task manager behind frozen window

This command first makes a brief attempt to close the window normally. If that fails, it will attempt to force the window closed by terminating its process. WinTitle: If this is the letter A and the other 3 window parameters are blank or omitted, the active window will be used.

I compiled this one-liner to an .EXE which you can download here .

If you're using Windows 10, you can switch to another desktop using Win + Tab and then open the task manager in desktop 2 to kill the full screen application in desktop 1. This works even if the application is set to stay-on-top.

This happened to me today on Windows 10 when the Snipping Tool froze while making the capture selection. I was able to get the Task Manager to show up by the following:

Try using command prompt.

You can kill tasks using command prompt just like Linux terminal.

Windows Key + R (Run)

type 'cmd' and click enter

type the command tasklist , press enter. you can see all tasks running in your system.

kill particular task/application by taskkill /f /im taskname

E.g.: If you want to kill notepad, type taskkill /f /im notepad.exe

If task manager won't come to the front, it's possible "always on top" is unchecked.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc to bring it open, hit Alt , and you should see the file menu of the task manager appear. Press → to go to options, ↓ to select always on top, and Space to enable it.

The easiest way is to Cntrl + shift + esc and then when it opens go into the process (little triangle bottom right) and right click "task manager", you can set it to always be in front, this brings it forward where you can access it.

Task manager can't always be opened. – user598527 Oct 8, 2017 at 11:54

If you can start Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc , but it isn't displayed because the culprit software is full screen, here is something you can try.

Use Alt + Tab to give the Task Manager focus. You still won't see it, but now it can accept keyboard input. Use your cursor to hover over Task Manager's icon in Windows' Task Bar: this will hopefully cause the Task Manager to be revealed. Now use your keyboard to end the process: this can usually be done by pressing the Arrow Keys to reach the culprit application, then press Delete . You might have to press Tab once to put focus on the application list first.

Task Manager has an always on top feature to make it appear above the offending app. You don't need to use the mouse to enable it , just open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc then turn it on by Alt + O - A . Even better, the option is sticky , so after enabling it will stay until you turn it off, and the next time you open Task Manager it'll still be on top

In Windows 10 the task manager is even more special: no other app can be drawn over it , not even other always-on-top apps. See Is Task Manager a special kind of 'Always on Top' window for windows 10?

I had to hit the Windows key , then in the search bar, type:

Pressing the following sequence should work if screen snip or a similar program freezes:

Alt + PrtScn then Alt + F4

I may have done

❖ Win + Tab

And sent the app to a new desktop before this so try both for luck!

If this doesn't work, I suggest a reboot.

Here's a little autohotkey script with GUI, which will TERMINATE a process instead of peacefully closing it, so instead of WinKill here, we will use Process :

I found an unconventional solution in Windows 10; I pressed the Windows key (the only thing that was still responding at the time, the snipping tool had taken over the whole screen), and I told it to restart. It popped up a screen where it tells you what programs the restart is waiting to close, I waited for 5 or 10 seconds and then canceled the restart. Only a few programs remained open, and the Snipping Tool was finally closed. I don't know if everyone's computer will give the user adequate time to allow programs to close and then cancel, if your computer is fast it might restart quicker. I am not sure.

I had this issue with Snipping Tool. I couldn't resolve it with any of the above but finally tried using a Snipping Tool keyboard shortcut ( Ctrl + Print Screen ) and that somehow kicked it out of whatever it was stuck in.

2 This was posted as an answer, but it does not attempt to answer the question. It should possibly be an edit, a comment, another question, or deleted altogether. – Ramhound Sep 14, 2018 at 21:19

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged windows-7 windows windows-8 task-manager kill or ask your own question .

Hot Network Questions

Your privacy

By clicking “Accept all cookies”, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy .

Killing a frozen program when you can't see task manager

smodtactical

The game prototype freezes on me (windows 8) when I try to alt tab out and back. Everything else is still working. I bring up task manager but task manager is hidden behind a frozen screen of prototype. I can even bring up the metro panel fine I just can't use any program to force prototype to close. I have a second monitor and everything in terms of programs is running fine on that but when I bring up task manager it goes to my main display that has the frozen prototype that won't allow it to the foreground to be used. Is there a way I can move the task manager to my second monitor without a mouse? That way I'd be able to use it to force prototype to close. Thanks!

Hey I just figured it out, Win + Shift + Right arrow brought task manager to the second monitor and then I was able to force prototype to close. YES! Thanks.

[H]ard|Gawd

On single monitor Windows 8 PC I do: Ctrl+Alt+Del Log off Log on Problem solved

almalino said: On single monitor Windows 8 PC I do: Ctrl+Alt+Del Log off Log on Problem solved Click to expand...

WorldExclusive

[h]f junkie.

In Win8, I would press either the windows key or alt+enter to exit a game. If that doesn't work, The Cobra medthod is the backup. For other programs that don't go fullscreen, I have the Task Manager pinned to the Task Bar, no Ctrl+Alt+Del required.

takmanager -> options -> always on top problem solved logging out works but you lose anything you had open

Lord Nassirbannipal

jiminator said: takmanager -> options -> always on top problem solved logging out works but you lose anything you had open Click to expand...

May 25, 2014

win+r taskkill /im prototype.exe

Originally posted by Trigger : Already knew this, but thanks for the tip I guess?

Originally posted by Keyes : You can add that you should use the kill the process than trying to close the "non reponding program" in task manager. It seems to have a fit (source games sometimes do that) but just using the process tab makes it easier.

Originally posted by Baby, I'm a firework. : if the game is blocking it after you've gotten task manager up, you could just alt tab and bring it to the front.

Originally posted by BlackBloodRum : Using Half Life 2 as example: Press ctrl alt f1, login to the command prompt. Run command: killall hl2_linux -9 Run command: logout Press ctrl alt f7, your back at your desktop and game is gone :-)

Originally posted by The Green Dragon 53 : You have no idea how much of a God send you are for this tip. You have seriously saved me from mountains of future . I know this might be 3 years late, but thank you.

Report this post

How to Get Rid of a Window That Is Frozen & Won't Go Away

How to Delete the Lsass.exe Virus

How to stop a program from running in the background, how to stop adaware from booting on startup.

The last thing you want to see when you're working on an important project is a frozen program. Apart from potentially causing you to lose your work, it can also be a source of frustration if it doesn't want to close at all. Windows Task Manager provides a few different option to close a program or window in case the frozen program or window is especially stubborn.

Task Manager's primarily way to force close a program is the "End Task" function. Open Task Manager, navigate to the "Processes" tab and select the frozen program or window. If it's a File Explorer window, select "Windows Explorer" (the Windows 8 name change to "File Explorer" hasn't made it to Task Manager yet, evidently) under "Apps." For any program, click "End Task." If you have selected Windows Explorer, click "Restart" in place of "End Task".

End Process Tree

If ending the task doesn't work, there is an option that attempts to end the entire process tree instead of just the individual task. Select the "Details" tab in Task Manager, right-click on the process you want to end and then click "End Process Tree." This will attempt to close the program and all associated processes. Before doing this, attempt to save any work if you can.

Log Out or Restart

In some rare instances, programs will refuse to close at all. At this point you can force reset your programs by logging out and logging back in or restarting your computer. If the program absolutely refuses to close, you may need to force restart by pressing and holding your computer's power button for five to ten seconds and then power it up again.

Troubleshooting

If you find that your computer or certain programs are freezing on a regular basis, there may be some error causing this rather than a rare failure. Scan your computer for viruses and malware to make sure your system isn't infected. Also consider uninstalling and reinstalling the offending program if the freezes are limited to just one application. Try to avoid running too many programs at the same time, especially if you don't have much RAM in your system, as this can cause freezes more often.

Based in California, James Wright has been writing since 1998. Wright's articles have been published on various websites with a focus on technical fields such as computers and the Internet, and were also featured in a now-retired publication for an online artistic community. Wright studied English, journalism, politics and psychology at Riverside Community College.

How to close window applications on windows 7, how to close a frozen application in task manager, how to force quit ms word, how to close programs on an android phone, how to remove unwanted computer processes, how to prevent aol from starting up when accessing the internet, how to get rid of file genie malware, how to find out if a process has been suspended in windows, outlook.exe is not closing, most popular.

How to Exit out of a Frozen Computer Program

Last Updated: December 10, 2022

This article was co-authored by Chiara Corsaro . Chiara Corsaro is the General Manager and Apple Certified Mac & iOS Technician for macVolks, Inc., an Apple Authorized Service Provider located in the San Francisco Bay Area. macVolks, Inc. was founded in 1990, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, and is part of the Apple Consultants Network (ACN). This article has been viewed 213,534 times.

Sometimes a program will just not respond to any commands and will need to be forcibly shut down. There are a few different ways to do this, depending on the severity of the broken program, and your operating system.

Using Task Manager (Windows)

Image titled Exit out of a Frozen Computer Program Step 1

Solve this problem in the future by clicking on the Options tab in the upper left corner off the Task Manager window, then make sure Always on top is selected from the dropdown menu.

Image titled Exit out of a Frozen Computer Program Step 4

Troubleshooting

Image titled Exit out of a Frozen Computer Program Step 6

Using the Command Prompt (Windows)

Image titled Exit out of a Frozen Computer Program Step 9

If prompted, select Yes from the pop-up dialog box.

Image titled Exit out of a Frozen Computer Program Step 10

Using Force Quit (Mac)

Image titled Exit out of a Frozen Computer Program Step 11

Expert Q&A Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

If none of the steps work, you may have to force restart your computer. While you do risk losing work, this may be your only option. Press and hold the Power button until your computer shuts off. Power it up again after a few minutes. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Video . By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.

↑ Chiara Corsaro. Computer Specialist. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.

About This Article

Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Joyce Graber

Jun 17, 2016

Is this article up to date?

Wade Mcdonough

Sep 20, 2017

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve

3 Ways to Force-Close Frozen Apps on Your PC

Posted on July 28, 2022 by Ben Stegner

Hopefully, apps don’t freeze on your computer frequently. But when an app stops responding, it’s important to know how to force it to close. And if you have to do so regularly, there are other ways to force-close apps more efficiently.

Let’s look over the best ways to force-close apps on Windows when they won’t respond to being closed normally.

Make Sure the App Is Frozen

When you think an app is frozen, first give it a minute. Sometimes Windows will think an app is stuck when it’s bogged down in a process, so the “not responding” message will clear itself up.

If this doesn’t clear up, try closing the app normally with the X icon in the top-right corner, or with the keyboard shortcut Alt + F4 . These methods have Windows ask the app to close instead of forcing it to.

Assuming the app doesn’t close when you do so, move onto the below methods that take stronger action. Be aware that force-closing an app is not “graceful”, so you will lose any unsaved work.

1. Force-Close With the Task Manager

The Task Manager is the most reliable method of closing stuck apps. To open it, press Ctrl + Shift +Esc . In the simple view, click an app and choose End task to close it.

If you’re using the full Task Manager view, click an app name on the Processes tab and choose End task to force-close an app.

Check out our guide to using the Task Manager for a lot more on this utility.

2. Force-Close Apps Using a Shortcut

If you don’t want to open the Task Manager and locate the app in question every time one locks up, you can create a shortcut to kill all frozen apps. This takes a moment to set up, but will save time in the future.

To set this up, right-click any empty area on your desktop and choose New > Shortcut . When asked for the shortcut location, enter this command:

taskkill /f /fi "status eq not responding"

To explain what this command does:

When asked to name your shortcut, give it any name you like, such as Force-Close Frozen Apps . The shortcut will then appear on your desktop like any other icon. Double-click it when an app is frozen and Windows will terminate that process.

3. Force-Close Using a Third-Party App

Interested in another method? Try the tiny utility SuperF4 . With it running, press Ctrl + Alt + F4 to force-close the current app. If you press Win + F4 , there’s a secondary mode that lets you click on any window to close it.

The app doesn’t receive updates often, but it’s a simple utility that’s worth keeping around if your apps often lock up.

Force-Close Pesky Apps With Ease

It’s annoying when apps freeze, but using these methods, you have options. If a particular app stops working all the time, you might need to troubleshoot that app by tweaking settings, reinstalling it, or replacing it with an alternative.

For more specific help, we have a walkthrough on troubleshooting Google Chrome .

3 ways to force quit apps or programs on a Windows PC

When things go wrong, it can feel like time slows down. And when it comes to technology, unexpected issues, like an application freezing up, can bring your day to a halt.

When an app becomes unresponsive and won't close, you have no choice but to deal with it right away.

Here are three common methods to force quit on a Windows computer.

How to force quit on Windows using a keyboard shortcut

Be aware that if you don't complete step one of this method, your computer — rather than the app — will shut down.

1. Click to select the application that has stopped working.

2. Press Alt + F4 .

How to force quit on Windows using Task Manager

1. Press Control + Alt + Delete .

2. Choose Task Manager .

3. Select the application that you want to force quit.

4. Click End task .

How to force quit on Windows using Command Prompt

The Command Prompt app used to be installed on all Windows computers, but has since been replaced by PowerShell for the most recent versions. If your computer has PowerShell, you can switch back to Command Prompt , if desired.

1. Press Windows key + R .

2. Type cmd into the search box and press Enter .

3. Type tasklist into the Command Prompt. You'll then see a list of tasks and programs running on your computer.

4. Enter taskkill/im [name_of_program].exe . For example, if you want to quit Firefox, you'd enter taskkill/im firefox.exe .

5. Press Enter .

You should see a confirmation message once you've completed these steps.

IMAGES

[5 Ways] Fix Cannot Safely Remove/Eject SD Memory Card in Windows
Task Manager Hidden Behind a Frozen Window! How to Use It?
Task Manager Hidden Behind a Frozen Window! How to Use It?
The Windows Task Manager (Core Windows Tools)
49+ Fakten über Windows 10 Taskmanager Öffnen: Auch über einen windows 10 verfügt taskmanager
How to open Task Manager in Windows 11

VIDEO

1953 Jaguar XK120 Roadster (OTS) Matching Numbers for Restoration $34,950
No Startup Items in Task Manager [Fix]
Frozen window cracks and falls down
Frozen Window Screen
Frozen Window
frozen window screen

COMMENTS

What Is a Task Environment?
An organization’s task environment is the collection of factors that affects its ability to achieve goals. Common factors in the task environment include competitors, customers, suppliers and distributors.
What Is Task Interdependence?
Task interdependence sets rules and guidelines for the sharing of expertise, materials and information between members of an organization working on interdependent tasks.
Seven Ways to Open the Windows Task Manager
Bringing up Task Manager is not much of a task itself, but it’s always fun knowing different ways of doing things. And some of them might even come in handy if you can’t open Task Manager the way you’re used to. Join 425,000 subscribers an...
Task Manager Hidden Behind a Frozen Window! How to Use It?
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and then select Task Manager from the screen appears. If possible, you can also right-click the taskbar and then select Task
How do I kill a program that hung with an always-on-top fullscreen
How do I kill a program that hung with an always-on-top fullscreen window? · Hit Ctrl + Alt + Del and say that you want to run Task Manager.
Killing a crashed game which hides taskmanager : r/Windows10
AlomWare Reset can help. It closes all open apps and windows, terminates non-system processes, etc. You can even "reset" your PC by pressing
windows 7
Ctrl + Shift + Esc to bring it open, hit Alt , and you should see the file menu of the task manager appear. Press → to go to options, ↓ to
Killing a frozen program when you can't see task manager
By far the easiest method to kill a frozen program. The other thing you can do is bring up a command prompt and type in "shutdown /r" This will
How to end a frozen game's task with Task Manager when you can't
1. When your game freezes, press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select "Task Manager" · 2. Once Task Manager is opened up, right click on Task Manager's tray
How to Close a Frozen Game When Alt-f4 and the Task ...
How to Close a Frozen Game When Alt-f4 and the Task Manager Don't WorkIssues addressed in this tutorial:game freeze windows 10windows 10
How to Get Rid of a Window That Is Frozen & Won't Go Away
Task Manager's primarily way to force close a program is the "End Task" function. Open Task Manager, navigate to the "Processes" tab and select the frozen
3 Ways to Exit out of a Frozen Computer Program
Switch to the Task Manager window. If after clicking the Task Manager link, you do not see any window pop up, it may be hidden behind the frozen program.
3 Ways to Force-Close Frozen Apps on Your PC
The Task Manager is the most reliable method of closing stuck apps. To open it, press Ctrl + Shift +Esc. In the simple view
3 ways to force quit apps or programs on a Windows PC
To quickly force quit on Windows, use the keyboard shortcut Alt + F4. · You can also force quit on Windows by using Task Manager or Command