Image: Joel Lee / Foundry
I use Windows Task Manager every day, and it’s awesome for checking system stuff or closing glitchy apps. But there’s way more to it than I thought! Here are nine easy tips that’ll make you feel like a Task Manager pro—stuff I really wish I’d figured out earlier.
Open It Fast With a Shortcut
Sure, Ctrl + Alt + Delete works, but try this: hit Windows key + X, then tap T. Boom, Task Manager pops up without touching your mouse. Or go with Windows key + Shift + Esc—it’s a bit trickier one-handed but skips the menu and opens it instantly.
Control Startup Apps
Too many apps starting when you turn on your PC can slow things down. Open Task Manager, click the “Startup apps” tab, and check the list. See anything labeled “Enabled” with “Medium” or “High” impact you don’t need? Right-click it, hit Disable, and reboot to feel the difference.
Find an App’s Folder Quick
Need to peek at an app’s files? In the “Processes” tab, right-click the app and pick “Open file location.” A File Explorer window jumps right to its folder—super handy for tweaks or just knowing where stuff lives.
Fix Glitches by Restarting Explorer
When your taskbar vanishes or files won’t open, restart Windows Explorer. Go to the “Processes” tab, scroll to “Windows Explorer” (usually near the bottom), right-click, and hit Restart. It’s like a magic reset for most Windows hiccups.
Shut Down Stubborn Apps
To kill a frozen app, head to the “Processes” tab, right-click it, and choose “End Task.” Still stuck? Switch to the “Details” tab, find the app, right-click, and select “End process tree” to zap it and everything tied to it.
Boost an App’s Speed
If an app’s lagging—say, a game—give it more power. In the “Details” tab, right-click the app, hover over “Set priority,” and pick “Above normal” or “High.” (Skip “Realtime” unless you’re okay with possible crashes.) You can also lower priority on resource-hogging apps or turn on “Efficiency mode” to let Windows chill them out.
Check What’s Eating Your Internet
Curious about network use? Hit the “Performance” tab and click “Wi-Fi” or “Ethernet” for a quick look. Want more? Click the three-dot menu, choose “Resource Monitor,” and check the “Network” tab to see exactly which apps are hogging your bandwidth.
Keep Tabs on Performance
To watch how your PC’s doing, go to the “Performance” tab, pick something like CPU or Memory, and right-click the graph. Choose “Graph summary view” for a clean little chart. Want it front and center? Click the settings cog, find “Window management,” and check “Always on top” to keep it floating.
Bring Back the Old-School Look
Miss the old Task Manager vibe? You can switch to it, but you’ll need a workaround since the new and old versions don’t run together. Look up a quick guide online to launch the retro one—same power, just a classic feel.
These tricks make Task Manager way more fun to use. Try them out and see how much easier your PC life gets!
