Windows Task Manager shortcut

Technology | Computers > Windows Task Manager shortcut

Drew shares the new shortcut for opening Task Manager on your PC

Drew Patchell

Digital Operations Manager

16th Apr 2013

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31 comments

I am one of those people who always has several programs open at once and, even though my laptop is less than two years old, programs do freeze up. In the process of unfreezing the computer and closing the errant program, the fewer processes you have to go through, the better. Since I can remember (the 90s), pressing the Ctrl, Alt and Delete buttons at the same time would bring up the Task Manager which allows the user to force any programs on the computer to close. This process has changed over the past few years and, if you are using Windows Vista, XP, 7 or 8, Ctrl, Alt and Delete will take you to a screen with multiple options, one of which is to start the Task Manager.

The good news is that Microsoft didn’t do-away with the Task Manager shortcut, they simply changed it. From now on you need to press the Ctrl, Shift and Escape keys all at the same time.

Hopefully this allows some of you to avoid minutes of frustration.

Do you have any shortcuts to share? Comment below.

COMMENTS

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jim&music
23rd Apr 2013
12:24pm

On my Windows 7, If I right click on the Task Bar a list of options appears including one to start the task manager.

Precious
23rd Apr 2013
12:40pm

Good one I didnt know that..very helpful

lillian
23rd Apr 2013
1:30pm

thanks Drew,you are very helpful

Hobbit
23rd Apr 2013
2:22pm

Why does Microsoft think moving things is:
a) a good idea
b) constitutes an update

Young Simmo
23rd Apr 2013
3:42pm

Here's another tip I got from the Windows 7 forum, if suddenly you can not open links (Site Addresses), do the following.

Do this,
Click Start
Click Control panel
Click Programs
Now under Default Programs, click set your default programs
Click Internet Explorer (2nd one down)
Click Set this program as default
Click OK

Boof
23rd Apr 2013
4:08pm

Young Simmo. Is internet Explorer the best default to have. It keeps coming up on mine, "Do you want to use Int Esplorer as your default program and i click "No". As i have something else. Don't ask me what, as I have forgotten. You can only have one. Is that right?

Young Simmo
23rd Apr 2013
4:20pm

Boof I am a long way short of being an expert, but recently a couple of mates have said they couldn't open links I sent to them. As is my usual way, I go into the Windows 7 forum
( http://www.sevenforums.com/ ) and chase up an answer.
If you go here ( http://www.sevenforums.com/browsers-mail/287043-cant-open-hyperlinks-new-post.html ) you will see where I asked a question and got an answer. I hope this helps a little bit, Cheers.

Beams
23rd Apr 2013
4:57pm

Boof I can assure you that you can have as many Search Engines (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Chrome, and others. You can just let them sit there and use them if and when you want.
If you ask me, I'd say that Chrome is the most "user friendly" and I would not change it for anything.
Mozilla Firefox is regarded as the "safest" and it is not bad either.
Internet Explorer would be the last of my options, but I leave it there, because there is the odd occasion when a programme will only work on it.

Boof
23rd Apr 2013
5:29pm

Thankyou. I'll try downloading all and leave them there. I was left behind in this field Born in 1943

Hobbit
23rd Apr 2013
5:47pm

Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome are not search engines they are browsers. Yahoo, Bing and Google are search engines. Of the browsers Chrome is the fastest, easiest and most importantly the most secure. It's a free download from Google and when you install it you can make it your default browser and import any favourites/bookmarks from your current/previous browser. By definition you can only have one default of anything.
Boof, born in 1943 is no excuse the computer students I have in the Broadband for Seniors program average 80 years old and my oldest student was 94. Don't talk yourself out of dealing with this technology it can and will improve your life.

Sweet pea
23rd Apr 2013
9:02pm

Hope you can come up with an answer to my strange question. Whilst typing, the cursor jumps to another line and before I know it, I have typed over the words. It is so frustrating, plus I can be in the middle of typing an email, sit back to read it when suddenly it disappears from the screen. And NO, I'm not drinking at the time!!

Young Simmo
23rd Apr 2013
9:14pm

Sweet pea, copy and paste this link into your address window (Top left corner) of home page. http://www.sevenforums.com/ Ask your question and get answers from Canada to Antartica. Cheers.

kenny
23rd Apr 2013
10:31pm

I agree with Sweet pea. I have this nearly every time when I send an email and while I am
trying to write a few lines .. then I click SEND an it disappears into the ether.Being 67yrs
of age Memory comes in dribs and drabs.I use a mouse does it hinder the writing of my
email.
Grumpy Ken

artlynk
23rd Apr 2013
11:53pm

Well, I think it's pretty hard to press Control, Shift and Escape at the same time!... why did they think that was better??? Do I try and do it all with my left hand, or use two hands in the same corner of the keyboard???
WEIRD!

jim&music
24th Apr 2013
12:09am

As I said before, If you have Windows 7, Right click on the blue taskbar at the bottom of the screen. A menu will appear, select Start Task Manager, this will open the Task Manager, then in Applications pick the task you want to quit, highlight it (left click) then at the bottom of this screen click on End Task. Minimise the task manager and go on with your business. - Much easier than holding down three keys at once in my opinion.

artlynk
24th Apr 2013
12:14am

I have window 8 though

jim&music
24th Apr 2013
12:23am

Try it anyway.

Hobbit
24th Apr 2013
8:27am

Sweet Pea it's hard to know what's happening with your typing without seeing what you are doing but, it's possible you have accidentally pressed the insert key (usually near the top of the keyboard). The insert key is a toggle switch; pressing it turns it on or off. So if your typing is going over the top (replacing existing type) press the insert key once to turn insert back on. If your typing is not replacing existing type you may be accidently touching the down arrow on your keyboard which will make it jump down one line for each press.

capricorn
24th Apr 2013
11:23am

I have recently bought an e-book reader (BAUER make) at Aldi and CANNOT download e-books from their recommended ebook websites. Can you please help me? John

jim&music
24th Apr 2013
11:33am

For a start I would try downloading some free ebooks from Amazon. See if that works depending on the format of your reader. you can always modify the format anyway, using a free download called Calibre. Other alternatives are to buy a CD on Ebay containing thousands of old books and useless information and try them out.

Hobbit
24th Apr 2013
12:27pm

Try:
http://www.free-ebooks.net/

artlynk
24th Apr 2013
1:47pm

hey, it worked, with windows 8!!!... well, I never knew that, thanks

Sweet pea
26th Apr 2013
11:17am

I appreciate you trying to help, but I can assure you I'm pretty good with the keyboard!

Elsie
27th Apr 2013
3:30pm

I'm with you Sweet pea. I have been having a similar issue for several months now as has my much younger friend and both of us have used computers for over 20 years, I have Microsoft Word 10 and when using Word or emails my words/part sentences/part words end up in another word/sentence etc somewhere else in the document or just disappear or even in the email I am replying to....so very frustrating. Would appreciate anyone who has the answer replying. In the meantime , I am off to sevenforums....cheers

jim&music
27th Apr 2013
5:16pm

Elsie and Sweet Pea - The only thing I can think of, is that somehow you are touching one of the CONTROL keys below the SHIFT keys. I type with two fingers so this only happens to me on rare occasions. But I have noticed it more so on Facebook than with Word.

Sweet pea
27th Apr 2013
6:35pm

I am not a two finger typist and I can assure you I would know if I touch one of the buttons. I was told by a technician from AWA that it most probably is the motherboard. I have since purchased a new notebook.

Elsie
27th Apr 2013
9:00pm

Agreed, but even if that was true what keys would need to be pressed to pick up 3 and 3/4 words and dump them in the middle of something typed prior...no hilighting and just absolutely no sense

Young Simmo
27th Apr 2013
10:33pm

Boy, I am a 73 year old amature computerist, but after reading these comments I feel like SUPERMAN. Listen ladies I will say it again, if you have a problem click on here and register and ask for help..... http://www.sevenforums.com ....This is the modern world and so much is for free.... PS, I know where to put a memory stick, memory card, and headphones in my computer, but don't know where to put Viagra, He, He, He.

Sweet pea
28th Apr 2013
8:11pm

My problem isn't with 'words' it is individual letters. For instance when I type my email address, I have to wait a split second between each letter and watch that the cursor moves. Im sure it has nothing to do with hitting the wrong keys, but thanks for trying.

Anonymous
29th Apr 2013
4:09pm

Maybe like myself a touch typist? Do check your drivers as this can be cause of above slowness as recently happened to me and didn't notice it slowing. On top of course of always buying new keyboards as the letters disappear if a touch typist. Being painted when old Olympia of 25 years still had pristine went it went to typewriter heaven - Lol.
Just updated my keyboard and mouse drivers for XP as well as other drivers with Driver Genius which downloads,installs, backs up and all for $28au as our dollar is higher.
http://www.driver-soft.com/

I was about to order a new computer with W7 on it but now the old one is fast as it was in 2008 and saved me heaps ha ha.
Drivers out for 7 as well as 8 right now and always good to keep them up but I had forgotten that over time - buying new keyboard that wouldnt unify made me realise it was drivers - 27 out of date. Saved me around $560 buying this program.
Hope that is a help but if not bookmark it anyway for future.

29th Apr 2013
4:13pm

if you are using Windows Vista, XP, 7 or 8, Ctrl, Alt and Delete will take you to a screen with multiple options, one of which is to start the Task Manager.

Drew on XP still is Ctrl+Alt+Del - must have forgotten.

Your new one on XP brings up Start page.

And Task Master is my best used some days before driver update as was freezing a lot and only way to get out etc.

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