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Once the October 2018 Update is installed on your Windows 10 computer, you can easily find out how much power each app and process is using. Here is how to access this information.
Windows 10’s Task Manager has many useful features and capabilities that let you monitor the apps and processes running on your computer. Once the October 2018 Update is installed, it is even more useful. The update adds two new columns to Task Manager’s “Processes” tab:
In both columns, the possible values range from “Very low” to “Very high”, letting you know an app’s or process’s power-usage level at a glance. While the values in both columns are useful, the ones in the “Power Usage Trend” column can give you a better idea of how much power an app or process typically uses. Knowing this can be helpful, for example, if your computer’s battery is running low and you won’t have access to a power outlet anytime soon. By closing apps that typically use a lot of power, you can increase your battery’s life.
In addition, the power usage columns might flag when a cryptojacking script is siphoning a computer’s processing power. In this type of attack, cybercriminals steal computers’ processing power to mine cryptocurrencies.
To see the power-usage levels for your apps and processes, follow these steps:
If the “Power Usage Trend” column is blank for a particular app or process, don’t worry. When an app or process is launched, its entry in this column will be blank. The entry will populate after two minutes and then keep updating every two minutes.