• 2 min read
Windows Task Manager adds per-process NPU tracking
Microsoft is adding per-process NPU and GPU neural-engine metrics to Task Manager on supported Windows devices.
Image: The register
Windows Task Manager can now show which individual processes are using a device’s neural processing unit (NPU) and GPU neural engine. The Register reports that Microsoft highlighted the update on August 20, 2026.
The Processes tab displays NPU activity alongside CPU and GPU usage, while the Performance tab shows overall utilization. The metrics are available on supported newer devices; Microsoft did not specify the full hardware or Windows-version requirements in the announcement.
“As AI workloads become more common on Windows devices, visibility into NPU and GPU neural engine utilization can help you make better-informed decisions. With the latest Task Manager improvements, you can monitor AI processing activity alongside CPU, memory, storage, and networking data from a familiar interface.”
The additional telemetry could help developers diagnose performance and power-consumption problems, especially on battery-powered laptops. It also extends Task Manager beyond its traditional role of identifying runaway processes, memory leaks, and CPU-heavy applications.
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Microsoft’s change arrives as local AI processing becomes more common on Windows devices. Whether the new metrics remain useful without undermining Task Manager’s speed and simplicity will depend on how much further Microsoft expands the utility’s scope.
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