How to open Task Manager in Windows

When a user launches and uses one or several programs, these user-controlled processes join a whole host of default processes that are already running in the background. Typically, a browser with several tabs, a text editor with an open document, an email client, a graphics program, and software for playing background music may all run at the same time. Though it’s true that these applications are clearly visible via their distinct symbol on the taskbar, their exact influence on PC performance cannot be discerned at first glance.

The Windows Task Manager gets rid of this uncertainty by offering an overview of all applications running in the background. When you discover an unnecessary process, you also have the option of ending this directly from the Task Manager. The practical tool provides detailed information on individual processes. Below you can see a quick overview of the most important tasks in the Task Manager:

• A process’s CPU and memory utilization (CPU is the abbreviation for “Central Processing Unit” and denotes your computer’s main processor)
• A process’s data carrier utilization
• Network load triggered by a process
• A process’s power consumption
• A list of programs in which autostart is activated

This information allows you to spot a program running at high capacity that you do not even need or use. You can deactivate these directly from within the Task Manager or uninstall them from your computer.

You can also open the Windows Task Manager using the “Run” dialog window – the tool you may have used to send short text commands to the operating system. You can bring it up either by opening the Start menu (by clicking the Windows icon) and clicking the “Run” button, or by pressing the [Windows] + [R] key combination.

Enter the “taskmgr” command and click “OK” to immediately open the Task Manager.

You don’t necessarily need a keyboard in order to open the Task Manager. Starting the program from the context menu allows you to manage it without a single keystroke. To do this, first right-click on the taskbar in order to call up the context menu. In this, select the “Task Manager” option with the left mouse button. The same function is displayed to users of Windows 7 as “Start Task Manager”.

From Windows 8, you can also start the process manager from the context menu that you can call up via the Windows icon. Just like the previous option, no keyboard is necessary for this. In order to open the Windows button’s context menu, just right-click on the Windows icon – this can usually be found in the left-hand corner of the taskbar. The context menu will launch. Another way to open this menu is by using the keyboard shortcut [Windows] + [X]. Either way, the next – and final – step is to select the “Task Manager” option.

Finally, Windows also provides the option of searching your whole computer for content of all types. You can use this option to find and open the Task Manager quickly. In Windows 10, the search field is usually located directly on the taskbar (otherwise in the Start menu).

Enter the search term “Task Manager”. The displayed search results will update automatically as you enter it. As soon as the appropriate result appears, select it with a left-click in the “Best Match” field or click on “Open” in the right field as shown below.