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Microsoft finally adds a Task Manager link to the Windows 11 taskbar

Sergiu gatlan.

Windows 11

Microsoft has finally re-added a link to the Task Manager to the taskbar's contextual menu in the latest Windows 11 Insider preview build.

This feature has been a popular entry on the list of user requests since Windows 11 was  released  almost one year ago, on October 4, 2021.

Redmond also confirmed it made the change based on customer feedback and that it's enabled starting with Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25211 released to the Dev Channel today.

"Based on your feedback, we've added a link to Task Manager when right-clicking on the taskbar," Microsoft's Amanda Langowski and Brandon LeBlanc said.

Support for rearranging System Tray icons is also rolling out to Insiders who have the System Tray updates from  Build 25197 .

"If your PC does not have these changes, your System Tray experience will remain the same as before," they  added .

Windows 11 task manager in taskbar

With today's Dev channel preview build, Microsoft also started rolling out a new settings experience for Widgets allowing users to set the widgets board open on a mouse hover over the taskbar icon.

They'll also see toggles for showing notification badges and showing announcements as rotating updates from widgets on the taskbar.

In a separate Insider release to the Beta channel ( Build 22623.730 ), the company also re-introduced the touch-optimized taskbar that should make it more comfortable to use Windows 11 devices as a tablet.

"Your taskbar will automatically transition to this optimized version when you disconnect or fold back the keyboard on your 2-in-1 device," Langowski and LeBlanc said.

"This feature only works on devices that can be used as tablets. It does not work on laptops or desktop PCs."

In February, Microsoft also  brought back taskbar drag and drop support  with the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22557 to the Dev Channel.

With that change, Windows 11 allowed users once again to drag and drop files between apps by hovering the mouse over their taskbar icons.

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Knight_of_BAAWA Photo

Knight_of_BAAWA - 5 months ago

Only a year late. Should have never been released without it.

lonegull Photo

lonegull - 5 months ago

Right click on the start icon the Task Manager has been listed there since Windows 11 release.

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How to Enable Task Manager in Taskbar Context Menu on Windows 11

By releasing the "Moment 1" October update for  Windows 11 2022 Update, version 22H2, Microsoft has finally shipped several long awaited features, such as Tabs in File Explorer, Taskbar Overflow, and the Task Manager  item in the context menu of the taskbar. As Microsoft rolls out new features gradually in its typical fashion, some users didn't get the Task Manager entry even after installing the 22621.675/KB5019509 update. Here's how to force enable the new taskbar context menu.

Task Manager In Taskbar Context Menu

Having the Task Manager in the right-click menu of the taskbar, is a convenient and familiar way to launch it. Sadly it took Microsoft two releases in a row to restore this tiny option.

The taskbar in Windows 11 no longer includes the legacy code used in previous OS versions, so its doesn't include several of its traditional options. You cannot ungroup apps or enable text labels for them. But Microsoft is slowly restoring the missing features, as it happened to the Task Manager menu item.

There are two ways to enable the Task Manager right-click menu option for the taskbar. You can either use the ViveTool app or a Registry tweak. Let's review them.

Enable Task Manager in Taskbar Right-click Context Menu on Windows 11

Select Terminal(Admin) from the menu

Done! You can now right-click the taskbar and launch the Task Manager app.

Here's also an alternative method that allows you enabling the updated taskbar right-click menu without downloading anything. Instead you have to change a few values in the Registry.

Add Task Manager to the Right-Click Menu of the Taskbar in the Registry

Select Run from the Start right-click menu

select New > Key

Regardless of the method you used, you should now have the Task Manager in the taskbar right-click menu.

To save your time, I have prepared REG files with the tweak above. The ZIP archive also includes the undo file.

Download Ready-to-use REG files

Navigate here to download the ZIP archive. Extract it to any convenient location, and double-click the following file.

Via PhantomfOfEarth

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram , Twitter , and YouTube . View all posts by Sergey Tkachenko

11 thoughts on “How to Enable Task Manager in Taskbar Context Menu on Windows 11”

I lost my solitaire games somehow and I cannot get them back as the .exe file wants to extract them to the wrong location. I have had windows 11 for 7 months now and the 2 solitaire games for Win 7 and 8 ran perfectly and now they are gone and I need then

doesn’t do the job

What’s your build number?

Doesn’t work for me as well Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22623.746]

How do I enable show desktop in this menu?

There is no way. Microsoft must add it first.

I downloaded vivetool (latest as of 2 Dec ’22) and used it according to the instructions above, and I now have the Task Manager shortcut in my taskbar context menu (right-click on taskbar). My question is this: is deleting all of the files in C:\vivetool and deleting the folder enough to remove vivetool from my PC? I’ve done that, and the taskbar context menu still works as desired, but I can’t find anything that tells me how to uninstall vivetool completely.

yep deleting the vivetool files is enough

Worked great. Thanks! For some reason my laptop didn’t have this setting but desktop did. Drove me crazy until I found this article. Kudos to Microsoft for finding the least intuitive registry value name for this function!

Works perfectly in Win 11 Pro, Version 21H2, OS Build 22000.1335 A full system reboot is required, not a simple log off/log on. This is very handy when remoting into a non-full RDP screen or other environments where keystrokes are not sent to the remote system automatically (they’re executed on the local system instead).

Indeed. They should add this to all production versions of Windows 11 asap.

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How to Add a Task Manager Option to the Taskbar Context Menu

Make opening the Task Manager a breeze by adding a Taskbar context menu entry on Windows.

The Task Manager is among the most important components of a Windows PC. There are multiple ways by which you can access the Task Manager on your computer. But among them all, the most convenient way is to right-click on the Taskbar and choose Task Manager from the context menu.

Unfortunately, this method is disabled by default on Windows 11. In this article, we'll explore how you can enable the Task Manager option in the Taskbar context menu.

How to Enable Task Manager Option in Taskbar Context Menu?

There are two ways by which you can add the Task Manager option to the Taskbar context menu. One is by using the Registry Editor, whereas, in the other method, we will use the Vivetool.

Note that your system must be on OS Build 22621.675 or later to add this feature.

There are many ways to check the build number on Windows . To do it using the Settings menu, navigate to System > About . You can see the OS build number under the Windows specification section.

Enable Task Manager Using the Registry Editor

If you're an expert Windows user, you can add the Task Manager to the Taskbar context menu by editing a registry file. As you may know, modifying registry files is risky, as one wrong move can damage your device. Therefore, you should back up the Windows registry before making any changes.

To enable the Task Manager option in the Taskbar context menu, use the following steps:

That's it. Now, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Enable Task Manager Using ViVeTool

ViVeTool is a tool using which you can activate extra features on Windows. Windows 11 comes with some well-hidden features by default, but you can use this tool to try features that are currently in the testing phase.

To enable the Task Manager option in the Taskbar context menu using ViVeTool, follow the below instructions:

Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

You can also disable the Task Manager option from the Taskbar context menu using ViVeTool. To do this, you need to type /disable /id: 36860984 next to the location and execute the command.

Quickly Access the Task Manager on Windows 11

The Task Manager is one such tool that helps manage background apps, startup applications, and more on Windows 11. You can open the Taskbar by pressing its shortcut key or searching it in the Windows search menu. But the fastest way to access it is by right-clicking on the Taskbar and choosing Task Manager from the context menu.

Now that you know how to access the Task Manager, why not learn how to use its efficiency mode?

How to add Task Manager option in Taskbar context menu in Windows 11

add Task Manager option in Taskbar context menu in Windows 11

Add Task Manager option in the Taskbar context menu in Windows 11

1] registry editor, 2] vivetool.

Once the command is executed successfully, restart your computer.

Also read: How to use the new Task Manager in Windows 11 2022

How do I get Task Manager on Windows 11 Taskbar?

Where is the task manager option in windows 11.

Read next: Task Manager is not responding, opening or disabled by administrator in Windows .

[email protected]

Latest Windows 11 update adds the Task Manager to the taskbar context menu

Microsoft is rolling out yet another cumulative update for Windows 11 users, with a few new features being gradually enabled.

Microsoft has been releasing quite a lot of Windows updates over the past week or so, and there's another new one rolling out now. The company has released this month's optional update for Windows 11 users, both on the original release and Windows 11 version 22H2. This follows the first "moment" update - which you might call something of a feature drop - for Windows 11 version 22H2, which was released just last week with big features like File Explorer tabs .

The two updates have a lot in common, but the main shared element is the addition of a Task Manager button to the context menu that appears when you right-click the taskbar. This was present in many builds that were released to Windows Insiders last week, and now it's available to general users. The taskbar was the easiest way to access the context menu in Windows 10, but that option was removed with Windows 11, so it's great to see it back.

Aside from that, each update packs different changes, though users on Windows 11 version 22H2 are getting the bulk of the news. Those users can install the update labeled KB5018496 , which can be downloaded manually here . This brings the build number up to 22621.755. The highlights of this update include some visual changes to the search experience and the Windows backup settings. Here's a breakdown of the bigger changes:

New! It enhances search visual treatments on the taskbar to improve discoverability. This is available to a small audience initially and deploys more broadly in the months that follow. Some devices might notice different visual treatments as we gather feedback. To learn more about why you might be seeing these changes, see Search for anything, anywhere . New! It enhances the backup experience when using your Microsoft Account (MSA). Some devices might notice visual treatments for this enhancement. This is available to a small audience initially and deploys more broadly in the months that follow. New! It adds improvements to the Microsoft Account experience in Settings. For instance, you can manage your Microsoft OneDrive subscription and related storage alerts. New! It adds Task Manager to the context menu when you right-click the taskbar. This feature rolls out in the coming weeks. It addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge when it is in IE Mode. The titles of pop-up windows and tabs are wrong. It addresses an issue that might cause vertical and horizontal line artifacts to appear on the screen. It addresses an issue in that stops the credential UI from displaying in IE mode when you use Microsoft Edge. It addresses an issue that might fail to sync the audio when you record game play using the Xbox Game Bar. It addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. It is less dependable when you browse for Microsoft OneDrive folders. It addresses an issue that affects the Start menu. It stops working when you use keyboard commands to move pinned items to a folder at the end of a list. It stops the start of daylight saving time in Jordan at the end of October 2022. The Jordan time zone will permanently shift to the UTC + 3 time zone.

If you want to get the full scope of what's changed, you can find that below:

As for users on the initial release of Windows 11, they're getting the update labeled as KB501848 , which gets them build 22000.1165. The update can be downloaded manually here , and side from the Task Manager option in the taskbar, the only other major addition is improved performance for Windows search. Here are the highlights:

New! It adds improvements to Windows search results and performance. New! It adds Task Manager to the context menu when you right-click the taskbar. This feature rolls out in the coming weeks. It addresses an issue that causes an OS upgrade to stop responding, and then it fails. It addresses an issue that affects a task you schedule to run every two weeks. It runs every week instead. It addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Direct3D 9 games. The graphics hardware stops working if the hardware does not have a native Direct3D 9 driver. It addresses an issue that affects the font of three Chinese characters. When you format these characters as bold, the width size is wrong. It addresses graphical issues in games that use Microsoft D3D9 on some platforms. It addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge when it is in IE Mode. The titles of pop-up windows and tabs are wrong. It addresses an issue that affects the lasso tool in a graphic editing program. It addresses an issue that affects Dual SIM calling. If you select no SIM on your phone and initiate a call on your device, Dual SIM functionality does not work. It addresses an issue in that stops the credentials UI from displaying in IE mode when you use Microsoft Edge. It stops the start of daylight saving time in Jordan at the end of October 2022. The Jordan time zone will permanently shift to the UTC + 3 time zone

You can read the full changelog below if you want all the details:

As per usual, these updates are optional, so they won't be installed automatically. However, these changes will be rolled into the next Patch Tuesday update on November 8th, along with any other changes Microsoft makes until then. That update will be mandatory so everyone will get these changes sooner or later.

How to add quick access to Task Manager on Windows 11

Here are three ways to create quick access to the Task Manager on Windows 11.

windows-11-task-manager-open-2021

On Windows 11, you can no longer right-click the Taskbar to open Task Manager since the new design includes a limited context menu, and while there are still some other ways to launch the experience (for example, from the Quick Link menu by right-clicking the Start button or using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut), you can also add few other quicker ways to open Task Manager from the Taskbar, Start menu, or desktop.

In this Windows 11 guide, we will show you three easy ways to add quick access to the Task Manager.

How to add Task Manager access from Taskbar

How to add task manager access from start menu.

To add quick access to Task Manager from the Taskbar, use these steps:

Once you complete the steps, you can always start Task Manager quickly from the Taskbar.

To add a button to open Task Manager from the Start menu, use these steps:

After you complete the steps, the Task Manager icon will be easily accessible from the top of the Start menu.

How to add Task Manager access from Desktop

To create a shortcut to open Task Manager on Windows 11, use these steps:

Once you complete the steps, the shortcut will give you quick access to Task Manager from the Windows 11 desktop.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

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Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community.

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IMAGES

  1. How to open Task Manager in Windows 11

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  2. How to Open Task Manager From Taskbar in Windows 11

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  3. You can’t launch Task Manager from the Taskbar in Windows 11

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  4. You can’t launch Task Manager from the Taskbar in Windows 11

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  5. Number of ways to Open Task Manager in Windows 11

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  6. How to Open Task Manager in Windows 11

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VIDEO

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  2. Windows 11 22H2 Task Manager Options in Taskbar

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  5. End Task

  6. ✅ TASK MANAGER is available on taskbar

COMMENTS

  1. Microsoft finally adds a Task Manager link to the Windows 11 taskbar

    Microsoft has finally re-added a link to the Task Manager to the taskbar's contextual menu in the latest Windows 11 Insider preview build.

  2. How to Enable Task Manager in Taskbar Context Menu on Windows

    Enable Task Manager in Taskbar Right-click Context Menu on Windows 11 · Right-click the Windows button in the taskbar and select Terminal(Admin)

  3. How to Add a Task Manager Option to the Taskbar Context Menu

    The Task Manager is one such tool that helps manage background apps, startup applications, and more on Windows 11. You can open the Taskbar by

  4. How to Run Task Manager on Windows 11 (6-Ways)

    To open Task Manager, right-click the Start button on the taskbar. Select "Task Manager" from the menu that appears, and Task Manager will be launched.

  5. Can I get Task Manager back as a right-click option in Windows 11?

    In order to get Task manager back using right click over the taskbar, please open Regedit, then expand the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\

  6. How to Add Task Manager Option in Taskbar Context ...

    How to Add Task Manager Option in Taskbar Context Menu In Windows 11 Subscribe for the next update notification:

  7. How to Enable New Task Manager Button on Taskbar Right-Click in

    Commands used and more info: https://itstechbased.com/how-to-enable-new-task-manager-button-on-taskbar-right-click-in-windows-11-25211/➤

  8. Add Task Manager option in Taskbar context menu in Windows 11

    The Task Manager option is available in Win+X or WinX menu of Windows 11. You can also open Task Manager using the Search box, Ctrl+Shift+Esc

  9. Latest Windows 11 update adds the Task Manager to the taskbar

    Latest Windows 11 update adds the Task Manager to the taskbar context menu · It adds improvements to Windows search results and performance. · It

  10. How to add quick access to Task Manager on Windows 11

    How to add Task Manager access from Taskbar · Open Start. · Search for Task Manager and click the top result to open the app. · Right-click the