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Process-level NPU tracking: See which apps and processes are using the NPU.
Detailed AI memory data: Separate NPU dedicated and shared memory usage.
Broader AI hardware visibility: Task Manager can now show GPU neural engines alongside CPU and NPU activity.
Task Manager has long helped Windows users find apps that use the most CPU, memory, disk, or GPU power. AI PCs now need a deeper view. Microsoft has started to give Task Manager that view, with new data for NPUs and AI engines.
The change first appeared in Windows Insider builds, then reached wider Windows 11 updates. Microsoft’s June 23, 2026 preview update for Windows 11 26H1 lists the new Task Manager features. The same NPU tools also appeared in the May preview update. This marks a shift from simple system-level NPU data to more detailed process-level information.
Task Manager now offers optional NPU and NPU Engine columns on the Processes, Users, and Details pages. The Details page also offers NPU Dedicated Memory and NPU Shared Memory columns.
These options matter on PCs with an NPU, a special chip for AI tasks. Earlier Task Manager versions could show NPU activity on the Performance page, but process-level NPU data had a major gap. A February 2026 Microsoft Q&A request noted that Task Manager could show overall NPU use and memory use, yet it could not show which process used the NPU. The new columns address that gap.
A process list can now give a clearer view of AI resource use. The NPU column shows NPU activity for a process, while the NPU Engine column shows the engine linked to that work. This makes it easier to connect an AI task with the app or process that starts it.
Microsoft has added two memory fields to the Details page. NPU Dedicated Memory shows memory set aside for NPU use. NPU Shared Memory shows memory that the NPU can share with the wider system.
This detail can help explain why an AI task may use more system resources than expected. A local AI feature may need model data, input data, or other resources while it runs. A single memory number can hide that split. The two new fields give a more useful picture of NPU memory use at the process level.
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The NPU is not the only part of a modern PC that can handle AI work. Some processors place neural engines inside the GPU. Microsoft now shows those GPU neural engines on the Task Manager Performance page.
Windows can use CPU, GPU, or NPU hardware for AI tasks. Windows ML, for example, can use hardware-specific execution providers for NPU, GPU, or CPU work.
Microsoft first announced the deeper NPU view in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26300.8142 on March 30, 2026. The company placed the feature in the Dev Channel at first. Microsoft later listed the same Task Manager changes in Windows 11 26H1 preview updates.
The June 23 update for Windows 11 26H1, listed as KB5095091 and OS Build 28000.2340, includes the NPU columns as a new Task Manager feature. Microsoft also lists the feature in its May 26 preview update for OS Builds 26200.8524 and 26100.8524. This shows a move from early tests toward wider Windows 11 availability.
Microsoft still uses gradual rollout methods for some Windows features, so exact arrival can vary by device and update path. The March Insider announcement also warned that some preview features can change or never reach a normal Windows release.
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The new Task Manager data gives Windows a more practical way to show what an AI PC does with its special hardware. A user can check which process uses the NPU, see the related engine, and view NPU memory data. The Performance page can also show neural engines inside a GPU.
Microsoft now supports Windows AI APIs, Foundry Local, and Windows ML across supported CPU, GPU, and NPU hardware. Microsoft’s July 2026 documentation also tells users to check Task Manager for GPU and NPU entries.
Task Manager now has a more useful role on AI PCs. It can show the link between an AI process, the hardware engine it uses, and the memory tied to that work. For people who need a quick view of local AI performance, that change makes the built-in Windows tool far more useful than before.
1. What new NPU features does Windows 11 Task Manager offer?
It adds NPU and NPU Engine columns to the Processes, Users, and Details pages.
2. Can Task Manager show which process is using the NPU?
Yes. The new process-level NPU information helps identify which application or process is driving NPU activity.
3. What are NPU Dedicated Memory and NPU Shared Memory?
They provide separate views of memory reserved for NPU use and memory shared with the broader system.
4. Can GPUs also handle AI workloads in Task Manager?
Yes. Task Manager can show neural engines within supported GPUs on its Performance page.
5. Is the new AI monitoring available on all Windows 11 PCs?
Availability depends on the Windows version, supported hardware, update channel, and Microsoft's gradual feature rollout.
