On your Windows PC, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes that you rarely notice. Processes are running, drivers are constantly exchanging information, and hardware components are quietly working together to keep everything running smoothly. Most of the time, you don’t need to think about any of it—but when something goes wrong, like a slow startup, a mysterious crash, or an app that refuses to open, figuring out the cause can be frustrating.
Fortunately, Windows comes with several diagnostic tools that help you see what’s really going on. From checking system health to monitoring resource usage, tracking crashes, and even recording every click for troubleshooting, these utilities turn guesswork into insight.
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Windows Device Performance and Health
A dashboard for your system’s well-being
If your PC ever starts acting up, you don’t have to guess what’s wrong. Windows actually has a built-in detective called Device Performance and Health that quietly keeps tabs on your system’s overall well-being. It lives inside the Windows Security app, so most people don’t even realize it’s there.
Inside Windows Security, head to the Device performance & health tab. Right away, you’ll see a clean dashboard showing four key areas: Storage capacity, Battery life, Apps and software, and Windows Time service.
Now, for instance, if your storage drive is nearly full, Windows will flag it here. It also keeps an eye on your software to alert you to any failures or updates that might be causing hiccups behind the scenes. And if your laptop battery health is declining, this tool can give you a heads-up so you can plan a replacement before your battery life suddenly drops to half an hour.
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Step Recorder
Capture your PC’s problems, step by step
If you have ever tried to explain a computer problem to someone, you know how difficult it can be. In such instances, Windows’ Step Recorder can help. When you launch it, a small control bar appears with a simple Start Record button. Click it, and Step Recorder immediately starts capturing every move you make.
When you’re done, hit Stop Record, and the tool automatically turns your activity into a clean, easy-to-follow report. Step Recorder doesn’t just take screenshots. It also adds clear captions for each action, like “User left-clicked on the Settings icon,” so anyone reading the report can understand exactly what happened.
Finally, it wraps everything into a tidy ZIP file that you can share with tech support, a coworker, or anyone trying to help troubleshoot your issue.
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Reliability Monitor
See your computer’s diary of stability
Reliability Monitor quietly keeps track of system events, crashes, and software failures, then presents them on a clear, visual timeline with simple icons that make it easy to spot patterns at a glance. You can click any point on the timeline to see exactly what happened that day.
To open it, type Reliability Monitor into the Start menu and select View reliability history. You’ll see a graph with dates along the bottom and a stability score along the top, ranging from 1 to 10. Each day is marked with icons indicating critical events, warnings, or informational messages. Click any icon to view detailed reports on what went wrong, which program caused a crash, or which Windows update might have triggered the issue.
This tool is ideal for troubleshooting persistent issues. Instead of guessing which update or program caused a sudden slowdown, you can pinpoint the exact moment and take action.
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Resource Monitor
See what’s eating your CPU, memory, and disk
As the name suggests, Resource Monitor is your PC’s way of keeping tabs on how every ounce of its hardware and system resources is being used. This powerful, built-in tool gives you a real-time look at CPU, memory, disk, and network activity, all in one place.
In Resource Monitor, you’ll find a detailed dashboard divided into four tabs: CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network. Each one shows exactly which processes are consuming resources, how much they’re using, and even which files or network connections are involved. For example, you can quickly see if a runaway process is eating up CPU cycles, or if a background app is chewing through your bandwidth.
Resource Monitor is invaluable when your PC feels sluggish or unresponsive. Instead of blindly closing programs or rebooting the system, you can see exactly what’s slowing things down and take targeted action.
Diagnose graphics and sound issues fast
If you’ve ever had issues with games, the DirectX Diagnostic Tool is a hidden ally you’ll want to know about. This tool provides a detailed snapshot of your system’s graphics, sound, and input devices to help you diagnose problems quickly.
To open it, press Win + R, type dxdiag, and hit Enter. The tool will scan your system and present information across several tabs, including System, Display, Sound, and Input. You can check your DirectX version, see the exact graphics card you’re using, monitor driver versions, and even run basic tests to ensure everything is functioning correctly.
The DirectX Diagnostic Tool is especially useful for troubleshooting crashes in games or apps that rely heavily on graphics and sound.
These Windows diagnostic tools aren’t something you’ll use every day, but it’s reassuring to know they’re there when trouble hits. They give you a clear view of your system’s health, help you pinpoint issues, and even let you fix problems before they turn into bigger headaches.