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    Windows Guides
    Intermediate
    2 min read 7 stepsApril 2, 2026Verified April 2026

    How to Use Windows Task Manager

    Diagnose performance problems, force-close frozen apps, and understand what's using your resources.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Windows Guides
    Difficulty
    Intermediate
    Read Time
    2 min read
    Steps
    7
    Topics covered
    windows
    task-manager
    performance
    troubleshooting

    In this guide (7 steps):

    1. 1.Open Task Manager
    2. 2.Force-close a frozen program
    3. 3.See what's using your CPU
    4. 4.Check memory usage
    5. 5.Manage startup programs
    6. 6.Performance tab
    7. 7.What to look for
    1

    Open Task Manager

    ~15s
    Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc (quickest method). Or right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager. Or press Ctrl+Alt+Del and choose Task Manager.
    2

    Force-close a frozen program

    ~15s
    In the Processes tab, find the frozen program (it may say "Not Responding"). Click it, then click End Task. This right away closes the program. You may lose unsaved work in that program.
    3

    See what's using your CPU

    ~15s
    The Processes tab shows CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network usage for each program. Click the CPU column header to sort by highest usage. If something is using 90%+ CPU constantly, it might be a problem.
    4

    Check memory usage

    ~15s
    Click the Memory column to sort. If total memory usage is consistently above 80%, you might need more RAM or should close some programs. Chrome with many tabs is often the biggest memory user.
    5

    Manage startup programs

    ~15s
    Click the Startup tab. Disable programs you don't need at startup — right-click > Disable. Fewer startup programs = faster boot time. Don't disable antivirus or essential drivers.
    6

    Performance tab

    ~15s
    The Performance tab shows real-time graphs of CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network activity. Click a category for detailed stats. Useful for understanding overall system health.
    7

    What to look for

    ~15s
    CPU stuck at 100%: too many programs running, or malware. Memory at 95%+: close tabs and programs, consider more RAM. Disk at 100%: could be Windows Update, indexing, or a failing hard drive.

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    windows
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    Official Resources

    Microsoft SupportHow-To Geek — WindowsGCFGlobal — Windows Basics

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