How to Open Event Viewer in Windows 10 and Windows 11

The Windows Event Viewer is a powerful tool that allows users to monitor activities and events within the operating system. It helps identify causes of system failures, track errors, and gather valuable information about system performance. In this guide, we’ll cover how to open the Event Viewer in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

What is the Windows Event Viewer?

The Event Viewer is a system log that records various events, such as errors, warnings, and information about applications and system components. It’s especially useful for IT professionals and regular users wanting to understand potential issues affecting system stability.

Methods to Open Event Viewer

1. Using the Start Menu

The easiest way to open the Event Viewer is by using the Start menu search:

  1. Click on the Start button or press Win + S to open the search.
  2. In the search field, type “Event Viewer” and select the result from the list.

2. Via the Control Panel

You can also access the Event Viewer through the Control Panel:

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. Go to System and Security.
  3. Under Administrative Tools, select View event logs.

3. Using the Run Command

The Run command is a quick way to open various system tools, including the Event Viewer:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type eventvwr.msc and press Enter.

4. Through Command Prompt or PowerShell

If you prefer using Command Prompt or PowerShell, open either tool and type the following command:

eventvwr

After entering the command, press Enter, and the Event Viewer will open.

Navigating the Event Viewer

Once the Event Viewer is open, you’ll see different categories on the left side of the window:

  • Windows Logs — Contains system event logs, including Application, Security, Setup, and System logs.
  • Applications and Services Logs — Includes records related to specific applications and services.

By selecting each category, you can view event entries, check their severity levels (Information, Warning, Error), and get detailed insights.