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How to Open Windows Task Manager: Menus, Shortcuts, & More

Fast and easy ways to see running apps and services in Windows

Last Updated: September 5, 2023 Fact Checked

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Ctrl + alt + del, taskbar menu, power user menu, windows search, control panel, run dialog box, command prompt, file explorer, pin to the taskbar, make a desktop shortcut.

This article was co-authored by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Smith . Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 536,157 times.

Trying to open the Windows Task Manager to end a process or check your computer's performance? The Task Manager allows you to view various activities that occur on your PC. You can monitor running applications, CPU and RAM usage, startup apps (Windows 8 and 10 only), and services. You can also end unresponsive or frozen applications! This wikiHow article will show you various ways to open the Task Manager in Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11, including quick keyboard shortcuts.

Things You Should Know

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to immediately open the Task Manager.
• Alternatively, right-click the Taskbar and select "Task Manager" to open it.
• You can also press Windows Key + X to open the Power User menu and select "Task Manager."

• You're ready to look through your processes and end tasks! Clearing tasks that you don't need to run is a great way to speed up a slow windows computer .

• You're done! You're ready to close unresponsive programs and change process priorities .

• You can also press ⊞ Win + x together to do this.

• Alternatively, press the T keyboard key.

• Windows 8.1 : Press ⊞ Win + Q . [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source

• Windows XP : This method will not work.

• You'll need to scroll down past the folders, which are always placed at the top.

• In Windows 11, you may need to click Show more options to access the Create shortcut option.

Community Q&A

• For more helpful Windows features, check out how to take a screenshot and how to zoom out the screen . Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts

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12 Shortcut Ways To Open Task Manager in Windows 10 and 11

The Task Manager in Windows is needed to basically manage everything that is currently running on the PC. Therefore, whether you are a novice user or a system admin, it’s one of the essential Windows tools to know how to access and use.

You can use the Task Manager to force close a rogue app, disable processes left after closing an app, view apps running in the background, or simply look at the current state of system resources.

As the task manager is usually accessed when an app or process is messing up, it’s important to know more than one way to access it. So you may not get stuck in case a process prevents you from using your usual method of accessing the task manager.

For example, an app can prevent you from using the keyboard shortcut (the easiest method), in that case, you’ll have to access it from the desktop or menus.

In this post, I am going to show various ways to open the Task Manager in Windows 10/11. Some of these methods may not be very convenient but could be useful under certain conditions, so it’s worth knowing.

Use the keyboard shortcut

The easiest and fastest way to open the Task Manager is using the dedicated keyboard shortcut. All you have to do is press Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys at the same time and Task Manager will pop up. As long as your keyboard is working fine and nothing is stopping you from using shortcuts, this method should be your go-to method to open the Task Manager.

Learn more about Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts .

Use Ctrl+Alt+Delete screen

You can also access the Task Manager from the GINA screen or CTRL+Alt+Delete screen as most people call it. Many apps (usually games) can prevent you from using the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keyboard shortcut for opening Task Manager. However, CTRL+Alt+Delete will still work as it has priority over most processes.

Just press Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys on the keyboard and click on Task Manager from the list of options that pop up.

Open from Windows power user menu

The Windows 10 power user menu also has an entry for the Task Manager. To access it, either right-click on the Start menu button or press Windows+X keys. When the power user menu opens, click on the Task Manager to open it. This method can be useful when your keyboard isn’t working or you just want to use the mouse.

Access from the taskbar menu

Similar to the above method, there is an entry to access the Task Manager from the taskbar menu as well. Right-click on any empty space on the taskbar and select Task Manager from the menu that opens up.

Use a Run command

There are many Run commands to access important components of Windows, and there is one for the Task Manager too. To use it, press Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog.

Check some of these common Windows run commands you need to know.

Here type taskmgr and click on the OK button to open the Task Manager.

Usually, issues with Windows Explorer can force you to execute commands via the Run command to access different components. This method should help you in case Windows Explorer is acting up.

Run the Task Manager executable

Task Manager actually has an executable file similar to other applications you install, so you can find its executable file in the File Explorer and launch it from there. Open up This PC (or whatever file manager app you are using) to access the File Explorer. Here move to this location C > Windows > System32 and scroll down and open the executable file named Taskmgr .

You can also enter C:\Windows\System32\ in the search bar of the File Explorer to directly access this location. If Windows is installed in a different directory besides C drive, then go to that directory instead.

From the Start menu

If you prefer opening apps from the Start menu, then you access the Task Manager from the Start menu too. Click on the Start menu and scroll down to the very bottom. Here, click on the Windows System folder and then select Task Manager inside it.

Pin Task Manager on the taskbar

If you want faster access to the Task Manager with the mouse, then you can add its executable to the taskbar to open it with one click. You have to access the executable file of Task Manager to add it to the taskbar, you can use the above methods to find the executable in the File Explorer or the Start menu.

Once found, right-click on it and select Pin to taskbar to add its icon to the taskbar.  Like other taskbar icons, you can move it around and open it with one click. If you want to unpin it, right-click on the taskbar icon and select Unpin from taskbar .

Create a desktop shortcut for the Task Manager

Similar to adding the Task Manager icon to the taskbar, you can also create a taskbar shortcut on the desktop for faster access. There are two ways to do it, either use the shortcut creation wizard of Windows or create a shortcut from the Task Manager executable in the File Explorer. I’ll show you both below:

To use the shortcut wizard, right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select New > Shortcut from the context menu.

In the wizard, copy/paste this location C:\Windows\System32\Taskmgr.exe and click Next .

Now type a name for the shortcut (Task Manager, in this case) and click on Finish .

The shortcut will be created, and it will use the original Task Manager icon.

To create a shortcut using the executable, access the Task Manager executable file from the File Explorer just like in method 6. Afterward, right-click on it, and from the Send to option select Desktop . The desktop shortcut will be created.

Use Windows search

This is a pretty obvious option, but still worth mentioning while we are listing all the possible ways. Like most other components of Windows, you can type in Task Manager in the Windows search bar at the bottom and the executable for Task Manager will pop up.

Run a Command Prompt or Powershell  command

If you are having a PC issue and need to run commands via Windows Command Prompt or Powershell to solve it, then you can use a command for Task Manager to access it if needed.

Learn more about Windows Command Prompt commands .

You can access both the Command Prompt and Powershell from the Windows search bar. Once one of the tools is opened, type taskmgr in it and press the Enter key to open the Task Manager.

From the Control Panel

If you are working inside the Control Panel, then you can also use its search option to access the Task Manager. To open the Control Panel, you can either search for it in Windows search or open the Run dialog and type control in it.

In the Control Panel, type Task Manager in the search bar at the top-right corner and a small link to Task Manager will open up on the left side under the System heading.

Wrapping Up

I usually use the keyboard shortcut to access the Task Manager, but I often have to use the Ctrl+Alt+Delete screen as one of the games I play doesn’t allow using shortcuts while in full screen. Although I must confess to accessing it via the power user menu sometimes when I am too lazy to reach for the keyboard. I am sure you’ll find other methods useful as well in certain situations, or at least to flex on friends.

More for Windows Users

• Improve Productivity in Windows 11 with Copilot
• How to Disable Copilot in Windows 11
• Sensitive Windows Features You Should Think Twice Before Modifying
• Understanding and Managing User Accounts in Windows 11

How to open Task Manager on Windows

Here's how to open Task Manager on Windows 10 and Windows 11

PC newbie or veteran, you may not know how to open Task Manager on Windows. Why would you want to open the Windows Task Manager anyway? Well, this feature does a lot more than its name suggests.

Task Manager not only lets you manage tasks (who'd have guessed?) — but also shows a whole bunch of useful information, such as your computer’s current performance or which apps are taking up the most resources on startup.

Even if you have one of the best Windows laptops or best gaming PCs , this info can still come in handy.

There are a few ways to open Task Manager on Windows 11 and Windows 10, as we cover in our simple guide below.

Ready? Here's how to open Task Manager on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Esc

It requires some finger gymnastics, but this is the easiest and quickest way to open Task Manager on Windows. 

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2. You can also right-click the taskbar , then click Task Manager . 

This is a useful method if you don't have a working keyboard to hand. Unfortunately, this only works in Windows 10 as it was removed from Windows 11 for some reason. If anyone from Microsoft is reading this: bring back this feature, please! 

3. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete , then click Task Manager .

The third, and probably most familiar, way to open the task manager is through the Ctrl + Alt + Delete menu. This is the classic way to get to the task manager that most of us will recognize, though step 1 above is a much more efficient alternative. 

4. Press Win + R to open a command prompt, then type in "taskmgr" and hit enter .

You can even open the Task Manager from a command prompt. This is the best choice if you want to impress your friends by appearing like a hacker or character from The Matrix.

And there we are. Now you can summon Task Manager in four different ways. With this knowledge, you’re invincible. Now you know how to open Task Manager on Windows, take a look at how to enable God Mode in Windows 11 or 10 or how to change the Windows 11 Start menu back to Windows 10 . Or for another Windows guide, check out how to factory reset on Windows 10 .

Dale Fox is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He's been a tech nerd ever since childhood, when he used the money from his first job as a paperboy to buy a subscription to GamesMaster magazine. Dale was previously a presenter and editor in China, where he also worked as a copywriter for OnePlus at its Shenzhen HQ.  

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13 Ways to Open Task Manager on Windows 10

A baker's dozen of different options

Whether it’s to improve performance or troubleshoot the myriad issues in Windows operating systems, the Task Manager is indispensable for any PC user. It makes identifying resource-intensive processes, managing startup programs, monitoring hardware-related activity, and other tasks incredibly convenient.

If you use Windows 10, you can rely on over a dozen different methods to get the Task Manager up and running. Of course, you don’t have to remember them all! But considering the Task Manager’s relative significance, it’s always best to know of at least a few ways to open Task Manager.

1. Open Task Manager via Taskbar

The easiest way to bring up the Task Manager is to open it via the taskbar (the strip of icons at the bottom of the desktop) with just a couple of quick mouse clicks. 

Start by right-clicking a vacant area on the taskbar. Then, on the contextual menu that shows up, select Task Manager . Simple, right?

2. Open Task Manager via Hotkey

Another straightforward method to open the Task Manager involves using the Control + Shift + Escape keyboard shortcut. It’s fast and works regardless of what’s on the screen—e.g., a full-screen video game.

It’s also handy for instances where Windows’ File Explorer crashes or fails to work , and you can’t access the Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar.

3. Open Task Manager via Windows Security Screen

The Windows Security screen in Windows 10, which you can activate using the Control + Alt + Delete keys, also provides an option to invoke the Task Manager. 

It should work even if an application has caused the operating system to hang or freeze. So, don’t forget to use it if nothing else works.

4. Open Task Manager via Start Menu

Did you know that you could launch the Task Manager similarly to any other application on your computer? 

Just open the Start menu and scroll down the list of programs until you come across the Windows System folder. Then, expand it and select Task Manager .

5. Open Task Manager via Windows Search

If you prefer using Windows Search to open programs in Windows 10, then searching for and opening the Task Manager should be a breeze. 

Type task manager or taskmgr into the search box on the taskbar (use the Windows + S shortcut if you don’t see it) and press Enter or select Open . 

You can also search for and open the Task Manager by typing in task manager or taskmgr into the Start menu itself.

6. Open Task Manager via Cortana

If you’ve set up Cortana in Windows 10 , just type or say open task manager after invoking Cortana, and it should launch the Task Manager for you soon after.

7. Open Task Manager via File Explorer

When navigating the file system in Windows 10 using File Explorer, you can bring up the Task Manager by typing taskmgr into the address bar and pressing Enter . You should be able to do that from any directory.

8. Open Task Manager via Executable File

You can also open the Task Manager via the program’s main executable file. Start by visiting the following directory on your PC:

Local Disk (C:) > Windows > system32

Then, scroll down and double-click Taskmgr.exe .

9. Open Task Manager via Power User Menu

Windows 10’s Power User Menu also offers a shortcut to the Task Manager. Using it is as simple as right-clicking the Start icon (or pressing Windows + X ) and selecting Task Manager .

10. Open Task Manager via Run Box

In Windows 10, the Run box allows you to open any tool or program on your PC provided you know the relevant command , and the Task Manager’s no exception.

Press Windows + R to open Run. Then, type taskmgr and select OK . The Task Manager should pop up in an instant.

11. Open Task Manager via Windows PowerShell

When interacting with Windows PowerShell or the Command Prompt in Windows 10, you can open the Task Manager by executing a simple command. Just type taskmgr into the console and press Enter to bring it up.

12. Open Task Manager via Control Panel

Despite the presence of the Settings app, you can still use the Control Panel in Windows 10 to manage various aspects of the operating system. It’s hidden from view, but you get to it by searching for control panel via Windows Search. That said, the Control Panel also provides another way to launch the Task Manager. 

Start by typing task manager or taskmgr into the search field to the top-right of the Control Panel window. Then, on the search results that show up, select Task Manager under System .

13. Open Task Manager via Desktop Shortcut

If you require regular access to the Task Manager, it’s worth taking a couple of minutes to create a desktop shortcut in Windows 10. Here’s how to do that.

1. Right-click a vacant area on the desktop. Then, point to New and select Shortcut .

2. Type (or copy and paste) the following path into the Create Shortcut dialog:

C:\Windows\system32\Taskmgr.exe

Select Next to continue.

3. Insert a name for the shortcut (e.g., Task Manager ) and select Finish . 

You can then launch the Task Manager by double-clicking the desktop shortcut whenever you want.

Alternatively, you can add a Task Manager shortcut to the taskbar, and that’s even easier. Start by opening the Task Manager using any of the methods above. Then, right-click the Task Manager icon on the taskbar and select Pin to taskbar .

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn't hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube. Read Dilum's Full Bio

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10 Ways to Open the Task Manager in Windows

No matter the Windows version you’re using, Task Manager is a frequently used tool, as it’s very important for system maintenance. Using the Task Manager, you can quickly end unresponsive programs, start new tasks, monitor the performance and activities of your system, get details of running processes, and have a quick glance at system resources, such as CPU, RAM and hard disk.

Because it’s such a vital tool, Windows provides multiple ways to open the Task Manager. This is particularly useful for accessibility reasons, and knowing these separate methods can be a great help in different situations. The following is an updated list of ways to help you open Task Manager in Windows 10 systems. Many, but not all, of these techniques will apply to older Windows versions.

Also read: What Is TrustedInstaller and Should You Delete It?

1. From the Taskbar

Opening the Windows Task Manager from the taskbar is probably the most used method, as it only requires a couple of mouse clicks and no need to type anything. First, right-click on the taskbar, then select “Task Manager” from the list of options. This action will instantly open the Windows Task Manager.

Once open, you can easily view Task Manager activities across various tabs.

2. Using Keyboard Shortcut

An easier way to open the Task Manager in Windows is to use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc . There are plenty of keyboard shortcuts in Windows , but since the Task Manager is an application that you frequently access, it is worthwhile to remember this shortcut for quick access.

3. Using Command Prompt

You can also open the Windows Task Manager using the command prompt. This is particularly useful if your system is behaving very slowly, and the command prompt happens to be the least resource-intensive. For this, search “cmd” in the Windows 10 search box. Sometimes you may need to open the Task Manager as an administrator. If you are using a standard user account , the utility of the normal Task Manager is limited.

Once the command prompt is open, type the following command and press the Enter key to open the Task Manager:

4. Using Run Command

Just as with the command prompt, you can also open the Task Manager using the Run command. To start, press Win + R , type taskmgr , and hit the Enter key to open the Windows Task Manager.

5. From File Explorer

Sometimes you need the exact location of the Task Manager, especially if there are any potential uses, such as adding it as a shortcut menu on Desktop. In Windows, Task Manager is shipped as a separate application that integrates with the operating system. If you know where to find it, you can open the Task Manager from the Windows file explorer. To start, open the file explorer using the keyboard shortcut Win + E .

Once the file explorer is open, navigate to the following location:

Run a search using “Taskmgr” to find the “Taskmgr.exe” application. Double-click to open the Task Manager.

If you want to open the Task Manager as an administrator, use a right-click on the application and select the option “Run as administrator.”

6. From Ctrl + Alt + Del Screen

You can also open the Task Manager from the Windows security screen. This is done using the old-fashioned Ctrl + Alt + Del technique which allows you to select the Task Manager from multiple available options. You can do this by hitting the three keys together on your keyboard.

Once the security screen has been opened, select the “Task Manager” option. This action will open the Task Manager. This method is highly helpful if your system hangs, freezes or becomes unresponsive for any reason.

7. From Windows 10 Search Box

On the Windows 10 search box (also Windows 7 Start menu), type “task manager,” and you’ll be able to open it from here. You can additionally choose to open it as an administrator.

8. From Windows PowerShell

The Windows PowerShell is another utility that helps open various applications similar to the command prompt. Although most of us are unlikely to use this method, it’s helpful to know. Press the power keys Win + X and open Windows PowerShell, preferably as an admin. You can alternatively open PowerShell from the Windows 10 search box.

Once inside, enter the same command you did in command prompt: taskmgr . This will open the Task Manager within the PowerShell window.

9. From Control Panel

The Control Panel also allows you to open Task Manager, but it’s not a frequently used method. Go to the Control Panel search window and enter “task manager,” which will open the tool from system resources.

10. From Windows 10 Registry

In the rarest case, if you want to tweak the Task Manager attributes slightly (we don’t recommend it unless you know what you’re doing), you can access it from the Windows 10 registry. Go to the Windows 10 search box/run command window and type regedit . Then go down the following path:

Once inside, you can tweak the Task Manager attributes from “Preferences” and “UseStatusSetting.”

Do comment below sharing your thoughts and experiences about using the above stated different methods to open Task Manager in Windows. Which is your favorite method? Also, do check out our ultimate guide to the Task Manager .

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Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.

9 Ways to Open Task Manager on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Atish is a seasoned tech enthusiast fueled by caffeine and a Computer Science engineering degree. He stumbled into the blogging world in 2015 and hasn't looked back. Over 2000+ articles later, his work has been featured on sites like Gizbot, Firstpost, PhoneArena, GSMArena, and IBTimes. At GT, he's your go-to guy for how-tos, invaluable tips, and troubleshooting guides that actually work. He's also an SEO and digital marketing whiz and content strategist, so his tech takes are always on point and ethical.

Task Manager is one of the most commonly used programs on Windows, regardless of its version. It is a tool that displays currently running programs and resource utilization such as CPU, RAM, graphics card, hard disk, and processes on a Windows OS. Task Manager can be used to end unresponsive programs and processes, start new tasks, monitor your system’s performance, and view detailed information.

However, before you can use the Task Manager to get the work done, you must know how to open it. Whether a beginner or a technology geek, we have compiled this detailed guide to help you understand the different ways and shortcuts to open Task Manager in Windows. Let’s start with the easiest way.

1. Open Task Manager with Windows Search

It is the easiest way to open the Windows Task Manager without complexities. Below are the steps on how to go about it.

Step 1 : Go to the Windows Start menu or hit ‘Windows + S.’

Step 2 : Now, type Task Manager and press Enter.

That’s it! It is the easiest way to open the task manager on Windows.

However, if you find that you’re Task Manager doesn’t load or work, check out our guide on the top ways to fix the Task Manager not working issue .

2. Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Open Task Manager on Windows

Some apps might go off the block, leading your Windows software to stop responding. In this scenario, you can’t access Windows Search to see the running app and stop it. To overcome this, we have Windows hotkeys. There are three different key combinations with which you can open Task Manager. Let’s see them.

Open Task Manager Using Win + X Shortcut

Simply press Win + X or right-click on the Start (Windows) button in the taskbar. Now, from the menu, click on Task Manager to open it.

There you go. Simple, right? Moving on. If you are unable to access Windows hotkeys, then our guide on fixing keyboard shortcuts not working on Windows will help you out.

Open Task Manager Using Win + X and T Shortcut

This method is an extension of the above one. Using this approach, you can directly open the Windows Task Manager without the involvement of a mouse.

Firstly, Press Win + X to open the Windows Quick Access Menu. Now, Press T. This will open the Windows Task Manager.

This method is easier and more efficient than the one listed above.

Open Task Manager Using Ctrl+Alt+Del Windows Hotkey

Yet another way to open the Task Manager is by using Windows Hotkeys.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Del together. It will instantly open the Windows Task Manager. However, some apps might prevent users from accessing Task Manager with the above method.

In that case, Press Ctrl + Shift + Del together and select Task Manager in the Graphical Identification and Authentication (GINA) screen. The added advantage is that this hotkey helps open Task Manager while using a remote desktop or working on a virtual machine.

3. Open Task Manager using Run Command on Windows

It is no surprise that, through the Run command, one can access essential components of Windows. Here’s how to access Task Manager.

Step 1 : Go to Windows Search and type Run. Alternatively, you can directly press the ‘Win + R’ hotkey.

Step 2 : Now, type taskmgr or taskmgr.exe and hit Enter.

That’s it! You will directly land on the Task Manager.

4. Bring Up Task Manager on Windows From File Explorer

Yes, you can access Task Manager from File Explorer with a quick two-step process. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1 : Launch File Explorer on your PC or Press ‘Win + E.’

Step 2 : At the address bar, type taskmgr.exe and press Enter.

Here you go; you have got into Task Manger from File Explorer; not very conventional, but it works. However, if your file explorer is not working, our guide on how to fix File Explorer search not working on Windows will surely help.

5. Access Task Manager on Windows via Control Panel

The Control Panel hosts many options, and it also has an option to open Windows Task Manager. Follow the below steps to bring it up.

Step 1 : Go to the Control Panel pinned on the taskbar.

If you don’t have it pinned, use Windows Search to open Control Panel.

Step 2 : In the Control Panel’s address bar, type taskmgr.exe and press Enter.

6. Use the Settings App to Bring up Task Manager

Step 1 : Press the ‘Win + I’ hotkey to open Windows Settings.

Step 2 : Type Task Manager in the settings bar and click on the ‘View system resource usage in the Task Manager’ option to open the Task Manager.

All the steps above were pretty straightforward. Now, let’s move on to complicated-looking but simple-to-execute ways.

7. Open Windows Task Manager Using Command Prompt or PowerShell

Windows is incomplete without the Command Prompt, Terminal, or PowerShell. Here’s how to open Task Manager using it.

Step 1 : Open PowerShell or Command Prompt.

If you don’t already know, we have described various methods extensively in our guide on how to open Command Prompt on Windows .

Step 2 : Now, type taskmgr.exe and press Enter.

There you go. You are in the Windows Task Manager.

8. Open Task Manager on Windows 11 Using Windows Tool

We will use the Windows Tools option to access Task Manager for this method. Windows Tools contains tools for system administrators and advanced users. Follow the below steps.

Step 1 : Press the Windows key and go to All apps.

Step 2 : Now, scroll down to find Windows Tool and open it.

Step 3 : Scroll down and double-click on the Task Manager.

A not-so-conventional way to open Task Manager, but sometimes, this way of opening Task Manager can be easy considering your position on Windows.

9. Bring up Task Manager Using Shortcut Function

If you use Task Manager often, it is better to create a shortcut and place it on the desktop for easy usage. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1 : Right-click anywhere on the desktop, go to New, and choose Shortcut.

Step 2 : Now, type taskmgr.exe in the location field and click on Next.

Step 3 : Enter Task Manager as the shortcut’s name and press Enter.

A Task Manager Shortcut will be created on the desktop. So, next time, you don’t have to do the tedious work of following multiple steps or remembering hotkeys. Simply double-click on the Shortcut and open the Task Manager.

Open Task Manager With Ease

There are multiple ways to open Task Manager on Windows, but the above-mentioned steps are a few of the efficient ways to do it. We hope this guide helped you in opening Windows Task Manager effectively and efficiently. Which method do you use to open Task Manager? Share your answer in the comment section below.

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Last updated on 03 September, 2022

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7 Ways to Open the Task Manager in Windows 11

Fastest ways: Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc or right-click Start. A desktop shortcut is another handy option

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• Open Task Manager Using the Search Bar

Open Task Manager From the Taskbar

Open task manager with keyboard shortcuts, open task manager with run command, open task manager from file explorer, open task manager with command prompt.

• Create a Desktop Shortcut
• Frequently Asked Questions

What to Know

• Search for Task Manager , press  Ctrl + Shift + Esc , or right-click Start and choose Task Manager .
• To create a shortcut, right-click the desktop and select New > Shortcut . Type taskmgr.exe and select Next > Finish .
• Enter taskmgr in the Command Prompt, Terminal, PowerShell, Run box, or File Explorer address bar.

This article explains how to open Task Manager in Windows 11. With Windows Task Manager , you can keep track of system processes, monitor resource usage, and force-stop applications .

How to Open Task Manager Using the Search Bar

One of the easier ways to access Task Manager in Windows 11 is to use the search bar.

Press the Windows Key + S or select Search (the magnifying glass icon) in the taskbar. If you don't see the Search icon, select Start (the Windows icon).

To add the Search icon to the taskbar, right-click the taskbar, select Taskbar settings , and pick an option from the Search drop-down menu.

Enter Task Manager .

Select Task Manager when it appears in the results.

Right-click Start (the Windows icon) or press Win + X to open the Power User Menu , then select Task Manager .

The keyboard shortcut to open Task Manager in Windows 11 is Ctrl + Shift + Esc . Alternatively, press Win + X to open the Power User Menu, then press the T key.

The Run command to open Task Manager is taskmgr . You can get to the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R or by right-clicking Start (the Windows key) and choosing Run . Once it's open, type taskmgr and press OK to launch Task Manager.

Another option is to access Task Manager from File Explorer:

Select File Explorer (the folder icon) from the Windows 11 taskbar. Press Win + E if you don't see that icon.

Select an empty part of the address bar at the top of File Explorer to highlight the current path. For example, if it says Home , select off to the right of that word to highlight it.

Alt + D is an easy way to do this with a keyboard.

Type taskmgr in place of whatever was written there, and then press Enter .

You can likewise use Command Prompt or PowerShell to open Task Manager, both of which are accessible via Terminal . Just type taskmgr.exe, and then press Enter .

How to Create a Desktop Shortcut for Windows Task Manager

If you want to make a desktop shortcut for Task Manager, follow these steps:

Right-click anywhere on the desktop and select New > Shortcut .

In the pop-up window, type taskmgr.exe , and then select Next .

You'll be asked to give your shortcut a name. Enter Task Manager (any name works) and select Finish .

The Task Manager shortcut will appear on your Windows 11 desktop. Double-click it to open Task Manager directly from the desktop at any time.

Windows 10 and 11 use the same method for opening the Command Prompt: Press the Windows key on your keyboard > type cmd > Select Command Prompt from the list. For Windows 8 and 8.1: Hold the WIN and X keys down

together, or right-click the Start button , and choose Command Prompt . We cover additional versions of Windows in our How to Open Command Prompt (Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, etc.) article.

Yes, you can use the same keyboard shortcuts you use to copy/paste in other programs: Ctrl +  and  Ctrl + V .

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11 Ways To Open Task Manager in Windows 10/11

Whenever you find that the Windows OS is not running properly or working slowly, then there is a need to shut down some unnecessary applications that are running in the background. For this, you need to check the Windows Task Manager.

Here, in this article, we’re going to discuss 11 possible methods to Open the Windows Task Manager that will ease your work whenever you’re stuck during work.

Table of Content

• Method 1: Open Task Manager Using Keyboard Shortcut (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)
• Method 2: Open Task Manager Using Second Keyboard Shortcut (Ctrl + Alt + Delete)

Method 3: Open Task Manager Using Power User Menu (Win+X)

Method 4: open task manager using run window, method 5: open task manager using command prompt, method 6: open task manager using the search bar, method 7: open task manager using taskbar menu, method 8: open task manager using control panel, method 9: open task manager by creating a desktop shortcut, method 10: pin task manager to the taskbar, method 11: open task manager using file manager, method 1: open task manager using keyboard shortcut ( ctrl + shift + esc ).

Here, we need to again press three keys simultaneously. In this case, we need to press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc button at the same time. This will directly open the Task Manager. In this way, we can able to bypass the five options which are coming there in the previous method.

Hence, we have opened the Task Manager using keyboard shortcut.

Method 2: Open Task Manager Using Second Keyboard Shortcut ( Ctrl + Alt + Delete )

Step 1: At first, users need to press three keys simultaneously. Users need to press Ctrl + Alt + Delete . Pressing all these three buttons will help to open a new window in front of the users.

Step 2: Users will find three options there. Among them, users need to click on the Task Manager option to open it.

Step 3: When users click over it, they will find the Task Manager is now opened in front of the users. Now, they can perform anything there.

Hence, we have opened the Task Manager using one another keyboard shortcut.

Step 1: Simply Open Power User Menu by pressing Window + X.

Step 2: Now, select Task Manager from the list.

You can also do this by pressing Win+X a nd the list of options will appear, Press T to open Task Manager

Step 3: In the next stage, the Task Manager will promptly open in front of the users.

Hence, we have opened the Task Manager using the Taskbar.

Step 1: Open Run Dialog Box using Windows + R keys.

Step 2: Then in the run window, type the “taskmgr” . Now, Click OK to move ahead.

Step 3: Now, users will find the Task Manager window opened in front of the users.

Hence, we have opened the Task Manager using the Run command window.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt in your Windows PC and execute the following command.

Step 2: In the next step, the Task Manager will appear on the screen of the machine.

Hence, we have opened the Task Manager using Command Prompt.

Step 1: In the Taskbar, users will find the search bar that is placed beside the Windows sign. Users need to click on that & write down the Task Manager there. It might show the Task Manager symbol or might not. Depending upon the performance of the machine this might happen. Users just need to Press Enter .

Step 2: It will just open the Task Manager for more operation on it if users need to do.

Hence, we have opened the Task Manager using Search Bar.

Step 1: Right Click on the empty space in the Taskbar and select Task Manager

The Task Manager will appear on the screen of the your computer PC.

Step 1: Press Win key to open search bar and type control panel, Open it.

Step 2: Now type Task Manager in the search bar, a direct link to open Task Manager will be generated. Click the link to open Task Manager.

Step 1: Right-click on empty space on the desktop and select New > Shortcut.

Step 2: Now type the location of the item, simple type taskmgr.exe, and click Next.

Step 3 : Provide a name for your shortcut like Task Manager and click Finish.

The Task Manager desktop shortcut is created and will appear on your Windows desktop. Double-click to open Task Manager directly from the desktop at any time.

If you require Task Manager you must add it to the taskbar for quick access. For this pin Task Manger using following steps.

Step 1: O pen Task Manager using any of the above mentioned methods.

Step 2 : Now, right-click on the Task Manager icon present on the Taskbar and select pin to Taskbar.

Now you can access Task Manager quickly from Taskbar.

Step 1: At first, users need to open the C Drive of their machine. Users will find some folders present there. Among them, users need to click on the Windows folder & open it.

Step 2: In the Windows folder, users need to scroll down more & they will find a folder called System32. Users need to click on it & open that folder.

Step 3: Now, inside that folder, users need to search for the “Tskmgr”. The folder will show one or more options with that name. Users need to click on the Application file to open the Task Manager.

Step 4: After clicking on that, users will find the Task Manager in front of them.

Hence, we have opened the Task Manager using File Manager.

Note: This is the most lengthy, slow & hectic process ever to open the Task Manager. It is advisable to use any of the above methods to quickly open the Task Manager. If users need to waste their time by using this relatively long method, then they can surely go through it.

Why Checking Task Manager is Important?

Task Manager is a crucial tool helps users to monitor and manage the processes running in computer. Since computers & laptops are the main key force in the modern world. Our life are roaming around this device. So, users need to care about this device to be connected with the world. The android device is also capable to do work. But they are not much efficient as laptops.

If any machine is working day & night, it is very common that some issues will happen to that machine. And we need to keep the machine maintained. We need to look at the background applications that are running unnecessarily. So, opening the Task Manager will be the lifesaver for the machine .

In this article, we have discussed the 11 most effective methods to open the Task Manager including details of the steps & relevant screenshots.

• How to Enable End Task Option on Windows 11 Taskbar?
• How to Hide Taskbar in Windows 10?
• How to Make the Taskbar Transparent in Windows 11?

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How to Open the Task Manager in Windows 11 (8 Methods)

Open the Task Manager in Windows 11 (2022)

Open the task manager in windows 11 with keyboard shortcuts.

2. You can also press the “ Ctrl + Alt + Delete ” hotkey to open the Advanced menu. Here, click on “Task Manager” to check the CPU, GPU, and RAM usage of apps and processes on your Windows 11 PC.

Open the Task Manager in Windows 11 from the Quick Links Menu

2. And there you have it! Task Manager running on your Windows 11 PC.

Launch the Task Manager in Windows 11 from the Run Prompt

Launch the Task Manager in Windows 11 from the Start Menu

Open the Task Manager in Windows 11 from File Explorer

1. If you are in a File Explorer window and want to quickly access the Task Manager, click on the address bar, enter taskmgr.exe , and hit the Enter key.

Find the Task Manager in Windows 11 from Windows Tools

4. And that is how you can launch the Task Manager in Windows 11 from Windows Tools.

Open the Task Manager in Windows 11 from Command Prompt and PowerShell

Create a Task Manager Shortcut on Windows 11 Desktop

2. Next, type taskmgr.exe in the location field and click on “Next”.

Monitor Your Windows 11 PC’s Performance with Task Manager

Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.

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How to Open Task Manager in Windows 10

Windows Task Manager is an advanced utility tool that helps you manage your apps that are running.

Task Manager lets you see which apps are open and which you're using. You can also see which apps are running in the background that you didn't open yourself.

One important reason that you might want to open Task Manager is to stop apps that are making windows unresponsive.

There are a few different ways to open Task Manager. So in this article, I will walk you through 7 ways you can open Task Manager on Windows 10.

1. How to Open Task Manager with Windows Search

The easiest way to find anything on a Windows machine is to search for it. Task Manager is not an exception.

• Click on the search icon then type "Task Manager" in the search bar.
• Task Manager will pop up as a search result, and you can open it from there.

2. How to Open Task Manager with Keyboard Shortcuts

Some apps might go rogue and stop Windows from responding, so you might not have access to Windows Search in such situations.

Windows has two different key combinations with which you can open up Task Manager in case you want to see running apps or stop an app.

• You can open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc all together. This opens Task Manager straightaway
• You can also open Task Manager from the GINA screen by pressing and holding Ctrl + Alt + Del .

Some apps might prevent you from accessing Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, but pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del will always open up the Graphical Identification and Authentication (GINA) screen for you so you can select and open Task Manager from there.

3. How to Open Task Manager through the Control Panel

You can use the Control Panel search option to open Task Manager.

Type "Task Manager" in the search bar and you will see a link to Task Manager under "System".

4. How to Open Task Manger through the Start Menu

A lot of people prefer opening apps from the start menu. You can open Task Manager from there too.

• Click on the Windows icon, or press the WIN Key on the keyboard.
• Scroll to the bottom and open up the Windows system folder
• Task Manager will be shown alongside some other apps – just select it there to open it.

5. How to Open Task Manager with the Run Command

Many apps and folders can be opened with the run dialogue on Windows 10. There's a command for opening Task Manager from there too.

• Press the WIN + R keys on the keyboard to open the run dialogue
• Type "taskmgr" and click "Ok" to open the Task Manager.

6. How to Open Task Manager from the Taskbar

You can open the Task Manager from Taskbar too.

Right-click on an empty space in the taskbar then select "Task Manager".

7. How to Open Task Manager from the Windows Power User Menu

In addition to the 6 methods we've already seen, you can open Task Manager by right-clicking in the Windows logo and then selecting "Task Manager" from the menu that pops up.

You can also get there by pressing and holding the Win + X keys on the keyboard and then selecting “Task Manager” from the menu.

Windows Task Manager is a very powerful tool that can greatly increase your productivity. With it, you can see which apps are running and stop those that are causing issues.

In this article, you've learned about several ways to open Task Manager on Windows 10 so you can have a better experience using it.

Thank you for reading, and have a nice time.

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How to open the Task Manager in Windows 11 and Windows 10

Task Manager is a great tool that helps you manage the way apps, processes, and services run on your Windows PC. Before you can work with the Task Manager , you should first know how to open it. In this guide, we show you different ways of running it, whether you use Windows 11 or Windows 10 . The list includes thirteen ways to start the Task Manager , so let’s get started:

Skip to chapter

1. use the ctrl + shift + esc keyboard shortcut, 2. use the ctrl + alt + del keyboard shortcut, 3. use the hidden win+x power user menu, 4. in windows 10, use the start menu to open the task manager, 5. in windows 11, open task manager from windows tools, 6. open task manager from control panel, 7. use the search function to start the task manager, 8. run the taskmgr.exe executable file, 9. use a desktop shortcut for task manager, 10. use the taskbar right-click menu to start the task manager in windows 10, 11. run the taskmgr command in windows terminal, 12. run the taskmgr command in the run window, 13. run the taskmgr command in file explorer, how do you open the task manager.

TIP: We have lots of articles regarding Task Manager and its functions. Simply click here to browse through them.

The fastest way to open Task Manager , both in Windows 11 and in Windows 10, is to simultaneously press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys on your keyboard.

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys on your keyboard

Another way to open Task Manager in Windows is to press Ctrl + Alt + Del on your keyboard. This keyboard shortcut displays a screen with several different shortcuts. Among them, you get a shortcut for Task Manager . Click or tap on Task Manager to open it.

Pressing Ctrl + Alt+Del opens a security menu

Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a “Power user” menu called WinX which has lots of useful shortcuts. One of them is a Task Manager shortcut.

Press the Win + X keys on your keyboard to open the menu, and then select Task Manager in the list. If you prefer to use your mouse or touchscreen instead of your keyboard, instead of pressing the Win + X keys, right-click or press and hold the Start button, and then click or tap on Task Manager .

Press Win + X and then select Task Manager

The Start Menu from Windows 10 holds a Task Manager shortcut. Open the Start Menu and scroll through the list of apps, until you find the Windows System folder. Inside it, there’s a Task Manager shortcut.

The Task Manager shortcut from the Windows 10 Start Menu

In Windows 11, you can start Task Manager by opening Windows Tools . One way to do this is by opening the Start Menu, then pressing All Apps .

Click or tapp on All apps in the Start Menu

Next, scroll down and look for Windows Tools . Click on it to open a window with various useful links.

Scroll down to Windows Tools and click on it

One of the shortcuts in the Windows Tools folder is Task Manager . Scroll down until you find it and then double click or tap on the icon.

Open Task Manager from Windows Tools in Windows 11

If you’re nostalgic and still like to use the Control Panel , there is a simple way to start Task Manager using the Search function. Go ahead and open Control Panel (for example by pressing Windows + R , typing “ control ” and then pressing Enter ). Then, enter “task manager” in the search box located in the upper right corner of the Control Panel window. Once the search results are shown, click or tap on the Task Manager or “View system resource usage in Task Manager” links under System .

You can also search for the Task Manager in order to launch it. Just click or tap the Start button in the taskbar or press the Windows key on your keyboard, then type task manager . After a short while, Windows begins displaying the search results. The first one should be the Task Manager . Click or tap on it or press Enter .

Using search in the Start menu to open Task Manager

You can also open Task Manager using its executable, which is called Taskmgr.exe . You can find it in the “C:\ Windows\System32” folder (where C: is the drive where Windows is installed).

The Taskmgr.exe file is found in the System32 folder from Windows

You can create a shortcut for Task Manager , or you can download this shortcut that we have created for you and copy it to your Desktop . Then, simply tap or double-click on it to run Task Manager .

The Task Manager shortcut

If you’re running Windows 10, right-click or press and hold on an empty space on the taskbar. This opens a menu that includes options for customizing the taskbar, as well as a shortcut for Task Manager . Just click on it, and the Task Manager should start.

There’s a Task Manager shortcut in the taskbar right-click menu in Windows 10

NOTE: The taskbar right-click menu has been removed in Windows 11, and it’s one of the things we don’t like about this new operating system.

If you prefer the command line, you can also use Windows Terminal to open the Task Manager . Open the Windows Terminal , then type taskmgr and press Enter .

Running the taskmgr command in Windows Terminal

TIP: Here’s how to get the Windows Terminal in Windows 10 .

A relatively fast way of launching the Task Manager is to use the Run window . Simultaneously press the Win + R keys on your keyboard and then enter the command taskmgr . Press Enter or click/tap on OK, and Task Manager should open.

Running the taskmgr command in the Run window

A similar method of opening the Task Manager is for you to use File Explorer’s built-in command running feature. Open File Explorer , type the command taskmgr in its address bar and then press the Enter key.

Running the taskmgr command in File Explorer

The Task Manager is a powerful tool that allows you to manage different features of the applications, processes, and services running on your computer. Knowing different ways to open Task Manager in Windows 10 and Windows 11 can prove useful in many situations. Before you close this tab, tell us your favorite method for opening this app. Do you know any others? Comment below and let’s discuss.

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Your computer bios is full of settings, but which should you actually change, miss the old windows sounds here’s how to bring them back in windows 11, quick links, press ctrl+shift+escape, right-click the start button, search in start, use the command prompt, use the run window, press ctrl+alt+delete.

In Windows 11 , Task Manager is no longer just a right-click away on the taskbar. Whether you're troubleshooting or just keeping an eye on your system resources, here are six different ways to launch it instead.

The time-tested Task Manager keyboard shortcut still works in Windows 11. Just press Ctrl+Shift+Escape on your keyboard, and Task Manager will appear.

Related: Seven Ways to Open the Windows Task Manager

If you'd rather not use the keyboard to launch Task Manager, you can right-click the Start button on your taskbar. In the menu that appears (often called the " power users menu "), select "Task Manager," and Task Manager will launch.

You can also open the Start menu and search for "task manager." The first result should be the Task Manager app. Click its icon to launch the utility.

You can also run Task Manager using the Command Prompt . When the Command Prompt window opens, type

(for taskmgr.exe, the actual program's filename) on an empty line and hit Enter. Task Manager will run instantly.

Related: 10 Ways to Open the Command Prompt in Windows 10

Similar to the Command Prompt, you can also run Task Manager from the Windows Run box. Press Windows+R to bring up the Run window and type in

, and then click "OK" or hit Enter. Task Manager will launch.

And finally, if all of those options didn't work for you, you can also get to Task Manager from the Ctrl+Alt+Delete screen. After pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard, you'll see a black screen with a few options in the center. Click "Task Manager," and Task Manager will open. Good luck!

Related: How to Make Windows 11's Task Manager "Always on Top"

How to Use the Windows Task Manager

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Even though windows 10 is dying, your hardware doesn't have to go with it, why copilot+ pcs are a disaster for average users (for now).

You might only open the Windows Task Manager to close programs that freeze, but it's useful for much more than that. The Task Manager provides you with lots of information about your system, as well as management options.

Let's take a tour of the Task Manager in Windows so you know how to use this important utility.

What Is the Task Manager?

The Windows Task Manager is a system monitor utility, meaning it allows you to manage all the processes running on your computer and view other key information. You can order these process by usage to see what's taking up your computer's resources.

The Task Manager has lots of other data too, making it a useful place to visit when you need to check something about your PC. It's not the only utility you'll ever need, but it's a good first stop for general management.

How to Open the Task Manager

You might be used to opening the Task Manager with Ctrl + Alt + Delete . However, this isn't the most efficient way to open it in modern versions of Windows.

This three-button command is a special Windows shortcut that opens the Windows Security page, containing shortcuts to lock your PC, sign out, open the Task Manager, and more. It's also used for secure sign-in , since only Windows can respond to this particular shortcut.

Instead, when you want to open the Task Manager, the fastest method is pressing Ctrl + Shift + Escape on your keyboard. In case you don't like keyboard shortcuts, right-click on an empty spot on the taskbar and choose Task Manager to open it. If you plan to use the Task Manager often, right-click its icon and choose Pin to taskbar for easy access.

There are many other ways to open the Task Manager , if needed. Once you have it open, you might see the simplified interface, which only has a list of running apps. With this, you can select an app and hit End task to kill it, but you'll need to click More details to access the full Task Manager interface.

Let's go through the Task Manager, tab by tab. We'll see what each tab offers and how to use the information it provides.

The Processes Tab

On Processes , you'll see a list of everything running on your computer. These processes are divided into three sections when sorted by Name :

• Apps are any programs that you've opened and are currently running.
• Background processes represent everything that's working but not explicitly open as an app. You might see cloud storage services or background apps like clipboard managers here, for example.
• Windows processes contains system services that the OS needs to run properly.

Click any of the header fields at the top, like Name or CPU , to sort using that information. Each heading shows the total amount of that resource in use, along with a breakdown by process.

Drag to rearrange these headings as you see fit. To add more or hide some, right-click anywhere in the headings and check the ones you'd like to see.

Right-click on any process to see options for it. Since the Task Manager groups all processes for an app into one listing, you'll need to click the small arrow to show and manage them individually.

Useful items in this menu include End task to kill an unresponsive app, Open file location to see where the process lives on your computer, and Search online to get more info about unfamiliar processes.

While this menu is handy for closing frozen apps, be aware of Task Manager processes you should never kill .

The Performance Tab

Next, on Performance , you'll see graphs representing the various resource pools of your PC. These include the CPU , Memory , and GPU . Click a field to see a live graph of its usage.

Each field here also contains information about the component it represents, which is useful for checking your PC specs. For instance, on the CPU page, you'll see your processor model listed at the top, plus an Up time field that shows how long since your PC last restarted.

If you'd like to keep an eye on these while doing something else, right-click in the list of items on the left and choose Summary view . You can then keep it open while playing a game, working in a CPU-heavy app, or similar.

For additional details, click Open Resource Monitor at the bottom of this page to open a more advanced utility.

The App History Tab

App History does just what it says: it provides historical data on what resources apps have used. You'll see the total time the app was using the CPU, along with network usage. The data covers the last 30 days.

Unfortunately, this panel is limited to Windows 10 Store apps, so it doesn't include data about standard desktop software. However, it can still clue you into apps that are working too much in the background .

The Startup Tab

Startup is one of the most useful panels of the Task Manager. It lists all the apps set to run when you log into Windows.

Apps often set themselves to run at startup, even if you didn't explicitly ask them to. While this is convenient for programs you use all the time, having apps you don't need run right away slows your boot and wastes background resources.

Have a look through the list to find apps that you don't need to run at startup . For each one, click it and hit Disable in the bottom-right corner.

It's smart to keep security, backup, cloud storage, and similar apps running at startup. But you probably don't need Skype or iTunes to launch as soon as you log in.

The Users Tab

The Users panel is only useful if you have more than one account currently signed into your PC. When you do, you'll see the resource usage for each of them, similar to the Processes tab. Click the arrow next to a user to expand all their processes, where you can get more info or end them, as discussed above.

Aside from this, you're able to right-click another user to force them to sign out.

The Details Tab

Advanced users will appreciate the Details tab; it expands on the information presented in Processes . By default, you can see the process ID (PID), initiating user, and process name for each item. Right-click in the headings and choose Select columns to choose from many more options.

When you right-click a process, you'll see more options, such as setting its priority or ending the entire tree of processes. But most normal users shouldn't need to worry about this. If you need a lot more information than the Processes tab can provide, consult this page. Otherwise, feel free to skip it.

The Services Tab

The Services section of the Task Manager is a slimmed-down version of the Services utility, which you can open by typing "services" into the Start menu. Services are background processes that Windows or other system utilities run to handle various tasks. For example, wuauserv is related to Windows Update.

You shouldn't need to play with the items here in most cases; messing with services without knowing what you're doing could cause problems. If you're really interested, we've looked at Windows services that are safe to disable .

Task Manager File, Options, and View

A few options on the Task Manager's menu bar round out its offerings.

Read more: Windows Task Manager Tricks You Probably Didn't Know

By choosing File > Run new task , you can start a process on your PC (similar to the Run dialog). This is useful when, for example, you need to close and reopen the Windows Explorer task. Just type "explorer.exe" into this menu to launch Explorer anew.

Under Options , you can change a few small behaviors of the tool. Always on top will keep the Task Manager above all other windows, which is useful if you need to see it for troubleshooting. Use Set default tab to choose which menu opens when you launch the Task Manager.

Finally, under View , you can force a refresh of the data with Refresh now and pick how often refreshes happen automatically with Update speed . Disable Group by type if you don't want the Processes tab to use the sections discussed above. Expand all and Collapse all will change all process groups at once.

Master the Task Manager

The Task Manager isn't the most exciting part of Windows, but knowing how to use its tools is part of being a knowledgeable Windows user. Now you know where to go when you want to view your PC's resource usage, change startup programs, or take a dive into active processes.

If you like the Task Manager but want more, there are plenty of more powerful alternatives to the Task Manager.

• Windows Task Manager
• Task Management

Keyboard Shortcut to Open Task Manager in Windows 10

The shortcut key to open a task manager is Ctrl+Shift+Esc .

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc on your keyboard and Windows will open the task manager instantly.

There is more than one way to open the task manager in Windows 10

We can access Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar and choosing Task Manager.

Another way is to right-click the Start button, and then choose Task Manager from the Quick Link menu.

If you press the Ctrl+Alt+Delete key combination, you will get a blue screen as shown in the following screenshot.

On the blue screen, you will have a link to open the task manager.

The Task Manager is a monitoring tool that provides an instant view of system resources, such as, process activity, CPU usage, memory usage, network usage, service information, and more.

Here are a few different ways to exit full screen on Windows

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A very few things are as annoying as accidentally triggering and getting stuck in full screen on Windows while using your laptop or desktop . This typically happens while browsing on a web browser, watching a video, working on presentations, and more. Thankfully, exiting the fullscreen mode is fairly simple, and there are a few different ways to do it. If you've accidentally triggered the fullscreen mode on Windows and are scratching your head over how to exit it, then you've come to the right place. Below are a few ways you can exit full screen and get back to whatever it is that you were doing.

The ultimate guide to keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11

Want to get work done faster on your PC? These Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts can help you do things faster without reaching for your mouse.

Hit the F11 or Esc key on your keyboard

A simple way to exit the fullscreen mode.

One of the most common and useful functions of the F11 key on your keyboard is toggling full screen. It's arguably the easiest way to enter or exit the fullscreen mode on Windows, and it works very well across most programs, including web browsers, video players, and even some games. All you really have to do to exit full screen on Windows is simply hit the F11 key on the keyboard. Alternatively, you can also hit the Esc key on your keyboard to exit full screen. It essentially does the same thing in a lot of programs, but it won't work on things like web browsers, for which you'll be forced to use the F11 key.

Exiting the fullscreen mode on YouTube web

This is fairly simple, too.

Exiting the fullscreen mode on YouTube while using it on a web browser on a Windows machine is also fairly simple. The most common method is simply pressing the F key on your keyboard, or by double-clicking the video player with the left mouse button. These toggles full screen on and off, providing a quick escape if you accidentally activate it or want to access other parts of your screen. Alternatively, you can even press the Esc key to exit the fullscreen video player, but note that you can't use this to enter full screen.

Forcing your way out with Task Manager

Nothing 'ctrl + alt + del' can't fix.

There might be times when you may run into some errors, causing your programs to freeze in fullscreen mode. This can be a bit frustrating to deal with, but one of the ways you can regain control by exiting the fullscreen is by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open the security options screen, then selecting Task Manager. This will work most in most cases, and all you really need to do is locate the frozen program under the Processes tab. Simply click on it to select it, and then click the End Task button.

Alternatively, you can even press Alt + Tab to cycle through open applications. Doing so will let you exit the fullscreen mode out of the frozen program. In some extreme cases — when using both Ctrl + Alt + Del and Alt + Tab don't work — you may have to force restart your computer.

How to restart your PC with just the keyboard

You can easily restart your PC using just your keyboard if your mouse isn't working right.

Plenty of ways to exit fullscreen on Windows

As you can tell, there are plenty of ways to exit full screen on Windows, and they're fairly simple to execute. From using keyboard shortcuts like F11 or Esc, or employing the Task Manager for unresponsive programs, there are plenty of ways to exit the fullscreen mode on Windows, and they are fairly simple to execute. So the next time you find yourself stuck in the fullscreen mode, simply use one of the methods highlighted above to exit it and get back to your task.

• Windows 11: Everything you need to know

Beginning to enable a set of new features for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel on Build 26120.961

• Amanda Langowski
• Brandon LeBlanc

UPDATE 6/30: We have temporarily paused the enablement of these features to investigate a few issues reported by Windows Insiders. We plan to begin the enablement again shortly.

Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to enable the following new features, changes and improvements, and fixes to the Dev Channel for Insiders on Build 26120.961 who have turned ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. We’re starting the enablement of these at a small percentage at first so not all Insiders in the Dev Channel with this toggle turned on will see all these features right away. And some features may show up while others might not just yet. We hope to further expand the enablement of these new features, changes and improvements, and fixes with the next new Dev Channel build. Insiders will need to reboot to see if they have received the enablement of these features.

New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

Narrator users can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free.

Narrator users can start using  voice access in Windows 11  to dictate text with voice and hear what is dictated. In addition, you can also use voice access to give Narrator commands. For example, “Turn on Narrator,” “speak faster,” “read selection,” “read next line,” etc.

To know the entire list of Narrator commands supported with voice access, click help icon (?) on the voice access bar, select “View all commands” and choose “Narrator commands.”

What will work:

• Start and set up voice access which includes downloading a speech model.
• Read a list of voice access commands and Narrator commands from voice access help menu.
• Changing voice access microphone state.
• Dictating text with voice and hearing back what was dictated.
• If you don’t use headphones for listening to the screen reader, the audio output from the screen reader may get picked up by voice access microphone, leading to unwanted behavior.

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

Auto Restart for Voice Access & New Voice Access Command for Windows Search

We are introducing auto restart for  voice access in Windows 11 . This feature ensures that voice access will automatically restart if it encounters any issues so that individuals with limited mobility can get back to using voice access as quickly as possible. Customers will no longer need to rely on alternative assistive technologies or assistance from others to reactivate voice access. Should voice access automatically restart due to a crash, we are making it easier to report those crashes once voice access restarts so the team can investigate and work on fixes.

We are introducing a new command for searching directly with Windows search. Users can now say the command Search “Entity”; Search Windows for “Entity”; or Search for “Entity” to search for their desired application or file in Windows (“Entity” is replaced with whatever application or file you want to search.)

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

[start menu].

• This update starts the roll out of the new account manager on Start menu. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easy to manage account settings.

[Windows Share]

• We are beginning to roll out the ability to copy files from the Windows share window. Just click the new copy button.

• Users will be able to now generate QR codes for URLs and cloud file links through the Windows share window to seamlessly share webpages and files across their devices. To try this out in Microsoft Edge, just click the share button in the Edge toolbar and choose “Windows share options”.

• To prevent accidentally closing the Windows share window, clicking outside the Windows share window will no longer close it. To close the Windows share window, just press the close button at the top right corner.
• If your Microsoft account uses a Gmail address, you can now send email to yourself from Windows share window and receive it in your Gmail account.

• We’re adding support for  Emoji 15.1  which introduces a small number of brand-new emoji such as head shaking horizontally and vertically, phoenix, lime, brown mushroom and broken chain. Other changes for Emoji 15.1 include Unicode’s decision to revert family combinations to symbol-like shapes. Windows has chosen to stay with our existing style that uses people in family combinations. We are also supporting the new directionality updates for person/man/woman walking, kneeling, with cane, running, manual wheelchair and motorized wheelchair. You can now select right facing or the original left facing orientation for these emoji.

[Windows Backup]

• If you have both Personalization and Other Windows settings toggled on under  Settings > Accounts > Windows backup , many of your sound settings (including chosen sound scheme) will be backed up which can be restored via the Windows Backup app.
• To ensure you don’t lose access to your Microsoft account, we’re beginning to roll out a new banner with a “Add now” button under Settings > Account for adding a recovery email address if you haven’t added one for your Microsoft account yet. This will only show if you are signed in with a Microsoft account.
• We are beginning to roll out updated visuals for the “Rename your PC” and “Change date and time” dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals.

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

[task manager].

• Updated the units (from MHz to MT/s) for DDR speed.
• Fixed an issue where the Safely Remove Hardware option for ejecting USB devices wouldn’t work if Task Manager was open.
• Did some work to ensure Task Manager releases process handles quickly when terminating processes.
• Made some more improvements to help with Task Manager reliability.
• We have improved the performance when changing the sort order.
• Made multiple improvements to overall accessibility of Task Manager, including improving keyboard focus, tab navigation, text scaling, names of items read out by screen readers, and more.
• We made it a little easier to resize Task Manager when trying to resize by grabbing the top of the window.
• Fixed an issue where some monitors would get stuck at a 60Hz refresh rate and couldn’t be set higher even though the monitor supported it, because dynamic refresh rate was stuck.

[Multiple desktops]

• Fixed an issue where the option to set a different wallpaper on each desktop wasn’t working.
• Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to some apps not starting on startup even though they were enabled as startup apps in Setting.
• Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to the pop up asking for permission to use location not appearing, which could lead to app issues without location access.
• Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with error DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL in recent flights.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

• Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2 .
• Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready .
• Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology , starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
• Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
• Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
• Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
• Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
• Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store .

Thanks, Amanda & Brandon