Your computer’s uptime shows how long Windows has been running since the last restart.
Checking your uptime can be helpful when troubleshooting performance problems, confirming that your computer has restarted, or deciding whether it’s time for a reboot.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to check your Windows 11 uptime.
What Is Uptime?
Uptime is the amount of time your computer has been running since Windows was last started or restarted.
When you restart your computer, the uptime resets to zero and begins counting again.
Check Uptime Using Task Manager
The easiest way to check your system uptime is through Task Manager.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc
- Click the Performance tab.
- Select CPU.
Your current uptime appears near the bottom of the CPU section.
Why Is My Uptime So High?
If your uptime seems much higher than expected, Windows may not have fully restarted.
This commonly happens when Fast Startup is enabled and you regularly shut down your computer instead of restarting it. With Fast Startup, Windows saves part of the system state to help your computer start up more quickly.
Choosing Restart from the Start menu performs a full restart and resets the uptime counter.
When Should You Restart Your Computer?
Restarting your computer periodically can help install updates, clear temporary system processes, and resolve minor software issues.
While Windows 11 can often run for long periods without problems, restarting your computer occasionally is still a good habit, especially if you’ve recently installed updates or noticed performance issues.
Final Thoughts
Checking your Windows 11 uptime only takes a few seconds and can provide useful information when troubleshooting your computer.
If you’d like to monitor your computer’s performance in more detail, check out our guide on how to check your CPU on Windows 11.