How to check your CPU temperature

If the temperature of your CPU gets too high, this can cause extensive damage to the unit itself as well as your computer. It is therefore important to keep an eye on the temperature. We present two easy ways to check whether your CPU is too hot.

CPU temperature check with the BIOS or UEFI

The most straightforward solution to check the CPU temperature is either with the BIOS or the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). Both interfaces can be accessed during your PC's startup. UEFI is widely known as a more modern version of BIOS. After opening the interface you will see information about the CPU temperature.

• You can open the BIOS or UEFI with a designated key which is displayed during startup. Be quick. The key is only shown for a brief moment .
• Typical shortcut keys for opening the interfaces are DEL, ESC, F1, F2, F10 or F12. Every system is different. Sometimes you have to use a key combination like Ctrl + Alt + Delete or Ctrl + Alt + Esc to activate it. Alternatively you can access it through the "Advanced startup" option located in Recovery.
• This version unfortunately only shows the temperature after opening the BIOS or UEFI. It's not updating it.

Easy alternative solution: CPU monitoring software

An easier and more effective way to monitor the CPU temperature is specific software. Tools like HWMonitor or SpeedFan check the active temperature of your processor while you are playing a game, working on a project or enjoying a movie. In most cases they are freeware. So you don't have to pay anything to check your CPU temperature. We show you how to use them based on HWMonitor.

• After the initial installation you can open the software. A window with a lot of information about your system will be displayed.
• Look for the option "Temperatures". Under this tab you will see every available core of your CPU and it's temperature.
• You can keep the program running in the background to always have it on hand to keep tabs on your CPU's temperature. For example to check how hot your CPU gets while playing video games.
• Don't forget to check the CPU temperature if you suspect it is running too hot. A CPU should heat up to a comfortable 85 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (ca. 66 °C) during a low or normal workload. Everything above can damage the processor, especially long gaming sessions with temperatures up to 210 degrees Fahrenheit (ca. 99 °C).

Written by Dominic Schmidt