Microsoft Debuts ETW MCP for AI-Powered Windows Performance Analysis

Microsoft has released an early preview of ETW MCP (Model Context Protocol), a server that connects AI assistants, such as GitHub Copilot, to Windows Event Tracing diagnostic data. The tool allows developers to query and reason over trace files without opening dedicated analysis programs like Windows Performance Analyzer.

ETW MCP is designed for software engineers chasing regressions or slow startups, driver and hardware engineers investigating power-related issues, and teams wanting automated trace analysis built into testing pipelines. It runs locally using the STDIO protocol and gives AI assistants structured access to ETL (Event Tracing Log) files.

The server uses the same TraceProcessor engine as Windows Performance Analyzer and XPerf, so results match what appears in those tools. Developers can ask questions about a trace file in plain language instead of manually navigating WPA, which has traditionally been used for this work.