In the context of Windows, `CPUCores` refers to the

number of physical processing cores available to the operating system

. It[SQ]s a hardware specification, not a software setting.

A core is an independent processing unit within a CPU (Central Processing Unit). A CPU might have one, two, four, eight, or more cores. Modern CPUs often also have hyperthreading or SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading), which allows a single physical core to appear as multiple logical processors to the operating system. `CPUCores` typically only counts the *physical* cores, not the logical processors created through hyperthreading.

You can find the number of CPU cores in Windows using several methods :

*

Task Manager:

Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to the "Performance" tab, and look at the "CPU" section. It will usually display the number of cores directly.
*

System Information:

Search for "System Information" in the Start Menu. This will show detailed system information, including the number of processors and cores.
*

Command Prompt/PowerShell:

Type `systeminfo` and press Enter. This command displays a wealth of system information, including processor details.
*

Registry:

You can find the information in the Windows Registry, but this is generally not recommended for casual users as incorrect registry modifications can damage your system.


The value of `CPUCores` is often used by software and applications to determine how many processing threads to use for optimal performance. A higher number generally indicates greater processing power and capability for parallel tasks.