Windows 11 Task Manager Not Working? 9 Ways to Fix it

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, does not it?

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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.

Table of Contents

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Starting Task Manager in Windows 11 is fairly simple and does not require a degree in a science subject (pun intended).

To start Task Manager in Windows 11, simply press Ctrl+Shift+Del or the key combination Ctrl+Shift+Del. Alternatively, you can also start the Task Manager from the Windows 11 Start menu.

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.