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What a process ID identifies
Windows assigns a numeric process identifier, or PID, to each running process. A process is an instance of an executable, such as notepad.exe. The app name a person sees, the executable name, and the running process are related but not interchangeable: one app can create several processes, and a process can be a helper or background component rather than the visible window.
PIDs are useful for correlating a process with resource use, inspecting it, attaching a debugger, or targeting it in a command. They identify a running instance, not a permanent app identity; a PID can change when a process exits and starts again.
Find a PID in Task Manager
Task Manager is the simplest option for a one-off lookup. Microsoft identifies it as one of the ways to find a process ID in Windows. (Microsoft: Finding the process ID)
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- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- If Task Manager opens in its compact view, select More details.
- Select Details in the left navigation.
- Find the executable, such as
notepad.exe, and read its number in the PID column. - If PID is not visible, right-click a column heading and enable PID.
If you know the friendly app name but not its executable, go to Processes, right-click the app, and select Go to details. This takes you to an associated process; if the app has several processes, it may not be the one responsible for a particular problem.
Find a PID with tasklist
Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal and run tasklist to list running processes. The output includes image name, PID, session information, and memory usage. The built-in command supports filtering, CSV output, service mapping, and remote queries. (Microsoft: tasklist)
Filter by executable name
tasklist /FI "IMAGENAME eq notepad.exe"For common browsers, substitute chrome.exe or msedge.exe. This filters on the image name rather than searching arbitrary output text.
A looser text search is possible with findstr:
tasklist | findstr /I "chrome"Because findstr matches text anywhere in each output line, its results are not limited to an exact executable-name match.
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Show more detail or save results
Use tasklist /V for verbose output. To display CSV instead of the default table, run:
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tasklist /FO CSVTo save the CSV to your Desktop:
tasklist /FO CSV > "%USERPROFILE%Desktopprocesses.csv"tasklist supports table, list, and CSV output formats; the CSV file can be opened or processed by other tools.
Match services to a process
Run tasklist /SVC to show services associated with each process. This is useful when tracing a service hosted by svchost.exe, but a host can serve multiple services. Do not assume that terminating a host affects only one service.
Query a remote computer
For a remote machine, use tasklist /S COMPUTERNAME. You can specify an account with tasklist /S COMPUTERNAME /U DOMAINUserName. Remote access depends on permissions and configuration. Avoid putting a real password in a command, script, or saved history; use an approved credential-handling method instead.
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Find and filter PIDs with PowerShell
PowerShell returns process objects, which makes it useful for filtering, sorting, and automation. In Get-Process output, the Id property is the PID. (Microsoft: Get-Process)
Find a named process
Get-Process -Name notepadFor Get-Process -Name, use the process name without the .exe suffix. To display only the name and ID:
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Get-Process -Name notepad | Select-Object ProcessName, IdTo show those fields for every process:
Get-Process | Select-Object ProcessName, IdSort or filter results
Sort the selected fields by name:
Get-Process | Select-Object ProcessName, Id | Sort-Object ProcessNameOr sort by PID:
Get-Process | Select-Object ProcessName, Id | Sort-Object IdTo find process names beginning with chrome:
Get-Process | Where-Object ProcessName -like "chrome*" | Select-Object ProcessName, IdSelect-Object keeps the result as objects, which is generally more useful in a pipeline than formatting output for display.
Include the executable path
Get-Process -Name chrome | Select-Object ProcessName, Id, PathPath can be unavailable because of permissions. Microsoft also notes that 32-bit PowerShell may return $null for Path and MainModule when querying 64-bit processes. Use 64-bit PowerShell or query Win32_Process when you need those details.
Use CIM to distinguish similar processes
When several processes share an image name, query their executable path and command line with Win32_Process:
Get-CimInstance Win32_Process -Filter "Name = 'chrome.exe'" | Select-Object Name, ProcessId, ExecutablePath, CommandLineThis can help distinguish copies launched from different locations or with different arguments. Command-line values can contain sensitive details such as paths, document names, or other arguments, and access to some process properties may depend on permissions.
Find the PID behind resource activity with Resource Monitor
When the real question is which process is consuming CPU, memory, disk, or network resources, Resource Monitor connects process information with live activity.
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- Press Win + R, enter
resmon.exe, and press Enter, or search Start for Resource Monitor. - Open the tab for the resource you are investigating: CPU, Memory, Disk, or Network.
- Find the process showing the relevant activity and note its PID.
- Cross-check that PID in Task Manager or PowerShell before deciding what to do.
Inspect processes with Process Explorer
Microsoft Sysinternals Process Explorer is an advanced alternative when Task Manager does not show enough context. It can show process ownership, process relationships, handles, and loaded DLLs, and can help identify which process has a file or directory open. Microsoft lists Process Explorer v17.1, published March 5, 2026, and says it is compatible with Windows 11. (Microsoft Sysinternals: Process Explorer)
- Download Process Explorer from the Microsoft Sysinternals page and run
procexp.exe; Microsoft says it does not require a conventional installation. - Locate the process in the upper pane and read its PID.
- Open its properties or use the lower pane to inspect additional process details.
- Use search when you need to find a process associated with a particular file, handle, or DLL.
For a basic PID lookup, Task Manager is faster; Process Explorer is worth using when you need deeper process inspection.
Advanced options: TList and PsList
Developers and administrators may also use TList or PsList. TList is included with the Debugging Tools for Windows and can show process trees, names, window titles, and PIDs. (Microsoft: Finding the process ID)
PsList is a Sysinternals command-line tool for listing process statistics, filtering by name, viewing a process tree, and querying local or remote computers. Microsoft lists PsList v1.41 and support for Windows 8.1 and later client systems. (Microsoft Sysinternals: PsList)
Choose the right method
| Need | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quick visual lookup | Task Manager → Details | No command syntax; shows executable and PID together. |
| Know the executable name | tasklist /FI |
Fast image-name filtering. |
| Repeatable checks or automation | PowerShell Get-Process |
Structured results can be filtered and sorted. |
| Need path or command-line details | Get-CimInstance Win32_Process |
Returns additional identifying properties when accessible. |
| Find the process behind high resource use | Resource Monitor | Connects PIDs with live CPU, memory, disk, or network activity. |
| Inspect handles, DLLs, or process relationships | Process Explorer | Provides deeper interactive process details. |
| Map services to process hosts | tasklist /SVC |
Shows services associated with each process. |
| Process trees or remote statistics | TList or PsList | Advanced diagnostic context for technical users. |
Verify the correct PID when there are multiple matches
Do not select the first result just because its process name looks right. Browsers, Electron apps, office software, launchers, and other programs can use multiple processes. The process producing a symptom may be a helper rather than the one associated with the visible app window.
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- Confirm the image name.
- Check the executable path when similar copies may exist.
- Check the user or session in Task Manager or
tasklist. - Inspect the command line when needed, keeping in mind it may include sensitive data.
- Correlate the PID with current resource activity or the relevant window.
- Re-read and verify the PID immediately before an action, because the process may have exited or restarted.
Use standard privileges for ordinary lookups. Elevate only when a protected process, restricted property, or administrative action requires it; elevation does not make an uncertain process safe to change.
End a process by PID only after verification
Finding a PID is not the same as deciding to stop a process. Save work first, confirm the PID is still associated with the intended process, and do not terminate an unknown Windows process or an svchost.exe host blindly. Force termination can lose data or leave an app in an inconsistent state, and a service manager or watchdog may restart a process.
To request that Windows end one process, replace 1234 with the freshly verified PID:
taskkill /PID 1234To force termination:
taskkill /F /PID 1234To include child processes:
taskkill /PID 1234 /TMicrosoft documents /F as forceful termination and /T as ending the specified process and its child processes. (Microsoft: taskkill)
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