5 system information tools in Windows 11

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The five built-in system information tools in Windows 11 are System Information (msinfo32), Settings > System > About, the systeminfo command, the PowerShell Get-ComputerInfo cmdlet and the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag).

This guide shows what each one reports, how to open it, and which one fits a quick spec check, a saved report or a graphics problem.

5 System Information Tools in Windows 11
The Windows Tools folder groups System Information, Task Manager, Windows PowerShell and other admin utilities in one place. (Image: Microsoft)

How to open System Information in Windows 11

System Information (msinfo32.exe) is the most complete of the five, covering hardware, system components and the software environment.

  1. Press Win + R to open Run.
  2. Type msinfo32 and press Enter.
  3. Read the System Summary page for OS name, version, processor, BIOS and installed memory.
  4. Expand Hardware Resources, Components or Software Environment in the left pane for detail.

Run it as administrator for full results. Without elevation, some drivers show as stopped even when they are running.

Open System Information in Windows 11 through Control Panel Windows Tools
Set View by to Small icons in Control Panel to see the Windows Tools entry at the bottom. (Image: Microsoft)

System Information tools in Windows 11/10

Tool How to open Best for
1. System Information (msinfo32) Win + R, msinfo32 Full hardware, driver and software inventory, saved as .nfo or .txt
2. Settings > System > About Win + I, System, About Quick look at device name, processor, RAM, edition and version
3. systeminfo command systeminfo in Command Prompt or Terminal Text or CSV output, OS install details, remote PCs
4. Get-ComputerInfo (PowerShell) Get-ComputerInfo in PowerShell Filtering specific properties in scripts
5. DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag) Win + R, dxdiag DirectX version, display and sound devices for game or graphics issues

Save a System Information report in Windows 11

  1. Open System Information with msinfo32.
  2. Select File > Save to keep a .nfo file that msinfo32 can open later.
  3. Or select File > Export to write a plain .txt report.
  4. From a command prompt, run msinfo32 /nfo C:\Temp\pc.nfo to save without opening the window, or msinfo32 /report C:\Temp\pc.txt for a text report.
Save a System Information report with msinfo32 /nfo command examples
The /nfo switch writes the report to an .nfo file, and /categories limits which sections it includes. (Image: Microsoft)

Check system specs in Windows 11 Settings

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. Select System > About.
  3. Read Device specifications for device name, processor, installed RAM and system type (32-bit or 64-bit).
  4. Read Windows specifications for edition, version and OS build.
  5. Open System > Storage to see drive usage.

System information command in Windows 11: systeminfo

systeminfo prints OS configuration, security information, product ID and hardware properties such as RAM, disk space and network cards.

systeminfo /fo list

Lists every property one per line. Use /fo csv to save as spreadsheet data, /fo table for a table, and /s <computer> to query a remote PC.

You should see: Lines such as OS Name, OS Version, System Manufacturer, Total Physical Memory and Network Card(s) appear after a short delay.

Systeminfo command examples for local and remote Windows computers
Add /s with a computer name to query another PC, and /fo list for one value per line. (Image: Microsoft)

Get system information with PowerShell Get-ComputerInfo

Get-ComputerInfo returns one object with system and operating system properties. It is built into Windows PowerShell 5.1 and later on Windows.

Get-ComputerInfo -Property "*version"

Run plain Get-ComputerInfo for every property. -Property accepts wildcards, so "*version" returns only version fields such as WindowsVersion, BiosVersion and OsVersion. The short alias is gin.

You should see: PowerShell prints name : value pairs for the matching properties.

Get-ComputerInfo PowerShell command filtering version properties
Using -Property with a wildcard such as *version returns only the matching properties. (Image: Microsoft)

Open DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag) in Windows 11

Dxdiag.exe lives in the System32 folder and is built to troubleshoot DirectX issues.

  1. Press Win + R, type dxdiag and press Enter.
  2. Read the System tab for computer details and the installed DirectX version.
  3. Use the other tabs in the main window to display and diagnose DirectX-related information for your devices.

Where is system tools in Windows 11

Windows 11 groups its admin utilities in the Windows Tools folder in Control Panel, which replaced the Windows 10 Administrative Tools folder.

Windows version Folder name How to reach it
Windows 11 Windows Tools Control Panel > Windows Tools, or search Windows Tools in Start
Windows 10 Administrative Tools Control Panel > Administrative Tools

The tools inside vary by Windows edition. System Information is also listed there.

Confirm Windows 11 system information is complete

  1. Compare OS Name and Version in msinfo32 with Windows specifications in Settings. They should match.
  2. Check that Installed Physical Memory (RAM) in msinfo32 matches Installed RAM in Settings.
  3. If drivers show as stopped in msinfo32, close it and reopen it as administrator.

System Information not showing hardware details in Windows 11

Drivers listed as stopped in msinfo32

System Information was opened without administrator rights.

  1. Close System Information.
  2. Search System Information in Start, right-click it and select Run as administrator.
  3. Check the driver list again.

No hardware information in System Information

The PC is in Safe Mode, where msinfo32 does not show hardware details.

  1. Restart Windows normally.
  2. Open msinfo32 again.

systeminfo fails against another computer

The remote name or account permissions are wrong.

  1. Use the computer name or IP without backslashes after /s.
  2. Add /u <domain>\<username> with an account that has rights on that PC.

Windows 11 system information tools FAQ

How do I find system information in Windows 11?

Press Win + R, type msinfo32 and press Enter to open System Information. For a quicker summary, open Settings > System > About, which shows processor, installed RAM, system type, edition and version.

Where is System Information in Windows 11?

System Information is msinfo32.exe. Open it by searching System Information in Start, by running msinfo32 from Run, or from the Windows Tools folder in Control Panel.

Where is system tools in Windows 11?

Windows 11 keeps its system and admin utilities in the Windows Tools folder in Control Panel. It replaced the Administrative Tools folder from Windows 10, and its contents vary by edition.

What is the command for system information in Windows 11?

Run systeminfo in Command Prompt or Windows Terminal for a text listing, or msinfo32 to open the graphical System Information tool. In PowerShell, Get-ComputerInfo returns the same kind of data as an object.

How do I view system information on Windows 11 without admin rights?

Settings > System > About, systeminfo and dxdiag all work from a standard account. msinfo32 also opens, but some drivers show as stopped unless you run it as administrator.

Which Windows 11 tool shows my graphics card details?

The DirectX Diagnostic Tool reports DirectX information for your graphics hardware and the installed DirectX version. Run dxdiag from Run and read its tabs, or open msinfo32 and expand Components.

Philip Celasco
Philip Celasco

Philip is a Texas-based technology writer and IT administrator at Techdows.com with more than 10 years of experience creating practical content for everyday users and professionals. He specializes in web browsers, particularly Chromium-based platforms such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Opera. Through his work as an IT administrator, Philip has hands-on experience managing devices, configuring browser policies, troubleshooting software and network issues, and helping people resolve problems that affect productivity and security. His articles are based on practical testing and real-world technical experience. He covers browser settings, extensions, performance problems, privacy controls, security features, and Windows troubleshooting. Outside work, Philip enjoys the quieter side of life in Texas and stepping away from the screen when he can. He has two kids, two cats and loves to play golf with his mother during the weekends.

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