Show All CPU Cores in Task Manager on Windows 10: Fix Missing Cores

To show all CPU cores in Task Manager on Windows 10, open Task Manager, choose Performance > CPU, right-click the CPU graph, and select Change graph to > Logical processors. Task Manager will then draw one graph for each logical processor that Windows can use.

You normally do not need to “activate” CPU cores. Windows uses the processors exposed by your hardware and firmware automatically. One important correction to older advice: the Number of processors option in msconfig is a troubleshooting limit, not a performance switch. If you want Windows to use all detected processors, that box should normally be unchecked.

Show every logical processor in Task Manager

1. Open Task Manager. You can press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, or right-click the Windows 10 taskbar and choose Task Manager.

2. If Task Manager opens in the compact view, click More details. Open the Performance tab and select CPU.

3. Right-click inside the large CPU graph. Choose Change graph to, then Logical processors.

4. Task Manager now shows a grid of smaller CPU graphs. The number of graphs should match the Logical processors value shown on the CPU page.

This behavior matches Microsoft’s Task Manager documentation, which distinguishes the overall CPU graph from per-logical-processor activity.

Physical cores vs. logical processors

A physical core is an execution core on the CPU. A logical processor is a hardware thread that Windows can schedule work on. Technologies such as Intel Hyper-Threading and AMD SMT can expose more logical processors than physical cores. For example, a 6-core CPU with two hardware threads per core can appear as 6 cores and 12 logical processors.

Task Manager lists both numbers on the CPU page. Microsoft’s Win32_Processor documentation also defines separate NumberOfCores and NumberOfLogicalProcessors values, so do not expect “cores” and “logical processors” to be identical on every PC.

What to do if Task Manager shows fewer processors than expected

1. Remove an accidental msconfig processor limit

If someone previously changed Windows boot settings, clear the processor limit rather than setting it to the largest number.

1. Press Win+R, type msconfig, and press Enter.

2. Open the Boot tab and click Advanced options.

3. Make sure Number of processors is unchecked. Leave Maximum memory unchecked as well unless you are deliberately troubleshooting.
4. Click OK, apply the change, and restart Windows.

Microsoft’s BCDEdit processor-settings reference documents numproc as an option that makes Windows use only the specified number of processors. Checking the box and selecting a high value does not unlock extra cores or make the CPU faster.

2. Verify the core count with PowerShell

Open PowerShell and run:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_Processor | Select-Object Name, NumberOfCores, NumberOfLogicalProcessors

If PowerShell and Task Manager report the same counts, Windows is seeing the same CPU topology through two different interfaces. For a deeper topology check, Microsoft also provides the free Sysinternals Coreinfo utility.

3. Check firmware or virtualization limits

If your CPU manufacturer’s specification lists more cores or threads than Windows detects, check whether the PC’s UEFI/BIOS has options that disable CPU cores, SMT, or Hyper-Threading. Menu names vary by motherboard and PC maker, so use the manufacturer’s manual instead of copying settings from another system. If you are working inside a virtual machine, remember that Windows sees only the virtual CPUs assigned by the hypervisor.

Do not assume a missing count means the CPU is physically damaged. A boot limit, firmware setting, virtual-machine configuration, or an incorrect assumption about the exact CPU model is far more useful to rule out first. If the discrepancy remains on a physical PC after restoring normal boot and firmware settings, have the system or motherboard vendor diagnose it before replacing hardware.

Windows 10 support note

Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. The operating system can still run, but standard security support has ended; Microsoft directs eligible PCs toward Windows 11 and offers Extended Security Updates for supported scenarios. See Microsoft’s Windows 10 lifecycle notice for current options.