Looking for the GPU load or the number of threads for a process in Activity Monitor? Missing a process? Find out here what to do when macOS Activity Monitor is not showing specific columns or processes on a Mac.
First, Hot and Wet Like You
If you have a small mirror in your shower, you may want to afford it the same treatment as yourself—before yourself: letting hot water (for part of the year) run over it helps keep the mirror from fogging up.
The aim, of course, is to get the mirror’s surface hotter than at least one other surface in the room—and have the showery steam condense there, sparing the mirror.
Now, can’t see a column or process in Activity Monitor? Let’s de-fog that, too:
What to Do When Mac Activity Monitor Is Not Showing Columns or Processes
Add and Remove Columns in Activity Monitor
Time needed: 2 minutes
To choose which columns are shown in Activity Monitor on a Mac:
- Click with the right mouse button on the column header in Activity Monitor’s main window.
Main window: Press Command 1 or select Window | Activity Monitor from the menu to open the Activity Monitor window.
- Select any (unchecked) column from the menu to add it to the list of currently visible Activity Monitor columns.
Be gone: Click any checked (visible) column to remove it.
Choose Processes Shown in Activity Monitor
To change which processes are visible in Activity Monitor:
- Click View in the Activity Monitor menu.
- Select All Processes from the menu that appears to have Activity Monitor show all processes currently running on the Mac.
Not all: Choose from the list of options for filtering process, of course, to focus on one kind (like GPU Processes for processes that use the GPU or Inactive Processes to see sleeping processes).
Filtered list: Click in the Search field or press Command Option F to further filter the list of processes—or clear the filter to reveal more.
What to Do When Mac Activity Monitor Is Not Showing Columns or Processes: FAQ
Can I see any column on any Activity Monitor tab?
Yes.
The tabs in Activity Monitor (CPU, Memory, Energy, etc.) determine the display and graphics at the bottom of the main Activity Monitor window and an initial set of columns, but you can add and remove columns as you wish.
I see nothing at all in Activity Monitor; what can I do?
If you see just about nothing in your Activity Monitor window, one column may have expanded to fill the whole window and more.
To reign in an overly broad column in Activity Monitor:
- Scroll right until you see a column border in the header area.
Here’s how: You can use the trackpad or the scroll bar. - In the header, click and drag the right border of the oversized column to the left until it fits (and shows) the column contents.
(What to do when Mac Activity Monitor is not showing columns or processes tested with macOS Sonoma 14.3; updated April 2024)