Question
Issue: How to make use of Activity Monitor?
I can’t find anywhere Task Manager on my new Mac. Where is it?
Solved Answer
Activity Monitor operates as the key diagnostics tool able to explicitly inform you of current and covert processes in your Mac. It performs the same function as Task Manager on Windows OS. Thus, you can track your device processes. Different functions of the application let you identify errant processes, troubleshoot errors and stop suspicious tasks. operates as the key diagnostics tool able to explicitly inform you of current and covert processes in your Mac. It performs the same function as Task Manager on Windows OS. Thus, you can track your device processes. Different functions of the application let you identify errant processes, troubleshoot errors and stop suspicious tasks.
One of the most used functionality of Activity Monitor is its ability to let stay on track with CPU (Central Processing Unit) usage processes. You are able to identify which processes are currently running, which of them have been launched previously.
If your computer has been running slow, the app is the key tool which helps you identify the cause of such phenomenon. CPU tab displays visual information which processes consume a large amount of energy, you can decide whether you need one or another app.
Likewise, you can identify errant processes. They signify buggy programs or even malicious presence. Such process should not be ignored as it directly affects hardware – cooling fans. You can also determine the location of the file which triggers unusual CPU consumption. This feature is especially helpful in case of malware.
In comparison with Windows Task Manager, Activity Monitor has an advantage. It explicitly indicates which processes are known to Mac OS and which come from dubious sources. It is a highly practical feature, since more elaborate malware tends to disguise under the names of legitimate system files. Thus, simply determining if a process has a malignant origin becomes tricky.
Likewise, you can check energy consumption rates, how much RAM memory one or another process exploits. Besides Disk tab, which enables you how to discover how much data was processed from your hardware, Network tab allows finding out the amount and traffic of incoming and outgoing data. There are other multiple pros of the program, but we will briefly shed light on how you can access Activity Monitor and kill shady processes.
Open Activity Monitor
Usually, you will need to launch Finder, then click on Application and then locate Activity Monitor. You can launch the app with Spotlight or Alfred much faster. Just enter a few letters.
Terminate a process
In case you have come across a shady website or the web page alarming you with tech support scam messages, you will need to shut down the browser forcefully (in case, your browser is non-responsive). Before that, it is highly recommended to make a keyboard shortcut to the app. FastScripts software will help you do that.
Once you launched Activity Monitor, find the task of a website or app which causes suspicion, click on it highlight, then click on the appeared x button and choose Force Quit. Confirm your decision to kill the process.
Locate the source path of a file
In case you are dealing with macOS malware, you might not be able to find the source application easily, especially if does not have one. Thus, you will need to find its location.
- Highlight the task and press the “i” button at the top beside the Quit button.
- A new window appears which grants key information about the application and its origin.
- Click on the Sample button on the left side.
- It will reveal further details about the process, including its version and path.
In case you identified a malicious process or app, do not ignore it and eliminate it. One of the tools assisting in such situation is FortectMac Washing Machine X9. It also has its macOs equivalent.
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Olivia Morelli is a young, but a perspicacious IT expert who is currently just a year away from a Bachelor’s Degree in Software Systems. Her primary passion is cyber security, however, thanks to her detailed understanding of computer networks, operating systems and hardware, she can find a fix for any PC or Mac issue...
