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How to check CPU temperature in Windows 11
Heat is a computer's biggest enemy. Whether you're running one of the top desktop CPUs on the market or using one of the best laptops, it's always important to keep thermals in check. Overheating can severely degrade your CPU's health and performance, so it's important to track temperatures from time to time. Knowing the operating temperature of your CPU allows you to take the necessary measures to avoid overheating.
Sadly, unlike checking your graphics card temperature, there's no easy tool for checking your CPU temp in Windows 11. You can, however, get through this glaring omission and still check your CPU's temperature on a Windows computer in a few different ways.
With the latest CPUs using up so much power and getting so hot, it's important to keep them cool. Here's how.
How to check your CPU temperature in BIOS
Your computer's BIOS will most likely show your CPU temperature by monitoring the temperature sensors on your processor and the socket. This is an easy method to check your CPU temperature, as it doesn't require you to install any third-party apps.
- Restart your computer and watch for the very first screen to show up.
- Press the displayed key to enter the BIOS or System or Setup, depending on your computer's model.
A screenshot of the Windows 11 Start button showing the menu to restart or shutdown or sleep or sign out of a PC© Provided by XDA Developers
- Look for a reading like CPU Core Temperature or CPU Temp to check your CPU temperature.
- If you can't find it, check other tabs like Advanced, Power, Hardware Monitor, PC Health, or something similar, depending on your motherboard.
An image showing the Gigabyte BIOS screen.BIOS screen showing CPU temperature among other readings© Provided by XDA Developers
Some BIOS versions might not display the CPU temperature at all. In that case, you can use one of the other methods below.
While this method works well, there's an obvious problem here: you only get the reading for idle temps, not the actual temperature your CPU will run at under load. For those temperature readings, you'll have to rely on a third-party application installed within the regular Windows environment.
How to check your CPU temperature using HWiNFO
If you want a more reliable method to check your CPU temperature and one that you can utilize while actually using Windows, you'll have to install a third-party utility. Personally, I find HWiNFO to be the best option. It lets you monitor the temperature sensors for your graphics card, memory, motherboard sensors, and storage drives. You can also check fan speeds for your CPU fans and other system fans, all in a single, lightweight utility.
- Download HWiNFO (installer or portable) and then launch the utility.
- If you downloaded the launcher, install HWiNFO64 (Windows 11 is 64-bit only) and launch it. Otherwise, unpack the downloaded portable files and launch HWiNFO64.
A screenshot showing the HWiNFO on start menu.© Provided by XDA DevelopersA screenshot showing the highlighted Sensors only and Start button in HWiNFO64 app.© Provided by XDA Developers
- Choose the Sensors-only mode and proceed. You'll see multiple sections with information about your CPU, motherboard, GPU, and more.
- Scroll down to CPU [#0]: {CPU name}: Enhanced and check the CPU (Tctl/Tdie) (for AMD Ryzen) or CPU Package (for Intel) reading to view the CPU temperature. This is the temperature that fan control tools usually refer to.
A screenshot showing the HWiNFO program running on Windows.© Provided by XDA DevelopersA screenshot showing the highlighted CPU temperatures in HWiNFO64 program.© Provided by XDA DevelopersA screenshot showing the highlighted CPU die and core temperatures in HWiNFO64.© Provided by XDA Developers
HWiNFO has a lot of other features as well, including the OSD (on-screen display) to show specific system readings on the screen in real-time, custom alerts, and more. You can check all of these in the settings by clicking the cog icon at the bottom-right of the HWiNFO window.
If you want to check CPU temperatures under maximum load, you'll need to do a CPU stress test and track the temperature using HWiNFO. This will give you a better overall idea of temperatures when you're pushing your computer to its limits, and it's also good for checking stability.
How to check your CPU temperature using Ryzen Master or Intel XTU
If you have already overclocked your CPU or want to, you can monitor your CPU temperature right within the overclocking utility you're using. AMD Ryzen users can use Ryzen Master, and Intel users can use Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU). You don't necessarily have to use these utilities just when overclocking, as they can be used to quickly glance at the temperatures.
How to safely overclock your CPU: A beginners guide to unlock more performance
If you want to get into overclocking, whether for your Intel or AMD CPU, here's where to start.
How to check your CPU temperature using the Ryzen Master utility
- Launch Ryzen Master.
- In the Advanced View, the CPU temperature is displayed at the top under Temperature, Speed, Power & Current.
- In the Basic View, you can see the CPU temperature on the left side of the window under CURRENT.
How to check your CPU temperature using the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility
- Launch Intel Extreme Tuning Utility.
- You can see the CPU temperature next to Package Temperature in the bottom section of the window, next to several other readings.
Check your CPU temperature and keep it cool
It would certainly be nice to have a built-in tool in Windows 11 to monitor CPU temperatures, but there are plenty of simple ways you can do this on your PC. Depending on the type of user you are, you can choose the utility you prefer or simply use the BIOS once in a blue moon to spot check things.
Regardless of what method you use, just make sure you maintain the CPU temperatures within safe limits. Desktop users should consider buying a good CPU cooler, while those using a laptop can invest in a cooling pad.
A cooling pad for your laptop is an excellent idea, but you need to make sure you find the right one for your specific needs.