Checking GPU usage helps you figure out why a game stutters, whether an app is using your graphics card, or whether your GPU is working at all. Windows 10 shows GPU usage in Task Manager overall and per app, and the Xbox Game Bar can show it in an overlay while you play. This guide covers both, how to read the numbers, and what to do if the GPU doesn’t appear.
Quick Answer
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click More details if needed, and open the Performance tab. Click GPU 0 (or GPU 1) to see usage graphs, dedicated memory and temperature. The Processes tab has a GPU column showing each app’s usage.
Method 1: Task Manager Performance Tab
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc (or right-click the taskbar > Task Manager).
- Click More details at the bottom if you see the simple view.
- Open the Performance tab and click GPU in the left column.
- Read the graphs: 3D (games and graphics work), Copy, Video Decode (video playback) and Video Encode (recording, streaming). Click a graph title to switch it to another engine such as Compute or Cuda.
- Below the graphs, check Utilization, Dedicated GPU memory, Shared GPU memory and, on supported dedicated GPUs, GPU Temperature.
Laptops with two GPUs show GPU 0 (usually integrated) and GPU 1 (usually dedicated).
Method 2: See GPU Usage per App
- In Task Manager, open the Processes tab.
- Look for the GPU and GPU engine columns. If they’re missing, right-click any column header and check them.
- Click the GPU column header to sort apps by GPU usage.
For more detail, open the Details tab, right-click a column header > Select columns, and add GPU, GPU engine, Dedicated GPU memory and Shared GPU memory.
Method 3: Xbox Game Bar Overlay (While Gaming)
- Press Windows + G in a game or on the desktop.
- Open the Performance widget (from the Widget menu if it isn’t showing).
- Click GPU to see usage over time. Click the pin icon to keep it visible while you play.
Method 4: Command Line
For a quick reading in PowerShell:
Get-Counter "\GPU Engine(*engtype_3D)\Utilization Percentage"This lists 3D engine usage for each process using the GPU. Graphics vendors’ own apps and overlays also show usage, clock speeds and temperatures.
How to Read GPU Usage
- High GPU (90–100%) in games: normal. The GPU is doing its job; if frame rates are low, lower graphics settings or resolution.
- Low GPU with low frame rates: the CPU, RAM or disk may be the bottleneck, or the game may be using the integrated GPU.
- High GPU on the desktop: check the Processes tab for a browser, video, crypto-mining malware, or wallpaper app using it.
- Dedicated memory near full: lower texture quality in games.
GPU Not Showing in Task Manager?
- GPU monitoring requires Windows 10 version 1709 or later and a WDDM 2.0 or newer graphics driver. Update Windows and install the latest driver from your GPU maker.
- Check Device Manager > Display adapters. If you see Microsoft Basic Display Adapter, the driver isn’t installed.
- Virtual machines and Remote Desktop sessions may not show the host GPU.
Force an App to Use the Dedicated GPU
- Go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics settings.
- Browse to the app, click Options, choose High performance and click Save.
Seeing an FPS overlay you didn’t turn on? Here’s how to turn off the FPS counter.
Tuning a gaming setup? You can also change your mouse polling rate.
Low on system memory instead? See what actually works to get more RAM in Windows 10.
To find the card’s name and memory, see how to see your GPU on Windows 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Task Manager’s GPU percentage differ from other tools?
Task Manager shows the busiest engine, while some tools show only 3D usage or average across engines.
Is it bad to run the GPU at 100%?
No, as long as temperatures stay within the manufacturer’s limits and cooling is working.
Is this the same on Windows 11?
Yes. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025.
Summary
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc > Performance > GPU.
- Use the Processes tab’s GPU column for per-app usage.
- Press Windows + G for the Game Bar Performance overlay.
- Update drivers if the GPU doesn’t appear.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.