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How To See What Programs Are Running In Background Windows 10

So. Much. Stuff.

Looking at Windows Tasks.
(Paradigm: askleo.com)

Windows runs a lot of software even when you're doing nix at all. We'll dive into how to examine what's actually running, and what to do with the information yous glean.

I've not run anything at all, simply my computer'due south working hard. Why? Is there stuff running I can't run into? How practice I tell?

Aye, at that place's stuff running that you can't see. In recent versions of Windows, a downright amazing corporeality of stuff.

The proficient news is that there are ways to find out what's running. The bad news is that it's not e'er articulate what to do about it.

TL;DR:

What'due south in the Background?

First in the taskbar notification surface area (with all icons always displayed) for a quick sense of some of the applications running in the background. Then, using Job Manager's "Process" view, you lot tin come across a more complete list of applications currently running. The "Details" view lists every executable program running, and the "Services" view organizes those that stand for Windows services into a more manageable list. Unfortunately, there'south no guideline for what should and should not be running, as it depends entirely on the software you run, the configuration of your machine, and the options you've selected.

The taskbar notification area

I'll beginning with a list of running apps yous can see pretty hands, although we don't always pay attention to it: the notification area.

First, make sure you're seeing all the notification icons. If you lot come across an upward pointing caret, you're not.

If you're seeing "^" not all icons are displauyed.
If you're seeing "^" non all icons are displayed. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

Click the Start button and search for "Select which icons appear on the taskbar". In the resulting settings folio, make sure "Always prove all icons in the notification expanse" is turned on.

Always show all icons
Always prove all icons. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

One time you do that, yous'll meet more icons appear in the notification expanse.

Taskbar notification area with more icons.
Taskbar notification area with more than icons. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

In my example, only 3 icons announced, but I've seen many machines where nearly a dozen icons or more than would appear. My work machine has 23 as I type this.

Each icon represents at least 1 running program. The example above includes (from left to right):

  • VirtualBox Invitee Additions (Software that enhances this virtual machine's interface to the existent machine on which it'south running.)
  • Window Security
  • Malwarebytes (Free)
  • OneDrive
  • Network connection
  • Volume control

I can't tell you what should and should non be running hither. It depends on what software you've chosen to install and run, the options yous've specified, your machine's configuration, and even its hardware. Only this gives you quick visibility into some of the programs running on your computer even when you lot're doing "goose egg".

To explore deeper, we demand to run a unlike tool.

Task Manager

Right-click on the clock and click Task Managing director.

Task Manager - Simple view.
Job Manager, elementary view. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

The bones view displays programs that are open, and since we oasis't run anything, the list is pretty small.

Click More details.

Task Manager More Details.
Task Manager showing more than details. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

This is a great place to start, since information technology tends to testify programs by the name(s) you might recognize. Coil through and y'all'll meet many familiar names — software you've installed, possibly — and several unfamiliar items — components of Windows itself, or software specific to your hardware configuration, for example.

But we can dive deeper withal. Click on the Details tab.

Task Manager Details tab.
Task Manager, Details tab. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

Here nosotros cross into the realm of the geeky. It'south the list of every "executable" (.exe) program currently running on your auto.

Click the Services tab for a view that can help make sense of some of the detailed entries.

Task Manager - Services tab.
Job Manager, Services tab. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

The Service view lists both running and not-running services. In the case above, I've clicked on the "Status" header to sort the listing so that "Running" services are shown first.

Services are generally implemented by a single executable: "svchost.exe". In the Details tab, you'll meet many copies of Service Host, as information technology's known, running. The Services tab lets you encounter which services all those svchosts are running.

Additional tools

There are two additional tools you can employ to display the same information nosotros've shown above in slightly different ways. I find myself gravitating towards these tools considering they're more complete and more comfortable — for me at least.

Procedure Explorer is essentially a replacement for Chore Director.

Process Explorer
Process Explorer. Click for larger image. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

While it may wait more intimidating, information technology exposes more data than Task Managing director, and that can be helpful in determining what each entry represents.

The other is the congenital-in Service Management console. Right-click on the Showtime button, click on Calculator Management, and in the resulting window, click on the ">" next to "Services and Applications". And so click on Services.

Services Console
Services console. Click for larger prototype. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

Once over again, as compared to Task Manager, the Services console provides more than information virtually the services running on your auto. (You lot'll even run across a link — "Open Services" — at the lesser of the Chore Manager Services tab, which will also open this view.)

Then what are they?

Programs, processes, services, executables … but what are they all?

Some will be obvious from their name. Others, not so much. The merely real communication I can offer hither is to search for the names y'all find listed in Chore Manager, Process Explorer, or the Services console.

Important: many sites in the search results will imply that what you lot've searched for could be malware, and that they have a tool yous should download and purchase to remove information technology. Practice NOT BELIEVE THEM. Unless your security software has already told y'all they're malware, they're very unlikely to exist malicious. Information technology's a scare tactic these sites use to sell you software you don't demand.

Look for sites that give clear explanations of what the software is, what it'south related to, and what it does for you. Generally, you'll detect it's a component of Windows or a part of a software parcel you will recognize as having installed.

Practice I need them all?

Much similar the information nosotros got from the notifications area, I can't tell y'all what should and should non be running on your car. It depends on what software you lot've chosen to install and run, the options you've specified, your motorcar'south configuration, and even its hardware.

The goal hither is to help you identify what'south running so yous can enquiry it and brand a decision for yourself on whether or not it's something you desire.

Nigh of the time, it is. When it isn't, most of the time the solution is to uninstall the application you've decided yous don't demand or want.

But exactly which ones those might be, only you can say.

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How To See What Programs Are Running In Background Windows 10,

Source: https://askleo.com/how-to-tell-whats-running-in-the-background-on-your-pc/

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