Task Manager Not Responding: How to Fix It In 10 Steps?

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Question asked by:

Chris T.

Issue:

Task Manager is not responding

Picture this: you’re working on your Windows PC when suddenly an application freezes. Naturally, you press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and end the unresponsive program, but to your dismay, Task Manager 1 itself is not responding. This can be a frustrating experience, especially since Task Manager is often the go-to solution for dealing with software hiccups.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. This guide will walk you through various solutions to get your Task Manager up and running again.

Before diving into solutions, let’s understand what might cause the Task Manager to stop working. Common culprits include:

Malware 2 infections

Corrupted system files

Messed up registry settings

Task Manager is disabled by group policy settings.

Identifying the root cause is crucial for applying the right fix.

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Often, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Start by restarting your PC, I know, it sounds very cliche. But a reboot can clear out temporary glitches and might be all you need to resolve the issue.

If the Task Manager is still not responding after a restart, it’s time to try some more targeted approaches.

NOTE: if your PC is not restarting — we have a fix guide for this problem too !

Let’s begin by applying the easiest steps first. In most cases, it helps to get the problem solved!

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Malware often consumes CPU and memory resources, making it difficult for legitimate system processes, like Task Manager, to function correctly. By removing malware, you can free up system resources, allowing Task Manager to work without hindrance.

Run a full system scan using your antivirus software to ensure your system is free from malware or viruses.

Quarantine or remove any threats that are detected.

Microsoft regularly releases updates and patches to address known issues and improve the performance of Windows. These updates often include fixes for problems that may affect the proper functioning of system tools like Task Manager.

Go to “Settings” > “Update & Security.”

Click on “Check for updates” and install any pending updates .

When Task Manager becomes unresponsive or hangs, it may be due to a temporary glitch or issue with its underlying processes. Manually ending the Task Manager process effectively forces it to restart, which can clear any temporary problems.

If Task Manager is not responding, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open it.

Right-click on the “Task Manager” icon in the taskbar, and select “End Task.”

The below given solutions are for more advanced Windows users, but feel free to try and use them if you’re a beginner as well and if the previous 3 easy solutions didn’t work out for you.

Task Manager relies on several system files and components to function correctly. If any of these dependencies are corrupted, it can cause Task Manager to become unresponsive. SFC can help ensure that these dependencies are in proper working order.

Press ‘Windows + X’ and select “Windows Terminal (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin).”

Type sfc /scannow and press ‘Enter’.

Wait for the scan to complete , and follow any prompts to repair system files if necessary.

Disk errors can slow down read and write operations, causing delays and unresponsiveness in various system components, including Task Manager. Resolving these errors can lead to better overall disk performance, which can positively impact the responsiveness of Task Manager.

Open “Command Prompt” as an administrator.

Type chkdsk /f /r and press ‘Enter’.

Allow the tool to scan and repair disk errors on the next system restart.

Task Manager unresponsiveness can sometimes be caused by conflicts between third-party software or services running on your computer. A Clean Boot helps identify these conflicts by disabling non-essential startup items and services.

Press ‘Windows + R’, type “msconfig”, and press ‘Enter’.

In the “System Configuration” window, go to the “Services” tab.

Check “Hide all Microsoft services” and click “Disable all.”

Go to the “Startup” tab and click “Open Task Manager.”

Disable startup items one by one and restart your computer until you find the culprit.

If you suspect that problems with Task Manager are related to graphics issues, it’s a good idea to check for graphics driver updates or try rolling back to a previous driver version to see if it resolves the problem.

Right-click on the “Start” button and select “Device Manager.”

Expand the “Display adapters” section, right-click on your graphics card , and choose “Update driver” or “Roll back driver” if available.

When you create a new user account, it starts with default settings and configurations. This “clean slate” can help identify whether the problem was caused by changes or customizations made to your previous user profile.

Go to “Settings” > “Accounts” > “Family & other users” .

Under “Other users”, click “Add someone else to this PC”.

Follow the prompts to create a new user profile.

Damaged or corrupted system files can lead to system instability and software malfunctions. Repairing these files ensures that the fundamental components of your operating system are functioning correctly.

Press the ‘Windows key’, type “Command Prompt,” right-click on it in the search results, and choose “Run as administrator”.

If the System File Checker (SFC) mentioned earlier found errors or couldn’t repair some files, you can use the Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool (DISM) to further check and repair your system.

In the same Command Prompt window, enter these three commands one by one, pressing ‘Enter’ after each: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

These commands will help identify and fix any issues related to system file corruption. Once you’ve completed these steps, restart your computer to see if Task Manager is working properly.

Back up your important files to an external drive.

Go to “Settings” > “Update & Security” > “Recovery”.

Under “Reset this PC,” click “Get started” and choose “Remove everything”.

Follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall Windows.

By systematically applying these troubleshooting methods, users can effectively diagnose and resolve Task Manager issues, ensuring that this essential system tool operates smoothly and reliably. We hope that out given solutions helped you and now everything works as it should!

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However, for some more advanced features & 100% effective fixes, you may need to purchase a full license.

If your Task Manager errors are still not fixed — feel free to reach out to us via email and share your problem.

What is Task Manager? — via PCMag.com [ ↩ ]

Malware explained — via Wikipedia [ ↩ ]

Jack works at WindowsGuided.com from the beginning. He’s been a colleague with the owner Iggy & who consulted people with their PC issues for years.

He fixed and custom-developed various Windows apps. And now Jack is overlooking the QA processes on WindowsGuided and writes expert guides on various PC error fixes.

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