Whether it's improving productivity or fixing a variety of problems in Windows operating systems, Task Manager is a must-have for any PC user. This makes identifying resource-intensive processes, managing running programs, monitoring hardware activity, and other tasks incredibly convenient.
If you're using Windows 10, you can rely on over a dozen different methods to get Task Manager up and running. Of course, you don't have to remember them all! But given the relative importance of the Task Manager, it's always better to know at least a few ways to open the Task Manager.
Open the task manager using the hotkey.
Another easy way to open the Task Manager is to use the keyboard shortcut Control + Shift + Escape. It's fast and works no matter what's on the screen - like a full-screen video game.
This is also useful in cases where Windows Explorer crashes or doesn't work and you can't access the Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar.
How to remove a frozen program in Windows 10
You can remove a program or task if you are absolutely sure that such an action will not affect the performance of the entire Windows 10 operating system.
To remove a program (task), you need to:
- open Task Manager,
- on the “Processes” tab (1 in Fig. 5), move the mouse to the program that you want to remove, if you are sure of it.
- After this, click on RMB (right mouse button),
- A menu will appear in which we click “End task” and thereby the process (program) will be completed (that is, removed and closed).
For clarity, I will show the process of how to remove a task (program) using the example of an incomprehensible banner that one day I discovered immediately after turning on the laptop:
Rice. 6. A banner that is unclear at first glance and needs to be removed (removed)
I will duplicate the inscription on the banner:
“End of Service Notice Acer Portal services will end on 2018/09/30. All files will continue to be accessible locally from the computer you designated as Personal Cloud Storage. Please see our FAQ for more information. Received!"
Click on the green “Got it!” button I didn’t dare, because I wasn’t sure that this message was from Acer and not a fake, and you never know what kind of “gift” you might end up getting. Therefore, I decided to remove this task that was incomprehensible to me. Perhaps unnecessary security measures were taken, but, as we know, God protects the best.
Rice. 7. When the banner is open, call the Task Manager
Ignoring the open banner:
- right-click (right mouse button) on the place in the taskbar that is free of icons (1 in Fig. 7);
- A menu will open where you should click “Task Manager” (2 in Fig. 7).
It remains to understand what specific task needs to be removed in the Task Manager:
Rice. 8. Remove the abSunset task, which launched a banner on the desktop when loading
To cancel the abSunset task:
- move the mouse cursor to the line with the name of the task that controls the banner (in my case, to abSunset, marked with number 1 in Fig. 8),
- RMB (right mouse button) click on it,
- click on the menu option “Cancel task” (2 in Fig. or click on the button of the same name (3 in Fig. 8).
Open Task Manager via Control Panel.
Even though there is a Settings app, you can still use the Control Panel in Windows 10 to control various aspects of the operating system. It's hidden from view, but you can find it by searching for Control Panel through Windows Search. However, Control Panel also provides another way to launch Task Manager.
Start by typing task manager or taskmgr into the search box in the top right corner of the Control Panel window. Then, from the search results that appear, select Task Manager under System.
Search bar
You can turn on the program without using button combinations:
- On the Start panel, click LMB on the magnifying glass icon.
- Enter the appropriate query in the search bar. From the search results, open the app.
In this way, you can easily find any file or application installed on your PC.
Alternative options
If you are not satisfied with the functionality or interface, or you cannot launch it, then use one of the third-party programs. One popular option is Process Explorer.
Another alternative utility is AnVir Task Manager. You can download both completely free of charge from the official developer sites.
How to use Task Scheduler
The Task Scheduler can be used to solve a wide variety of problems. For example, you can use it to run programs, scripts, turn off the computer, and much more. The Task Scheduler interface consists of three parts: left, center and right. The so-called “Task Scheduler Library” is available on the left side of the interface. All tasks that have been added to the Scheduler are concentrated here. By moving through the library folders, you can view all the Scheduler tasks.
Start Menu List
The third way to launch is through the Start panel:
- Click LMB on the icon marked in the screenshot.
- Open the “Utilities” subsection from the general list of programs. Next, open the required utility, marked in the screenshot.
You can enter the application we need using more complex methods. If for some reason your Start or hotkeys do not work, then proceed to the following options.
What to do if access is lost
Often, after a computer is infected, virus software blocks the user's access to system applications and services. To get "taskmgr" back, you need to do the following:
- Launch "Group Policies" through the "Run" window using the "gpedit.msc" command.
- Open the directory “User Configuration” – “Administrative Templates” – “System” – “Action options after pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del”.
- Right-click on the line marked in the screenshot and select “Edit”.
- Set the option to Disabled and apply the changes.
- Now minimize all open windows and click to refresh your desktop.
After completing the steps, you can return the utility to functionality without restarting the computer.
Run System File Checker
If the previous solutions didn't work, try running System File Checker. To scan, we will use the SFC and DISM utilities, which can detect and restore damaged files.
Open the search bar using the Win + S keys, type “command prompt” and under the result found, click on the “Run as administrator” link.
Type the command in the window that opens:
sfc /scannow
Wait for it to complete and see the scan result.
If, based on the scan results, the utility found damaged files but did not fix them, run the command:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Once completed, restart your computer and see if the problem is resolved.
What is the “Task Scheduler” and what is it for?
“Task Scheduler” is a service that can help automate the operation of the operating system. The automation environment can work in both directions: you can set the parameter to turn on the application at a certain moment, or, on the contrary, you can prevent the application from starting. For example, with the start of the OS. The difference between the “Task Scheduler” (TS) and startup in this case lies in the different areas of Windows activity and greater rights for the scheduler. Authors of malicious code often take advantage of this.
The “task scheduler” is needed to fine-tune the operating system to suit the user’s schedule.
Where is the Task Scheduler located?
If you are interested in finding the Task Scheduler directly, it is located in the WINDOWS\System32 folder, and its executable file is called Taskschd.msc. You can go to this folder and launch the Task Scheduler simply by double-clicking on it, like any other program.
By the way, to quickly open the WINDOWS\System32 folder, you can use the “Run” menu. To do this, press the Windows + R key combination, enter the command “%SYSTEMROOT%\System32" and press the Enter key.
All about Task Scheduler
Many people were concerned about the question, “how to make your computer more automated?” Configure automatic shutdown and launch of certain tasks at a specific time: send an email or create some kind of macro (automatic execution of keyboard or mouse actions). It turns out that almost all of this can be done using standard Windows tools, through the “Task Scheduler”.
How to create a task?
In order to create a new task, you need to select the “Create task...” item in the right window and the task wizard will start.
Enter a name and description for the task on the General tab.
On the Action tab, click the New button.
Select Command Prompt.
C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe
Click OK.
After selecting the program, configure the schedule on the “Triggers” tab, using the “Create” button.
Task Schedule Trigger
In Triggers you can set the following schedule parameters:
- Time interval.
- Frequency: Daily. The task will run daily, either only on weekdays or every few days at the specified time.
- Weekly. Specify whether the task should be launched every week and select the days of the week on which the task will be launched at a specific time.
- Monthly. In which months of the year you need to run the task and select on which days of the month, or on which days of the month at a certain time the task will be launched.
- One time. You can select the date and time to start the task. This task will no longer be performed.
In addition, tasks can be launched:
- When you log in.
- When the computer starts.
- When the computer is idle.
- On an event (simple or custom).
- When creating or changing a task.
- When connecting to a user session.
- When disconnected from a user session.
- When the workstation is blocked.
- When the workstation is unlocked.
Select “At logon” so that the command prompt starts when you log into Windows.
Click OK and Apply to save the task. Restart your computer to check the functionality of the task.
Why do you need a task scheduler?
If you are an experienced PC user, then your computer care plan includes such important items as software cleaning, checking the system for malware, etc. You can run all the programs necessary for this manually, but this is inconvenient and unreliable - you can simply forget about them. It is in order to eliminate such situations that the Windows Task Scheduler is needed.
Timely cleaning and checking of the system
This is the main task of this tool. Most programs needed to clean and check the status of a computer run regularly - after a certain period of time, usually recommended by the software manufacturer itself. The utilities themselves remind you of themselves, but it will be easier if the system independently launches such programs, responding to triggers - temporary or any other.
Search for viruses and other dangerous programs
Many malware insert themselves into the task scheduler to run automatically, without support. Most users do not know how to use this tool, so attackers who release such programs onto the network do not try to disguise them.
If you want to make sure that there is nothing foreign on your system, run the “Display active tasks” process in the scheduler. If the resulting list contains a program that you have nothing to do with, then it is most likely causing harm to your computer. You can delete the task there.
How to open task scheduler
In the latest version of Windows 10, as well as in 7, 8, 8.1, the scheduler can be launched directly from the Control Panel. Find the "Administration" tab and the launch shortcut will be located there. You can also use a direct command to the system ⇒
Any of these methods will result in the Task Scheduler window appearing, a standard program directory and a list of algorithms available for use.
