Is your laptop battery draining quickly? Are you noticing abnormal overheating? The problem could be caused by resource-intensive software that's hogging your system's resources. Fortunately, Windows Task Manager offers valuable tools for identifying and closing these energy-guzzling programs.
Detect energy-intensive software
Step 1: Open Task Manager:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc .
- Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager .
- Windows search function by typing " Task Manager ".
By default, it will open to a tab displaying all processes currently running on your system:
Step 2: Display the "Details" tab
Details tab is not visible, click on More details at the bottom of the window.
Step 3: Enable the energy consumption display:
- Right-click on the header of any column and select Show Columns .
- Check the Energy Consumption and click OK .
Step 4: Analyze energy consumption
- The " Energy Consumption " column displays the instantaneous consumption of each process.
- Sort the processes in descending order by clicking on the column header.
- Identify the software exhibiting abnormally high power consumption.
Understanding Task Manager Data
- Energy consumption (W): Power consumed by the process.
- Process status: Indicates whether the process is active or in standby mode.
- CPU time: Time spent by the process using the processor.
- Memory (private): Amount of RAM used by the process.
Put an end to energy-intensive software
1. Select the energy-intensive process
- In Task Manager , click the Processes .
- Identify the process you want to stop.
- Click on the process to select it.
2. End the process
- Click the End Task at the bottom of the window.
- Confirm the deletion of the process in the pop-up window.
3. Monitor the impact of removing the process
- Observe the energy consumption after ending the process.
- Check if the problem is resolved.
- If the problem persists, it may be caused by another process or by a hardware problem.
Alternatives to limit energy consumption
1. Update software and drivers
- Recent versions of software and drivers may be more energy efficient .
- Check for available updates and install them.
2. Modify software settings
- Some software offers options to reduce energy consumption .
- Turn off energy-intensive features that you don't use.
3. Use energy-efficient software
- There are less energy-intensive alternatives for many software programs.
- Look for energy-efficient alternatives to the software you regularly use.
Conclusion
The Windows Task Manager is a powerful tool for identifying and stopping resource-intensive software. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can improve your battery life, reduce GPU overheating , and optimize your computer's performance.
