Microsoft Updates Windows 11 Task Manager to Monitor Process-Level NPU Workloads

Microsoft has updated the Windows 11 Task Manager to include detailed process-level monitoring for Neural Processing Unit (NPU) usage and memory consumption. Users can now view specific columns for NPU utilization, NPU engine, and dedicated or shared NPU memory in the Processes, Users, and Details tabs. As local AI applications become more common, this update allows developers and IT administrators to track which specific applications are utilizing local AI hardware. It helps optimize resource allocation and troubleshoot performance bottlenecks related to AI workloads. The update also displays GPU-integrated neural engine activity in the Performance tab. If the NPU column shows 0% and the NPU or GPU engines show no activity, it indicates that the AI workload has fallen back to the CPU.