Pulse 1.0.0 — Open Beta (beta.2)

🧪 Pulse 1.0.0 — Open Beta (beta.2)

Adds the last of the per-process metrics. Feedback welcome via Issues.

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe

Self-contained. Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, 64-bit.

New in beta.2

• Per-process GPU column — GPU utilization for each process (from the Windows GPU-Engine counters; works for any GPU).
• Per-process Network column — send+receive throughput per process, via a kernel ETW session like Task Manager itself. This needs administrator rights, so it shows "—" until you run Pulse as admin (Settings → Restart as administrator); hover the column header for the hint.

About the SmartScreen warning

This build still isn't code-signed, so you may see "unknown publisher" — click More info → Run anyway. The full signing pipeline is now in the repo (installer/build-release.ps1, SIGNING.md); it just needs a code-signing certificate (Azure Trusted Signing is the cheapest route) to make installs prompt-free.

Everything else

Processes (CPU / memory / disk / network / GPU / threads / PID / status, filter, sort, column chooser, full right-click actions), Performance (CPU + per-core, GPU power/temp, disk, network), Startup apps, Services, run-as-admin, default-Task-Manager, custom colors, density, tray, and persisted settings.

Pulse 1.0.0 — Open Beta

🧪 Pulse 1.0.0 — Open Beta

Pulse is a fast, native replacement for Windows Task Manager, and it's now open for public beta. It's feature-complete and stable in daily use — but this is a beta, so if something looks off, please open an issue. Feedback shapes 1.0.

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe, no install

Self-contained (bundles .NET + Windows App SDK — nothing else to install). Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, 64-bit.

What's in it

• Processes — live CPU, memory, per-process disk I/O, threads, PID, status; filter, sortable columns, and a full right-click menu: End task, End process tree, Restart, Suspend/Resume, Set priority, Open file location, Copy, Details.
• Performance — full CPU history + a per-logical-core grid, GPU utilization, memory, temperature, power draw & fan (NVIDIA), plus disk and network graphs, and a system-info line.
• Startup apps — enable/disable with publisher and impact.
• Services — browse everything and start / stop / restart.
• Make Pulse your default Task Manager — one switch redirects Ctrl+Shift+Esc, the taskbar menu and Run → taskmgr to Pulse (reversible).
• Make it yours — custom graph colors, compact/comfortable density, column chooser, light/dark, always-on-top, close-to-tray, and adjustable refresh. Everything persists.
• Run as administrator for protected processes and services.

Known beta notes

• Not code-signed yet — SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher." Click More info → Run anyway. (Signing is planned.)
• Per-process network and GPU columns aren't in yet.
• x64 only for now.

Thanks for testing! 🙏

Pulse v0.7.0

Pulse v0.7.0 — column chooser and system tray.

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe

Self-contained (bundles .NET + Windows App SDK). Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, x64.

New in this release

• Column chooser — show or hide the CPU, Memory, Disk, Threads, PID and Status columns from Settings (Name is always shown).
• Close to system tray — turn it on and closing the window keeps Pulse running in the notification area. Left-click the tray icon to reopen, right-click for Exit; the tooltip shows live CPU and RAM.

Everything else

Live processes with CPU / memory / disk I/O, right-click End / Restart / Suspend / Resume / priority / end-tree, CPU + per-core graphs, GPU power & temperature (NVIDIA), disk & network graphs, Startup apps, Services (start/stop/restart), Run as administrator, customizable graph colors, compact/comfortable density, and one-switch "make Pulse the default Task Manager." Your settings persist between launches.

Note on SmartScreen

Not code-signed yet — SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher." Click More info → Run anyway.

Pulse v0.6.0

Pulse v0.6.0 — make it yours: customization and polish.

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe

Self-contained (bundles .NET + Windows App SDK). Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, x64.

New in this release

• Custom graph colors — pick the color for each resource (CPU, Memory, GPU, Disk, Network) in Settings; it drives the graphs and the meters. Reset anytime.
• Compact / comfortable density — a toggle to fit more rows on screen.
• Sort-direction arrows on the process columns, and a friendly empty state when a filter matches nothing.
• Everything you set — colors, density, theme, update speed, always-on-top, window size and last page — persists between launches.

Everything else

Live processes with CPU/memory/disk I/O, right-click End/Restart/Suspend/Resume/priority/end-tree, CPU + per-core graphs, GPU power/temperature (NVIDIA), disk & network graphs, Startup apps, Services (start/stop/restart), Run as administrator, and one-switch "make Pulse the default Task Manager."

Note on SmartScreen

Not code-signed yet — SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher." Click More info → Run anyway.

Pulse v0.5.0

Pulse v0.5.0 — the process tools get serious.

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe

Self-contained (bundles .NET + Windows App SDK). Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, x64.

New in this release

• Per-process Disk I/O column — see which process is hitting your drive (works for all processes when running as admin).
• Power actions (right-click a process) — End process tree, Suspend / Resume, and Set priority (Realtime … Low).
• Run as administrator — one click in Settings; elevated, Pulse manages protected processes and services without a prompt each time.
• Ctrl+F focuses the filter; Services get a right-click menu; status is color-coded (Running green, Not responding red).
• Remembers your window size, last-open page, theme, update speed and always-on-top between launches.

Everything else

Live processes, CPU + per-core graphs, GPU power/temperature (NVIDIA), disk & network graphs, Startup apps, Services, and one-switch "make Pulse the default Task Manager."

Note on SmartScreen

Not code-signed yet — SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher." Click More info → Run anyway.

Pulse v0.4.0

Pulse v0.4.0 — adds a Services manager, always-on-top, and more.

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe

Self-contained (bundles .NET + Windows App SDK). Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, x64.

New in this release

• Services page — browse every Windows service with its status and startup type, filter by name, and start / stop / restart any of them (one admin approval per change).
• Always on top — keep Pulse above other windows (in Settings).

From v0.3.0

Process filter, Run new task, right-click actions (Restart / Open file location / Copy), double-click details, Delete-to-end, light/dark/system appearance, and persisted settings.

Everything else

Live processes with CPU/memory/threads, CPU + per-core graphs, GPU power/temperature (NVIDIA), disk & network graphs, Startup apps, and one-switch "make Pulse the default Task Manager."

Note on SmartScreen

Not code-signed yet — SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher." Click More info → Run anyway.

Pulse v0.3.0

Pulse v0.3.0 — a much more capable Processes page, plus appearance and persisted settings.

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe

Self-contained (bundles .NET + Windows App SDK). Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, x64.

New in this release

• Filter box — narrow the process list by name as you type.
• Run new task — launch any program, path or URL from a dialog.
• Right-click a process — End task, Restart, Open file location, Copy PID, Copy name.
• Double-click for Details — description, publisher, PID, threads, memory, start time and full path (double-click no longer ends the task).
• Delete key ends the selected process.
• Appearance setting — follow Windows, or force light/dark.
• Settings persist — appearance and update speed are remembered between launches.

Still here

Live processes, CPU + per-core graphs, GPU power/temperature (NVIDIA), disk & network graphs, Startup apps, and one-switch "make Pulse the default Task Manager."

Note on SmartScreen

Not code-signed yet — SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher." Click More info → Run anyway.

Pulse v0.2.1

Pulse v0.2.1 — a big update to the Performance page, plus a Settings page and one-click "make me the default Task Manager."

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe, no install

Self-contained (bundles .NET + Windows App SDK). Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, x64.

New in this release

• GPU, power & temperature — on NVIDIA cards, the Performance page now shows utilization, memory, temperature, power draw in watts, core clock and fan speed (via NVML). Non-NVIDIA GPUs show utilization.
• Disk & Network graphs — active time, read/write, and send/receive throughput.
• System info line — CPU model, cores, RAM, GPU, OS build and uptime at a glance.
• Settings page with "Make Pulse the default Task Manager" — one switch redirects Ctrl+Shift+Esc, the taskbar menu and Run → taskmgr to Pulse (reversible; one admin approval). Plus an adjustable update speed.
• Polish — gridded Performance graphs, an app icon, and smoother, flicker-free refreshes.

Still here from before

Live process list (CPU / memory / threads / PID / status, sortable, End task), full CPU history graph with a per-logical-core grid, and the Startup apps manager.

Note on SmartScreen

This build isn't code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher." Click More info → Run anyway.

Pulse v0.1.0

Pulse v0.1.0 — the first working build of a fast, native Windows 11 Task Manager replacement.

Download

• Pulse-Setup.exe — installer (per-user, no admin needed)
• Pulse-portable-x64.zip — unzip and run Pulse.exe, no install

Self-contained: the .NET and Windows App SDK runtimes are bundled, so nothing else is required. Windows 10 (20H2+) / 11, x64.

What's in this build

• Processes — live list with per-process CPU %, working-set memory, threads, PID and status; sortable columns; End task.
• Performance — real-time total CPU graph, a per-logical-core grid, a memory graph, and utilization/processes/threads/cores stats (read from native kernel counters).
• Startup apps — every Run-key and Startup-folder entry with its publisher and source; toggle user-scoped items on/off.
• Native Mica window, follows your system light/dark theme.

Note on SmartScreen

This build isn't code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher." Click More info → Run anyway. (Code signing is on the roadmap.)