Ever wondered which program has a particular file or directory open? Now you can find out. Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded.
The Process Explorer display consists of two sub-windows. The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'll see the handles that the process selected in the top window has opened; if Process Explorer is in DLL mode you'll see the DLLs and memory-mapped files that the process has loaded. Process Explorer also has a powerful search capability that will quickly show you which processes have particular handles opened or DLLs loaded.
The unique capabilities of Process Explorer make it useful for tracking down DLL-version problems or handle leaks, and provide insight into the way Windows and applications work.
Publisher’s description
What is Process Explorer?
Process Explorer is a proprietary monitoring & benchmark program for Windows from Sysinternals. It ranks 30th by popularity among monitoring & benchmarks in this catalogue.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit as Portable. The main installer is 3.8 MB. It runs without installation (portable).
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 1,927,206 times. Similar programs include Veyon, Datadog Agent and windows_exporter.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Updated in the last two months
- Small download (3.8 MB)
- Large user base
Cons
- Proprietary licence: check the terms and price
In short: Process Explorer is a monitoring & benchmark tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs.
Is Process Explorer safe to download?
- The file is served by download.sysinternals.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
DAB147316264B89AE46AE2AD7D8A94116848EF0B703BCAC8DE9FF22689CE9D51· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 1 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17.2Latest | October 15, 2026 | 3.8 MB | 32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.Sysinternals.ProcessExplorer -echoco install procexp -yProgram files (.exe): procexp.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Sysinternals
- Category
- Monitoring & benchmarks
- Licence
- Proprietary
- Price
- See the publisher’s site
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 17.2
- Released
- October 15, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- October 17, 2026
- Versions listed
- 1
- Chocolatey downloads
- 1,927,206
- Website
- learn.microsoft.com
- winget ID
- Microsoft.Sysinternals.ProcessExplorer
- Chocolatey package
- procexp
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Process Explorer free?
Process Explorer is proprietary (closed-source) software (licence: Proprietary). Whether it costs money depends on the edition: check the publisher’s site for prices and free tiers.
Is Process Explorer safe to download?
The download comes from download.sysinternals.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Process Explorer with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Process Explorer run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Can I use Process Explorer without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Process Explorer?
Veyon, Datadog Agent, windows_exporter, Alloy and LibreHardwareMonitor. The alternatives page compares them.
