Task Manager is an important utility in Windows 11 that displays basic details about your computer's memory consumption, background processes, andStartup programs ...and more. If you rely on it to force-quit apps and programs when they're unresponsive, you'll have a problem when Task Manager stops working on your Windows 11 PC. Here are the top 7 ways to fix Task Manager not working on Windows 11.
If you encounter a similar issue where Task Manager is unresponsive or refuses to open, the solutions in this guide will help you troubleshoot and fix the issue. We've compiled a list of solutions that should get Task Manager working again. So let's get started.
1. Restart your computer to fix Task Manager not working on Windows 11.
If you can't open or access Task Manager on Windows 11, you can try restarting your computer. If the problem is caused by a simple glitch or process freeze, restarting your computer may restore things to normal.
2. Run the system troubleshooting and maintenance.
Your Windows 11 PC comes with a built-in System Maintenance troubleshooter that can detect and fix any irregularities with desktop shortcuts, disk size, file paths, etc. So, if you're having trouble accessing Task Manager on Windows 11, you can turn to the System Maintenance troubleshooter for help. Here's how.
Step 1: press the . key Windows + S To open Windows search , type in the control panel and press Enter.
Step 2: In the Control Panel window, do the following:switch Change the display type to Large Icons, and go to find the mistakes and resolve it.
Step 3: within order and security , click Option Run maintenance tasks.
Follow the on-screen instructions to run the troubleshooter and then restart your computer to see if Task Manager is working properly.
3. Run SFC and DISM scans to fix Task Manager not working on Windows 11
The SFC scan, or System File Checker, is a useful Windows utility that can diagnose your computer for corrupted files and restore them in their cached versions. Therefore, if Task Manager on Windows 11 isn't working due to a corrupted system file, you can try running an SFC scan by following the steps below.
Step 1: Right click on the menu icon START YOUR and select an option Windows Terminal (admin) from the resulting list.
Step 2: Type the command below and press Enter.
sfc / scannow
If the problem persists, you can try running a DISM scan or Deployment Image Servicing and Management instead. Similar to the SFC scan, DISM can repair system images and files on Windows. Here's how to run it.
turn on Command Prompt using Administrator rights Enter the following commands one by one.
DISM / Online / Cleanup Image / CheckHealth
DISM / Online / Cleanup Image / ScanHealth
DISM / Online / Cleanup Image / RestoreHealth
Once done, restart your computer and see if the Task Manager is working fine.
4. Scan for malware to fix Task Manager not working on Windows 11
If you are having difficulty accessing Task Manager and other Windows programs such as File Explorer This may be a case of your computer being infected with a virus. To confirm this, you can try Scan your computer for malware And viruses by performing a quick scan.
5. Enable Task Manager via Registry Editor
If you still can't access Task Manager, you can look into the Windows Registry to ensure that Task Manager isn't disabled from there. The Windows Registry Editor is only available in Windows 11 Pro and higher.
A word of caution. The Windows Registry is a powerful tool in Windows. Making changes to it without your knowledge can have serious consequences. Therefore, be sure to follow the steps carefully and work Back up your registry files in advance.
Step 1: press the . key Windows + R To start the command, type regedit in the box and press Enter.
Step 2: Use the address bar at the top to move to the next key.
DISM /Online /HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies
Step 3: Expand Policies to search for System. If you can't find it, right-click on it. Policies , and go to New , and select a key. Name it the system.
Step 4: Right click on System entry , and go to New and choose a value DWORD (32 bit)Name the new entry as . DisableTaskMgr.
Step 5: Double click DisableTaskMgr key , and change its value to 0 , And press OK.
Restart your computer to apply the changes. Once restarted, you should try accessing Task Manager.
6. Enable Task Manager via Group Policy
Similar to the registry editor, Group Policy An administrator tool on Windows 11 used to make system-wide changes. If someone has disabled Task Manager on your computer, you can also use the Group Policy Editor to enable it.
Step 1: Click on Windows + R To open Operating prompt , And type gpedit.msc And press Enter.
Step 2: In the Group Policy Editor, use the left pane to navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Ctrl+Alt+Del Options.
Step 3: Double-click an option. Remove Task Manager On your right.
Step 4: In the Remove Task Manager window that opens, choose broken and click OK.
Restart your computer and see if you can access Task Manager.
7. Perform a System Restore to fix Task Manager not working on Windows 11
Like previous iterations, Windows 11 also comes with System Restore feature It periodically takes a backup of your entire system. This feature automatically creates a restore point when it detects any major changes. You can use it to revert to a point when Task Manager was working properly. Here's how.
Step 1: Open menu START YOUR , And type Create a restore point Click on the first result that appears.
Step 2: Under the tab System Protection (System Protection) , click the . button System Restore.
Step 3: Here, you can either go with the recommended restore point or choose one yourself by choosing the second option.
Select a restore point when Task Manager was working properly and click Next. Follow the on-screen instructions to perform a System Restore.
Task management at your fingertips
The Task Manager is an essential system maintenance tool on Windows. But sometimes, it may need a little maintenance itself. We hope the solutions above helped you fix the Task Manager not working on Windows 11. As always, let us know if we missed any solutions in the comments below.
