Follow these tips to improve computer performance with the Windows 11 Task Manager. Task Manager is a built-in tool in Windows that allows you to view and manage running processes and system performance. To open the Task Manager, press the “Ctrl,” “Shift,” and “Esc” keys simultaneously. You can also right-click on the “Start” button and select “Task Manager.”
The Task Manager displays information about the processes your PC is executing, such as the CPU, memory, and disk usage. By reviewing and analyzing this data, you can make decisions on how to manage tasks that impact your system’s overall performance.
Tabs included in the Task Manager are: Processes, Performance, App history, Startup apps, Users, Details, and Services. Use the “Processes” tab to gain better control of your PC’s resources. In this tab, you will see a list of all the processes running and the percentage of usage. You can sort the list view in descending order to put the ones affecting your performance the most at the top.
To stop a process taking up a lot of resources or one that got stuck after closing an application, click on the specific process, and then click on “End task.” Keep in mind there are protected processes required for Windows 11 to work, and they won't be able to be closed.
In the “Performance” tab, you can track each major component of your system along with their performance and workload. Ending a task should improve performance. However, if you notice poor performance is related to one of the components working at 100%, but all the services necessary are running, you should consider a hardware upgrade.
If you notice your computer is taking longer than usual to start, utilize the “Startup Apps” tab to manage apps and improve startup time. To disable unnecessary apps from startup, simply select it from the list and click on “Disable.” You can also enable an app by clicking “Enable.”
Be careful not to disable any apps that need to run at startup. If you have any questions about the Windows 11 Task Manager, contact us via one of the options on our support website.
