How to Check GPU Health on Windows 11

Your computer’s GPU, or graphics processing unit, is an essential component that renders images and videos, making it necessary to regularly check GPU health in your Windows 11 device.

It is critical to assess the GPU’s health for several reasons. First, enhanced performance is guaranteed when using a healthy GPU for web browsing, video editing, or gaming, and secondly, issues like overheating, crashing, or artifacting are less common with a healthy GPU.

Now that you know how important it is to check GPU health regularly, we will walk you through some of the ways to effectively assess your system’s GPU health to achieve optimal performance.

1. Make use of the settings app

One built-in Windows 11 software that gives you a central area to control your computer’s settings is the Settings app. It has many options, including power, audio, and display settings, and with this tool, you can quickly check your GPU health. Follow the steps below to learn how to do this.

1. Open your Settings app by pressing Windows + I simultaneously.
2. Select System on the left side of the screen, choose Display, then click Advanced display.
   
3. Next, choose the Display adapter properties for Display 1 option.
   
4. In the Adapter Type section, click Properties.
5. In the General tab, navigate to the Device status section and see if any problem is outlined there.
   

2. Make use of the Task Manager

The Task Manager is a built-in Windows utility that provides information about running processes, computer performance, and system health. It can be used to monitor GPU usage and temperature, which can help you identify potential problems and troubleshoot issues. The steps below will show you how to use this feature.

1. Open the Task Manager by holding the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously.
2. Select the Performance tab on the left.
   
3. Once you are in the Performance section, select the GPU option.
   
4. Once the GPU is opened, you will get real-time usage of your GPU. The graphs provided will give information about video encoding, shared memory usage, and high-priority computing.
   

3. Make use of the Device Manager

A built-in Windows utility called Device Manager shows a list of all installed hardware devices on your system. You can also use it to diagnose issues, update drivers, disable devices, and monitor the status of each device, including GPU devices. The steps below will guide you through using this tool.

1. Hold Windows + X, then select Device Manager.
   
2. Next, double-click on the Display adapters node.
3. Now, pick the installed graphics driver and choose Properties.
4. Finally, check the Device status section to see if there is any problem.
   

4. Make use of the DirectX diagnostic tool

Another built-in Windows utility you can use to check GPU health is the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag). This tool gives you details about the hardware and DirectX components in your machine and can be used to assess the condition of your GPU and troubleshoot issues with DirectX programs, including games. You can use this tool by following the steps below.

1. Open the Run dialogue by pressing Windows + R simultaneously, input dxdiag in the text field, and then hit Enter.
   
2. Next, navigate to the Display tab at the top.
   
3. In the Display tab, navigate to the Notes section and check if any problem is outlined there. If there are no issues, you should get a No problems found message.
   

5. Use a benchmarking software

A benchmark in computing is an analysis test run on computer hardware, such as the CPU and GPU, to determine how well it performs. You may run benchmarking tests on your computer’s CPU and GPU by downloading and installing one of the many free benchmarking tools that are accessible online.

These benchmarking tools measure the performance of the specified hardware through a series of tests. Additionally, you may use these free benchmarking programs to assess the health of your GPU. Some of the best benchmarking tools include CPU-Z, Speccy, and RealBench.

Concluding Remarks

The steps outlined in this article will show you how to effectively use various methods to check GPU health on your Windows 11 device, so ensure to follow these processes carefully. If you have further questions, reach out to us via the comment section below.

If you enjoyed this guide, you will also like this other article that talks about how to resolve issues when you experience high GPU usage on your Windows 11 device.