How To Save A List Of Running Processes In Windows

The Task Manager makes it easy to see all of the processes running on your Windows computer. Unlike Process Explorer, Task Manager does not allow you to save a list of currently running processes for later use or for help in troubleshooting. Other simple methods exist in Windows for saving a list of currently running processes.

Why Do I Need A List Of Processes?

Troubleshooting is the primary use for exporting a list of processes on your computer. In order to monitor processes in real-time, you may need to give a list of processes to a third party using the Task Manager. Save the data in an easy-to-read format when faced with this predicament.

It's also a good idea to maintain track of the processes that are running at any given time so that they may be compared to other processes later on. For instance, if you notice that a program is causing your computer to run slowly. You can compare the processes operating before and after the application was installed if you have a preserved list.

How To Export A List Of Processes Using The Command Prompt

To export a text list of all currently active processes, all you have to do is type a single command into the Command Prompt window. Here's how to do it.

1. You may get to the Command Prompt by clicking the Return key after putting "cmd" into Windows' search field.

2. Tasklist command can now be used to create a new.txt file from the list.

3. Tasklist /v > "%userprofile%/Desktop/Running-Process-List.txt" can be used as an example.

4. A new text file titled Current-Process-List.txt will subsequently appear on your desktop, including a complete list of all current processes. The list will also include information such as the process ID and memory usage.

An environment variable is represented by the %userprofile% section of the command. It's a shortcut that makes it easier to type in the path to a folder in the Command Prompt and other Windows applications. It substitutes the C:/Users[username] part of a folder path.

Multiple command options are available to generate the list in a variety of forms. The /v parameter in the above command, for example, causes the list to be printed in verbose format. The list will appear truncated if you don't include it.

How To Export A List Of Processes Using PowerShell

If you want, you can preserve a list of running processes using PowerShell. PowerShell's produced list can also be customized using parameters.

1. Go to PowerShell by typing "power" into Windows Search and select the item from the list.

2. To create a list in PowerShell, you don't need to use Run as administrator; but, if you're having problems doing so, you should do so.

3. Get-Process in PowerShell is the command to use. To get a list of all running processes, use the Get-Process / Out-File –filepath.

4. Save the Running-Process-List.txt file to the desktop.