With Windows 11, Microsoft has completely redesigned the task manager with smooth rounded edges, a new mica design language, and more to match the overall look and aesthetics of its latest desktop operating system.

However, imagine that you are stuck in a situation where your most used application happens to freeze, and you cannot force quit the application because Task Manager does not work. Moreover, your only option is to restart the entire PC to fix the problem. Sounds annoying, isn’t it?

windows 11 task manager not working
IMAGE- Piero Nigro (Unsplash)

And this is exactly what most users online are annoyed about, as the issue of Windows 11 Task Manager not working has become a big problem for them as they are forced to restart their PCs to get rid of the frozen app, wasting their valuable time.

Task Manager in Windows 11 is one of the most critical parts of the entire desktop operating system. And why? With the help of Task Manager, you can quickly force close applications, control active background processes, check the usage of CPU and RAM, and much more.

That being said, there are a few excellent troubleshooting steps to fix the Windows 11 Task Manager not working issue once and for all. Let us have a look at each of them in detail below.

1. Restart your Windows PC

One of the easiest and most effective ways to fix the problem of Windows 11 Task Manager not working is to restart the process. Every time you restart your PC, all system services will be restarted, automatically fixing most of the problems.

However, since Task Manager does not work, you cannot restart your PC using the traditional Start Menu method. But you can easily restart your Windows 11 PC using the Alt + F4 key combination.

Alternatively, you can restart your PC via the valuable Task Manager menu by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del together.

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2. Run System Menu Troubleshooter

If restarting your PC does not fix the problem with the Windows 11 Task Manager not working, you should try running the native Windows 11 system menu troubleshooter.

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard and search for Control Panel.
  2. Open the control panel and click on the view option towards the screen’s upper-right corner. Once done, select large icons from the drop-down list.
    control panel icon size
  3. Now, look for the Troubleshooting icon and click on it.
    windows 11 troubleshooting
  4. Navigate to the System and Security tab and click on the Run maintenance tasks option.
    windows 11 maintenance tasks
  5. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete running the troubleshooter.
  6. After that is done, the Windows 11 task manager problem should get fixed.

3. Use Command Prompt

Another way to fix the problem of Task Manager not working in Windows 11 is to use the ever-popular Windows Command Prompt. Let us take a look at it.

  1. Launch the start menu by pressing the Windows key or manually open it by using the mouse cursor.
  2. Here, search for CMD and hit run as an administrator.
  3. Once the command prompt window pops up, type in the following command and press enter. (Note- The PC will shut down, so make sure to save all your work in advance to avoid any data loss during the process)
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\IrisService /f && shutdown -r -t 0
    windows 11 security check
  4. Turn on your PC by pressing the power button and verify if the Windows 11 task manager issue is sorted out.

4. Run SFC Scan

The following method to fix Task Manager in Windows 11 is to run a special SFC scan through the Windows 11 terminal. Let us take a look.

  1. Launch the start menu by pressing the Windows key or manually open it by using the mouse cursor.
  2. Here, search for CMD and hit run as an administrator.
  3. Type the following command in the cmd window and press enter

    sfc/scannow

    sfc scan windows 11

  4. It will now start scanning the PC for any issues and try to resolve them automatically, thereby fixing the task manager problem.

5. Run DISM Scan

If the SFC scan also does not fix the problem, you should try to run the DISM scan to fix the Task Manager problem.

  1. Launch the command prompt window on your PC via the start menu.
  2. Enter the following commands in a sequence.

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

    dism scan

  3. Once done, restart your PC, and this time around, the task manager should work just fine.

Related: How to Fix White Screen of Death on Windows

6. Run Windows Security Check

Windows offers its users a sense of freedom by allowing them to install any software available on the network, but sometimes this freedom can turn out to be a fraud.

What’s my point? These untested third-party programs can often mess up Windows settings, causing Task Manager to stop working.

However, you can quickly run a Windows security scan to look for security vulnerabilities in the system and fix the problem of Windows 11 Task Manager not working.

  1. Use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to launch the settings menu on Windows 11.
  2. Here, navigate to the Privacy and Security Tab from the left pane.
  3. Select the Windows Security Option.
    windows security
  4. Now, choose the Virus and Threat option. Once done, hit the quick scan option.
    virus settings windows 11
  5. The tool will scan your PC and check for any viruses. After the scan is completed, the task manager menu issue should get resolved.

7. Update Graphics Driver

Another culprit for the Windows 11 Task Manager not working problem is outdated graphics drivers. To fix this problem, perform the following steps.

  1. Press the Windows+X key and launch the device manager.
  2. Now, look for the processors’ option and click on it.
  3. Once done, right-click on the graphics card and select update driver from the drop-down list.
    graphics update driver
  4. After the drivers are updated, recheck the Windows 11 start menu functionality.

8. Check for Updates

Probably the most common and easiest way to fix the problem of Task Manager not working on Windows 11 is to update Windows 11 to the latest version. Press the Windows+I key combination and navigate to the Updates section to update your PC.

9. Reset your Windows 11 Machine

If Windows 11 Task Manager does not work even after trying all the above troubleshooting methods, your only option is to reset your Windows 11 computer.

Press the Windows + I key combination and navigate to the Reset PC option in the PC settings to reset your PC.

FAQs on Task Manager not Working on Windows 11 Issue

If you want to force close an application on Windows 11 using Task Manager, it's easy. First, launch Task Manager and select the application you want to force close. Once you have selected the desired application, click on the "End Task" option in the lower right corner of the screen.

By default, Task Manager displays the currently active processes. However, if you want to keep an eye on CPU and RAM usage, click the Show Details option in the active Task Manager window. Here, navigate to the Usage tab and view the usage of CPU and RAM effortlessly.

Another commonly reported Windows 11 issue online is the taskbar not working issue that has made switching between apps a nightmare. But to get over this displeasure, we have already covered a detailed guide on how you can fix the Windows 11 taskbar not working issue.

There can be multiple reasons for Windows 11 Task Manager not responding. One of the reasons can be some recent Windows update that has introduced a bug that has caused the Task Manager to slow down and lag. Another reason can be malware which can be causing the issue. Or it can be a faulty graphics driver which needs to be updated.

Be it on Windows 10 or Windows 11, Task Manager not showing the tabs or processes is quite a common thing. This behavior can occur if Task Manager is running in Tiny Footprint mode. When you double-click the empty space in the border around the tabs, Task Manager switches to this mode. To switch Task Manager to its normal display mode, double-click the top border of the window.

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