How to open Task Manager on Windows 11

• To open Task Manager on Windows 11, right-click the Taskbar and select “Task Manager.” This option was restored in version 22H2.
• You can also use “Ctrl + Shift + Esc,” “Ctrl + Alt + Del,” or search for “Task Manager” in the Start menu.

UPDATED 7/14/2025: On Windows 11, Microsoft initially removed the Task Manager option from the Taskbar context menu, making it less convenient for users to access the tool. However, due to user feedback, the company brought the option back in a later update.

As of Windows 11 22H2 (build 22621.675 and newer), you can once again right-click the Taskbar and select “Task Manager” directly from the context menu, restoring the familiar method available on Windows 10.

In addition to the Taskbar, Windows 11 continues to offer several other ways to open Task Manager, including from the Start menu, Security Screen, Run command, Control Panel, and using the dedicated shortcut.

In this guide, I’ll teach you the different ways to access the Task Manager on Windows 11.

Open Task Manager on Windows 11

On Windows 11, you have at least seven ways to open the Task Manager:

1. Taskbar context menu

To open Task Manager from the Taskbar, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the Taskbar.

2. Choose the Task Manager option.

   

2. Start button context menu

To use the Start button, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the Start button on Windows 11.

2. Select the Task Manager option.

   

3. Task Manager keyboard shortcut

To launch the Task Manager directly with a shortcut, follow these steps:

• Use the Ctrl + Alt + Esc keyboard shortcut to open Task Manager directly.

  

4. Windows Security Screen

To use the Security screen to open the tool, follow these steps:

1. Use the “Ctrl + Alt + Del” keyboard shortcut.

   

2. Select the Task Manager option.

5. Start menu search

From the Start menu search, follow these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Task Manager and click the top result to open the experience.

   

6. Run command

Using the Run command, follow these steps:

1. Use the “Windows key + R” keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.

2. Type the following command to open Task Manager and click the OK button:

   taskmgr

   

   Alternatively, you can also run the taskmgr command from Command Prompt or PowerShell.

7. Control Panel

To open the Task Manager from the Windows Tools, follow these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Click on System and Security.

3. Click on Windows Tools.

   

4. Double-click the Task Manager icon.

Once you complete the steps, the Task Manager will open to manage running applications and monitor the system performance.

Alternatively, you can always pin Task Manager to the Start menu, right-click the item, and select the “Move to top” option to have quicker access to it. You also pin it to the taskbar by right-clicking the app while it is open and selecting the “Pin to taskbar” option.

Update July 14, 2025: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.