Last Updated on August 23, 2026
Most of us leave our computers running 24 hours a day without giving it a second thought. When we do that, things can start to slow down thanks to your memory (RAM) being used and not released completely when we close open programs.
It is nice to be able to find out exactly how long your computer has been running. This helps you decide if it is time to shut down all of your open programs and perform a clean reboot.
There are several ways you can check the uptime of your computer. The exact results you get will vary slightly based on the tool you pick. You can use the command line, PowerShell, or even the Windows GUI itself. We will go over all of these methods so you can choose the procedure that works the best for you.
Using the Command Line to Check Uptime
If you are the type of person who likes to type commands into a command prompt window, you can easily use these methods. The catch is that the results you get here will show you the exact last reboot time. They do not show the last time your computer was simply woken up from sleep mode. If your computer was completely powered off and you then turned it on, it tells you the last reboot time. It ignores the time since you powered it on from a dead stop.
1. Run the Legacy WMIC Command
The first method uses the WMIC command to query the operating system directly. Open your command prompt and type wmic path Win32_OperatingSystem get LastBootUpTime into the console. Press Enter to run the command and view the raw system output.
2. Interpret the WMIC Results
You will have to interpret the time format manually. It breaks down into year, month, day, and then the exact time. A result of 20210415083949 means the reboot date and time was April 15, 2021, at 8:39 AM. Please note that this specific command is deprecated. It will not work in newer versions of Windows 11.
3. Execute the Systeminfo Command
A much more readable command line option uses the built-in systeminfo tool. Open your command prompt and type systeminfo | find “System Boot Time” into the black window. Press Enter to view the filtered results.
4. Read the System Boot Time
The systeminfo command provides a clearly formatted boot date and time. This method will clearly show you the last reboot date and time precisely where it says “System Boot Time.” It removes all the guesswork from reading the raw timestamp.
5. Check Net Statistics Workstation
You can also query your active network sessions to find your boot time. Open your command prompt and type net statistics workstation into the terminal. Press Enter to execute the command immediately.
6. Locate the Statistics Line
This method will show you the last reboot time as well as some additional network information. The specific line that says “Statistics since” will show the exact date and time of the last reboot. This provides a great alternative if the systeminfo tool fails to load.
Using PowerShell to Find Windows Uptime
Using PowerShell is similar to the command line. It offers much more powerful tools and commands for system administrators. To start PowerShell, simply type “PowerShell” into your Windows search box and open the application.
1. Calculate Uptime with Get-Date
You can use the Get-Date command combined with WMI classes to find out exactly how long your computer has been running. Open PowerShell and type (get-date) – (gcim Win32_OperatingSystem).LastBootUpTime into the blue prompt. Press Enter to see the precise time breakdown.
2. Review the Formatted Output
This information is conveniently broken down into days, hours, minutes, seconds, and milliseconds. PowerShell calculates and formats your uptime instantly. You do not have to do any manual math to figure out the duration.
3. Pull a Fast Reboot Timestamp
You can also use a slightly different command to get just the timestamp without the elapsed duration. Type (Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem).LastBootUpTime into the prompt. Press Enter to view the exact date and time of your last startup sequence. This provides a clean output without any extra mathematical calculations attached.
4. Run the Modern Get-Uptime Command
There is another dedicated command you can use in PowerShell. It requires PowerShell version 6 or higher installed on your computer. Since Windows usually defaults to version 5, you may need to manually upgrade your PowerShell version to use it. If you have version 6 or newer, simply type Get-Uptime -Since to see the results.
Finding Uptime in the Windows Task Manager
A very easy and visual way to see exactly how long your computer has been running is to use the Windows Task Manager.. This provides a live counter without requiring any typed commands.
1. Open the Task Manager Application
To open the Task Manager, you can right-click on any blank spot on your Taskbar and choose Task Manager. You can also press Ctrl-Alt-Del on your keyboard. Choose Task Manager from the provided security screen choices to open the main diagnostic hub.
2. Navigate to the Performance Tab
Once you are in Task Manager, you will want to navigate to the Performance tab. Click on the CPU section located on the left side of the window. This displays a real-time graph of your processor activity.
3. Read the Live Uptime Counter
Look closely at the bottom of the window for a section labeled “Up time.” This live counter will tell you exactly how long your computer has been running. It displays the duration in days, hours, minutes, and seconds. You can watch the seconds tick up in real time.
Checking Uptime via Network Adapter Status
Another easy GUI method to find your computer’s running time is to check the status of your network adapter. Assuming your network connects as soon as Windows boots up, this will accurately tell you your system uptime as well.
1. Open the Network and Sharing Center
You will need to open the Windows Control Panel to access these specific settings. Go to the Network and Sharing Center. This menu controls all of your active internet connections and local network profiles.
2. View Your Adapter Settings
From there, click on “Change adapter settings” located on the left-hand menu. Next, you will need to find the specific network adapter that you are currently using to connect to the internet. If you only have one active connection, then that will be your only choice.
3. Check the Connection Duration
When you locate your active network adapter, simply double-click on it. This action brings up the connection statistics window. Here you will see a section named “Duration” which tracks how long the connection has been active.
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