How to check your GPU temperature in Windows

While this doesn’t (and shouldn’t) have to be a consideration most of the time, it’s worth periodically checking the temperature of your PC’s dedicated graphics card, assuming you have one. A GPU that’s running hot can be a sign of variety of issues, ranging from bad airflow to inadequate specs. Consistent overheating can lead to poor performance or outright hardware failure. If you’re concerned, here’s how to check your graphics card temperature in either Windows 11 or 10.

How to check your GPU temperature in Windows 11 and 10

Thankfully, both Windows 11 and 10 offer integrated temperature monitoring via Task Manager.

• Search for Task Manager using the Start menu, or hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Using Windows 11, you can also right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager.
• Click on the Performance tab. In Windows 11, the tab’s icon looks like an EKG graph.
• Look for a temperature next to your dedicated GPU in the sidebar. If you like, you can also click on that GPU and check for GPU Temperature in the primary pane.

Make sure you’re looking at your dedicated GPU rather than the one integrated into your CPU. While this is pretty easy if you’re using an Intel-based PC — most computers don’t use separate Intel GPUs — AMD-based machines sometimes use Radeon chips for both integrated and dedicated graphics. If you’re not familiar with AMD’s graphics lineup, you may have to do some quick research on model numbers.

What are some good tools for monitoring your GPU temperature?

Honestly, we’d just recommend Task Manager most of the time. It’s free, built into Windows, and you can trigger it at any time, even if you’re in the middle of Hades or Call of Duty. You’ll have to stop playing for a moment, but that’s not going to make much of a difference.

AMD and NVIDIA offer quick-access temperature readouts through their native Windows clients. To access either, the default shortcut is the same: Alt + Z. The benefit here is that you can get real-time data without interrupting your gameplay, but at least part of your screen will be overtaken.

What is a safe GPU temperature?

There’s more to say in our guide to GPU temperatures when gaming, but the short version is that temperatures should normally range between 65 to 85C (149 to 185F) when playing a game, and much lower when a computer is idle. Modern graphics cards can technically survive higher temperatures, but risk damage if that heat is prolonged.