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How to Open Task Manager in Windows 10

The Task Manager is one of the most useful utilities in Windows 10. That tool displays all active (running) programs and background processes on your PC. It displays your system resource utilization on a Performance tab. Users can also enable or disable startup programs with Task Manager’s Startup tab. So, Task Manager is most certainly a tool worth noting that some users utilize with regularity.

However, the Task Manager doesn’t have a default shortcut on the desktop or Start menu like the Recycle Bin and Settings. It’s not immediately obvious how to get to Task Manager on Windows 10. Nevertheless, it’s easy to open that utility. Furthermore, there are numerous ways you can open it. This is how to access Task Manager on Windows 10 with 11 alternative methods.

Method 1. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 From Taskbar

Opening the Task Manager on Windows 10 via the taskbar is one of the most straightforward methods. To do that, right-click the taskbar to open the menu in the snapshot directly below. Then click “Task Manager” on that window to open the tool.

Task Manager on the taskbar’s right-click menu Windows 10

Method 2. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 With Shortcut

Step 1: If you want to have immediate access to Task Manager on the desktop, taskbar, or Start menu, you’ll need to set up a shortcut for it. To do that, right-click the desktop and select the “New” option.

Step 2: Select “Shortcut” on the submenu to open the window in the screenshot directly below.

The Create Shortcut window on Windows 10

Step 3: Type %windir%\system32\taskmgr.exe in the location text box as below.

Create shortcut for task manager on Windows 10

Step 4: Click “Next” to continue to the next step.

Step 5: Enter ‘Task Manager’ in the shortcut title text box.

Step 6: Press the “Finish” button to add the new Task Manager shortcut to the desktop as in the snapshot directly below. Now you can open Task Manager directly from the desktop by clicking that shortcut.

The Task Manager shortcut on Windows 10

If you prefer, you can add that shortcut to the taskbar or Start menu. To do so, right-click the Task Manager desktop shortcut and select the “Pin to taskbar” or “Pin to Start” option. Selecting “Pin to Start” adds a TM shortcut to that menu. The “Pin to taskbar” option pins a TM shortcut icon to the taskbar.

A Task Manager Start menu shortcut Windows 10

Method 3: Open Task Manager in Windows 10 with its Keyboard Shortcut

Alternatively, you can open Task Manager on Windows 10 with a keyboard shortcut. To open Task Manager in Windows 10 with keyboard, press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete hotkey. That will open a blue menu from which you can select “Task Manager” to launch that utility.

Method 4. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 from the Run Dialog Window

The Run accessory is a handy utility that you can open a wide variety of Windows system tools with by entering text commands. So, Run provides another way to the Task Manager. This is how to get to Task Manager on Windows 10 with Run.

Step 1: Press the Windows key and R key at the same time to open the Run command window.

Step 2: Type taskmg in Run’s Open box as shown directly below.

Open Task Manager in Windows 10 from the Run Command Window

Step 3: Click “OK” in Run’s window to open the Task Manager utility.

The Task Manager window on Windows 10

Method 5. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 from the Win+X Menu

The Win + X menu has a handy list of shortcuts, which includes the Task Manager. To open the Win+X menu, you’ll need to press the Windows key + X hotkey. Then click Task Manager on the menu to open that utility’s window.

Open Task Manager in Windows 10 from the Win+X Menu

Method 6. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 From the Start Menu

Step 1: Click the Start menu button on the far left of the taskbar.

Step 2: Scroll down to the Windows System folder on the Start menu.

Step 3: Click Windows System to expand it on the Start menu.

Task Manager on the Start menu Windows 10

Step 4: Then you can click Task Manager in Windows System to open that utility on Windows 10.

Method 7. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 Using the Search Function

Step 1: Click Windows 10’s “Type here to search” magnifying glass button by the Start menu.

Step 2: Input the keyword Task Manager within the search box.

The Task Manager search on Windows 10

Step 3: Then you can click Task Manager in the search results to open it.

Method 8. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 From the Control Panel

Step 1: First, click Windows 10’s search tool button on the taskbar.

Step 2: Enter Control Panel within the search tool’s text box.

Step 3: Click Control Panel to open that Windows component.

Step 4: Type the keyword Task Manager in the Control Panel’s search box.

Open Task manager from Control Panel on Windows 10

Step 5: Click “Task Manager” in the Control Panel’s search results.

Read More: How to Open Control Panel on Windows 10

Method 9. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 from Command Prompt

Step 1: Users who utilize the Command Prompt might prefer to open Task Manager on Windows 10 with that command-line tool. To do so, press the Windows key and S at the same time.

Step 2: Input the keyword cmd in the search box to find the Command Prompt.

Step 3: Click Command Prompt within the search results to open that command-line tool.

Step 4: Type taskmgr within Command Prompt’s window as in the shot directly below.

Open Task Manager in Windows 10 from Command Prompt

Step 5: Press the Enter keyword key to launch Task Manager on Windows 10.

Method 10. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 From PowerShell

Step 1: Click the “Start” taskbar button.

Step 2: Scroll to Windows PowerShell on the Start menu.

Step 3: Click the Windows PowerShell folder to expand it.

The Windows PowerShell folder on Windows 10

Step 4: Then click Windows PowerShell to open that command-line utility’s window.

Read More: How to Open PowerShell in Windows 10

Step 5: Input the taskmgr command into PowerShell’s window.

Open Task Manager in Windows 10 From PowerShell

Step 6: Press Enter to execute the command that opens Task Manager on Windows 10.

Method 11. Open Task Manager in Windows 10 in File Explorer

Step 1: Click the File Explorer folder icon on Windows 10’s taskbar.

The File Explorer taskbar shortcut on Windows 10

Step 2: Then copy this folder path with the Ctrl + C hotkey: C:\WINDOWS\System32.

Step 3: Click in File Explorer’s file path box, and press the Ctrl + V hotkey to paste the System 32 folder path.

Step 4: Press the Enter key to open the System 32 folder within File Explorer.

Step 5: Then scroll to the Taskmgr.exe file shown directly below.

Open Task Manager in Windows 10 in File Explorer

Step 6: Click Taskmgr.exe to open Task Manager’s window.

You can also right-click Taskmgr.exe to open a context menu that includes further options for that file. On that context menu, you can select the “Pin to Start” and “Pin to taskbar” shortcut options for the Task Manager. Or you can select “Send to” and “Desktop” to quickly set up a desktop shortcut for the Task Manager.

Conclusion

All the above methods will open Task Manager, but some are a bit quicker than others. The most accessible method is probably to set up a desktop or taskbar shortcut for TM. Then you can open Task Manager on Windows 10 with just one click, or at the press of a hotkey, directly from the desktop or taskbar.

When you open Task Manager with any of the above methods, you’ll discover an invaluable utility. It enables users to close programs and background processes that aren’t immediately visible on the taskbar. You can speed up your PC’s startup by disabling superfluous startup software with that tool. Task Manager’s Performance tab is also a handy system resource monitor. So, Task Manager is the best system tool in Windows 10 for many users.

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