PC Health Check: Check a Windows PC With Built-in Tools

What a PC health check covers

A PC health check is a short review of what most often makes a Windows computer slow, unstable or unsafe. Windows 11 and 10 include a tool for each item below:

Updates and security: Windows Update and the Windows Security health report.
Startup and background load: apps that launch at sign-in and what is busy right now.
Storage: free space and, where Windows can read it, the drive's own health data.
Stability: recent crashes, failed updates and damaged system files.
Battery and heat: battery wear on laptops and the temperatures Windows can show.

One note first: Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. A Windows 10 computer still runs, but without security updates unless it is enrolled in Extended Security Updates, which Microsoft says can cover a consumer device until October 12, 2027.

How to use Microsoft's PC Health Check app

Microsoft's PC Health Check app is a free summary screen, not a deep diagnostic. Search for it from the taskbar; if it is not installed, Microsoft's support page links to the download. According to Microsoft, the app shows:

Windows 11 eligibility: on Windows 10, Check now tests the computer against the Windows 11 minimum requirements and explains why it passes or fails. A compatibility safeguard for a known issue can still delay an eligible device.
Backup and sync: settings sync and OneDrive backup with a Microsoft account.
Windows Update: whether the device is up to date.
Battery capacity: how the battery compares with its original capacity, shown only on devices with one or two batteries that are more than three years old.
Storage capacity: how full the main drive is.
Startup time: how long the device takes to start, with a link to manage startup programs.
Device specifications: details such as the device's age.

If the eligibility check fails, compare the reason it gives with Microsoft's Windows 11 specifications: a supported 64-bit processor with two or more cores, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability and TPM version 2.0.

Check Windows Security and Windows Update

Open Windows Security and select Device performance & health. Microsoft says it scans when opened and reports on storage capacity, battery life, apps and software, and the Windows Time service. A green check means no issue; a yellow mark needs attention, and selecting it shows the recommendation. On a work or school computer, policy can block this page. Microsoft's guide explains each area.

Then open Settings > Windows Update and check for updates. Install what is offered and restart when asked. If one update keeps failing, note its name and date in Update history.

Task Manager: startup apps and what is running now

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, then look at three places:

Startup apps: each app that launches at sign-in has a startup impact rating. Microsoft explains that Low, Medium and High reflect processor and disk use during startup, and Not measured means there is no data yet. Disabling an entry stops it at sign-in without uninstalling it; leave security software enabled. Settings > Apps > Startup shows the same list.
Processes: sort by CPU, Memory or Disk to see what is busy right now. One app near 100% for minutes while you are not using it deserves a closer look; short spikes during updates or scans are normal.
Performance: live graphs of processor, memory, disk and graphics use.

Storage space and drive health

Go to Settings > System > Storage. On Windows 11, Cleanup recommendations groups temporary files, large or unused files, files synced to the cloud and unused apps, and shows the space each would free. Storage Sense can remove temporary files and Recycle Bin contents automatically. Read before deleting: Microsoft warns that within 10 days of a Windows upgrade the list can include the previous version, and removing it cannot be undone.

For the drive's own health on Windows 11, go to Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Disks & volumes and select Properties for the drive. Windows shows estimated remaining life, available spare and temperature, but only for NVMe SSDs, not SATA SSDs or hard drives. A warning that spare capacity is low, reliability is degraded or the drive is read-only means: back up now.

For other drives, PowerShell's Get-PhysicalDisk lists each disk with a health status such as Healthy, Warning or Unhealthy. Older guides suggest wmic diskdrive get status, but Microsoft has removed WMIC from currently supported versions of Windows 11. Healthy is what the drive reports about itself, not a promise, so keep backups.

Stability: Reliability Monitor, DISM and SFC

Press Windows key + R, type perfmon /rel and press Enter. This command opens Reliability Monitor, which charts a daily stability index from 1 to 10 and lists application failures, Windows failures, warnings and events such as installed updates. Read it as a timeline: a crash that repeats with one app, or that began the day a driver or update was installed, is a lead. One old failure is history, not a current fault.

If Windows itself misbehaves, such as settings that will not open, repair system files as Microsoft describes:

Install the latest updates and restart.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
Run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and wait until it reports that the operation completed successfully. It can take several minutes.
Run sfc /scannow and wait for Verification 100% complete.

DISM repairs the Windows image that SFC relies on and can use Windows Update as its repair source; SFC then replaces damaged protected system files. Microsoft Learn also documents Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth, which reports whether the image is healthy, repairable or not repairable.

Battery report and temperatures

On a laptop, run powercfg /batteryreport in Command Prompt. The powercfg reference says it creates an HTML report of battery use over the life of the system, saved in the folder the command ran from; add /output and a file path to choose where. Compare Design capacity with Full charge capacity: the gap is wear. Some wear is normal with age; replace the battery when its runtime no longer covers your day.

Task Manager's Performance tab shows GPU temperature for dedicated graphics cards whose driver supports WDDM 2.4 or later, and the NVMe drive properties above include drive temperature. Task Manager and Settings do not show processor temperature; the computer maker's utility or firmware setup screen often does. Loud fans and a hot case under load point to heat: clean the vents.

Windows PC health check results: what they mean and when to get help

Fix it yourself: low free space, heavy startup apps, pending updates, or a yellow Windows Security item with a clear recommendation.
Keep an eye on it: one old crash, some battery wear, or a stability index that dipped once and recovered.
Back up first, then get help: an NVMe critical warning, a Warning or Unhealthy disk status, clicking or grinding from a hard drive, repeated blue screens, or SFC errors that remain after DISM.
Treat it as a security problem: programs you did not install, settings changed without you, or Windows Security turned off. Disconnect from the network and contact the computer maker or a technician you trust.

When you ask for help, bring dates: when the problem started, what was installed that day, and what Reliability Monitor and Update history show. That turns a vague "it is slow" into something a technician can test.

Where ASL PC Steward fits

ASL PC Steward is a paid Windows app: $49.99 one time on the Microsoft Store, with no subscription and no ASL account. It shows processor and memory pressure, background processes, storage, Windows reliability history and available hardware readings, and explains each finding: what happened, the evidence, when it was observed and the next step. Old crashes stay in history instead of lowering today's score, and low-space findings show how much more space a specific drive needs.

Ordinary scans are read-only and monitoring is off by default. Cleanup is limited to explained categories you select, such as aged temporary files and crash dumps, and asks for confirmation first. Supported temperature, fan and power readings appear when your hardware and drivers provide them; a missing reading is shown as missing, never as healthy. Supported cooling controls need their own approval.

Limits, plainly: it needs Windows 11 on x64, build 22621 or newer, so it does not run on Windows 10. The built-in tools above remain the place for system file repair and the battery report, and it does not promise a fixed speed increase, lower temperatures or a repair outcome. See what ASL PC Steward checks.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I do a PC health check?

A short monthly look suits most home computers: updates, free space, Windows Security and Reliability Monitor. Run the deeper checks, such as drive health, SFC and the battery report, when something changes.

Is Microsoft's PC Health Check app a full computer health check?

No. It summarizes Windows 11 eligibility, updates, storage, startup time and, on some older laptops, battery capacity. It does not list crashes, read NVMe drive health or repair files; pair it with Reliability Monitor, the drive properties page and SFC.

Why does my computer fail the Windows 11 check?

The result names the requirement that is not met, such as the processor, TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot capability. Compare it with Microsoft's Windows 11 specifications page, and ask the computer maker before changing firmware settings.

Can Windows show my CPU temperature?

Not in Task Manager or Settings. Task Manager shows GPU temperature for dedicated graphics cards, and NVMe drives report their own. For the processor, use the computer maker's utility or firmware setup screen.

Is it safe to run sfc /scannow?

Yes. It is a built-in Microsoft tool that replaces damaged protected system files and does not change your documents. Run it from an administrator Command Prompt after DISM and let it finish.

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