TCPView

See every TCP and UDP endpoint on your PC

TCPView is a free Windows networking utility that shows which programs are using TCP and UDP connections on your computer. It is best understood as a clearer, more visual way to inspect the kind of connection information that Windows can expose through Netstat, but with a friendlier window and more immediate context.

When you open TCPView, it lists active endpoints in a table with practical columns such as protocol, process name, local address, remote address, and connection state. This lets you see, for example, which application is communicating with a remote server, which local port it is using, and whether a TCP connection is established or changing. For users who want to understand what happens when a browser, game, antivirus tool, or other internet-connected app is active, this can be very useful.

The interface is plain but purposeful. TCPView refreshes its display automatically every second by default, and the refresh rate can be adjusted from the options. Changes are color-coded: new endpoints appear in green, removed ones in red, and changed entries in yellow. This makes it easier to spot activity without constantly comparing rows yourself. You can also resolve IP addresses to domain names, close established TCP/IP connections from the interface, and save the current output for later review.

A command-line version, Tcpvcon, is also provided for users who prefer a console-based workflow similar to Netstat. That adds flexibility, especially for administrators or technically confident users who want the same information outside the graphical window.

The main limitation is that TCPView assumes some networking knowledge. Terms such as endpoints, ports, protocols, and connection states may not mean much to casual users at first. It does not try to explain whether a connection is safe or suspicious, so interpretation is still up to you.

Overall, TCPView is a compact and practical tool for curious users, IT staff, and anyone troubleshooting network activity on Windows. It is not a beginner-friendly security scanner, but it is a reliable way to see what is communicating through your system.