Windows Task Manager Not Working – How To Fix?

Microsoft has included many utilities in Windows to help increase the functionality of the operating system. The most popular one among them is probably the task manager, which allows users to check the ongoing tasks, and also end the programs that are not responding.

Here, I shall discuss what you can do if you see the task manager not responding on your Windows 10 computer.

Task Manager Not Responding – How To Fix?

The task manager has been one of the core parts of the Windows operating system. over the years it has been developed to now incorporate many features, such as a resource monitor, performance graphs, temperature monitors, etc.

If an app or process is not responding, you can end the process from the task manager. However, what will you do if you can’t open the task manager on your computer? let us take a look at some of the solutions that you can apply to solve this error.

Solution 1: Start Task Manager

There are a bunch of ways to launch the task manager in Windows 10. if one of the ways to launch the task manager fails, you can use the other methods to start the task manager. this will help in case some issue is causing windows core files to be frozen, therefore preventing task manager from launching.

here are all the ways that you can use to start task manager:

1. Right-click on the taskbar to reveal an additional context menu. here you will find the option to launch the task manager.
2. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc to directly launch the task manager.
3. Open a run dialogue using the keyboard shortcut Win + R. Type taskmgr and press enter to launch the task manager.
4. Open the security screen using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Delete. here you will find a button that launches task manager.

if one of the methods above fails to start the task manager, try using the other methods to check if it launches.

Solution 2: Check For Virus And Malware

If all the methods to launch the task manager fail, it is advised to run a virus check on your computer before trying the other solutions. There are some viruses that hijack the core Windows utilities, causing the operating system to misbehave.

If you do not have a premium third-party antivirus software, you can choose a plethora of free options available like Avast and Malwarebytes. run a deep scan and check if your computer is infected with viruses.

Solution 3: Check If Task Manager Is Disabled In Windows Core Utilities

Windows core utilities such as the registry editor and the local group policy editor can be used to configure Windows 10 in such a way that the task manager can be disabled from your computer. If you previously disabled the task manager, or some other app configuration changed this setting, you can take a look at the methods provided below to verify that the task manager has not been disabled.

In the Local Group Policy Editor:

1. In a Run dialog (Win + R), type gpedit.msc and press Enter to launch the Local Group Policy Editor.
2. From the left pane, follow this path by clicking on the appropriate options:
   User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Ctrl+Alt+Del Options
3. In the right pane, double click on the following Policy to edit its value:
   Remove Task Manager
4. In the next window that opens, make sure that the radio box next to Not configured is selected.
5. Click on OK and restart the computer to apply the changes.

This should now enable the task manager, therefore solving the error. If you do not have the local group policy editor, read here how to enable it in Windows 10 Home, or use the registry editor method as provided below.

In Registry Editor:

You can apply this method if your computer has just one user account, and no guest accounts or other users. Follow these steps-

1. In Windows Search, type regedit and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the following location by pasting the path in the address bar:
   Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
3. Check if the Policies key has a subkey titled System.
4. Under the System key, you should find a key named the following:
   DisableTaskMgr
5. Delete the key mentioned above by selecting the option from the right-click context menu.

This should remove any administrative blocks placed to block the task manager from running on your computer.

Solution 4: Run DISM And SFC Scans

If none of the solutions provided above help you in solving the task manager not responding error, there might be some core windows components missing from your computer, which is causing such errors. if you see that still task manager won’t open, you need to check for broken system files on your computer.

Microsoft has included a built-in Utility in the form of system file checker and deployment image servicing and management tools. Run the DISM and SFC scans to check for broken system files on your computer and check if the error is resolved on your computer.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have it. now you know how you can solve if you see task manager not responding on your computer. did you find this useful? comment below if you did and to discuss further the same.