If you have ever had issues with your Windows PC, from random slowdowns to app crashes and the dreaded BSOD, you would have, at some point, looked through the Event Viewer. The built-in utility keeps a log of all system events, which can be used for troubleshooting, and the right log can help you identify the faulting module. But let's face it, the Event Viewer can be overwhelming. Scanning through hundreds of log files takes time, and unless you have a fair bit of understanding of the operating system, reading into the logs can be a challenge. This is where another built-in utility comes into the picture.

The Reliability Monitor is a native diagnostic and troubleshooting tool in Windows that keeps track of system stability and displays an easy-to-comprehend visual timeline of issues, crashes, and errors. A quick look usually reveals what's wrong with the PC. It's so much easier to use, compared to the Event Viewer or even various third-party software. Tools like Reliability Monitor make me wonder why Microsoft does such a poor job at highlighting Windows components that actually streamline the experience for users.

Reliability Monitor is widely ignored

And not for the right reasons

Even after using Windows for years, I had no idea that a tool like Reliability Monitor existed. And I guess it's the same for many others. Windows never prompts you to check it, and it doesn't even find a prominent mention in the native Settings app. The Reliability Monitor stands quietly tucked under "Security and Maintenance" in the Control Panel.

Although I am not that surprised since Windows has, over the years, started prioritizing automated troubleshooting. In that scheme of things, Reliability Monitor doesn't really fit. It's not exactly a troubleshooting tool, but it excels at helping you diagnose the problem, which, I believe, is far more important. Knowing what's failing, and working specifically on that can save a lot more time than applying a wide array of random fixes, hoping that one works.

It is easier to navigate than Event Viewer

Reliability Monitor highlights issues that need your attention

Reliability Monitor does feel like an upgrade over Event Viewer, purely from an ease-of-use standpoint. For everyday Windows users, the latter can feel daunting, especially with all the warnings around Event Viewer scams. Reliability Monitor, on the other hand, offers a user-friendly view of critical system events, like app crashes or issues, Windows updates, and critical hardware failures, unlike the Event Viewer, which logs hundreds of events. This makes it much easier and faster to analyze problems with the system.

The visual timeline-based view is one of Reliability Monitor's biggest strengths. If crashes started after installing a Windows update, it will clearly highlight that. Similarly, if PC issues started recently, it will tell you the exact date, so you can easily find the underlying cause. All you need to do is pick a day or week from the timeline, and Reliability Monitor will list all critical events that happened during the period. Double-click one, and you will find detailed information on what failed and why.

For instance, in the images above, you can see a log for Dell Diagnostics when it stopped working. Upon going into the problem details, I can see the faulting module name, which is usually the component/file that triggered the error.

There's another, even more helpful feature in Reliability Monitor that can give you an overall view of the system health: Stability Index. It's a rating from 1 to 10 assigned on the basis of your system's stability, with 1 being the least stable and 10 the most stable. Fluctuations here are normal, say the index dropping from 10 to 5 on days when an app crashes, but it should ideally climb back. If the stability index remains low consistently, there are system issues that need to be addressed.

Reliability Monitor won't fix problems for you

Built-in troubleshooters do that seamlessly

I agree, the Reliability Monitor does have a major drawback. In an age where people want to fix things quickly and automatically, it's limited to identifying the issue, and not resolving it. The Reliability Monitor won't reset the network adapter, roll back a faulty update, or repair corrupted system files. It will just point to the problem, and the rest has to be done manually by the user.

But if you look at it objectively, the Reliability Monitor complements Windows troubleshooting. When the built-in troubleshooter reports success, Reliability Monitor can be used to verify that. If crashes or issues stop appearing on the timeline, you know the troubleshooter worked. And even if they don't, you will at least get to know what doesn't work.

Another limitation of the Reliability Monitor is that it only stores data for 28 days. If you want to take a look at an event that happened outside this period, the Event Viewer comes to your aid.

It's the best troubleshooting tool for everyday users

Power users have the Event Viewer

Reliability Monitor is simple, easy to use and navigate, and offers a perfect middle ground between built-in troubleshooters and the Event Viewer. You don't need advanced technical knowledge to sift through system logs. Even a quick glance will tell you what's wrong. For those who need more information or detailed logs, Event Viewer remains an option. But everyday Windows users should start with the Reliability Monitor.

For a tool that's largely been ignored, Reliability Monitor is surprisingly useful. So, the next time your PC starts acting up, you know where to look.