completely freezes
- Random characters and symbols appearing on the screen
- A “death screen” or a frightening blue screen appears
- Random reboot or shutdown
- Motherboard voltage regulator module and surrounding components may be damaged.
- The hard drive may be experiencing difficulty reading and, in extreme cases, may need to be replaced.
- In some cases, the CPU or motherboard may need to be replaced.
How can I lower the CPU temperature?
Here are some tips to keep your processor cool and cool:
- Get better internal airflow. The goal is to get more air in and out of your PC case. You can achieve this by installing more supply fans rather than exhaust fans, or vice versa.
