Basic Computing

What is task manager and its role in Windows?

The task manager is the most useful internal tool in the Microsoft operating system. In this article, we will show you what the task manager is, what it is for , its functions and how you can access it, in order to fully control the operation of your computer and solve problems during its use.

What is Task Manager?

what is task manager
what is task manager

The Task Manager is an application that is within the Windows operating system, and provides data and information about other programs and processes that are running on the computer.

It also provides the performance indicators most used by the computer.

The Task Manager can be used to review computer performance, observe the status of running programs, and terminate them when they are not responding. Likewise, you can use the graphics and information about the central processing unit, CPU, and observe memory usage in detail.

So, the use of the CPU indicates how much of the processor capacity is being used in the tasks, in the event that the percentage is high, it means that the computer will consume a lot of energy, and it will be seen why the programs executed will be slow or they won’t respond.

What is the Windows Task Manager for?

Here are the main functions of the task manager :

  • Check why the program is not responding, this is the most frequent reason for users to enter the Windows 7 and later task manager . Here, not only can the unresponsive program be closed, but the problem can be detected, thus avoiding closing the program incorrectly, thus preventing the loss of information or data that could not be saved.

  • Restarting Windows Explorer, sometimes some files or programs do not respond, while others work correctly. So, restarting the explorer will be enough, the Windows 7 task manager gives you the option to close only what is not responding and will leave the computer operating normally.

  • Review of resources and performance, the task manager gives a global view of the processes that are running as well as having options to review the efficient performance of the operating system and the allocation of the respective resources.

This function also gives you a view of the data in real time, evaluation and diagnostic information, details of the network options that are working and other options that may be of your total interest.

  • Online review of a doubtful process, since on certain occasions the user observes some processes that he does not know in the task manager. In most cases, they are legal and have legitimacy, but if you have any doubts, you can corroborate by giving the process in question and an online review will begin with the name of the program and the process, helping to define if it is malicious or not .
  • Adding columns to see more information, as Windows 10 task manager by default has only: process name, CPU, memory, network and disk. But user can add more utility column. This can be done by right clicking on the header area.
  • Modify between percentages and values, when you are browsing in the process list, the CPU option shows percentages, but it can be modified to absolute values ​​if required. If you right-click on any of the processes, the resources menu will be displayed and this can be modified.
  • Administration of operating system programs in a simple way, in the task manager window you can carry out this action by clicking on the arrow that is displayed next to the program you want to administer. Within what can be done this: take it to the front, maximize, minimize or end it.
  • Location of a running program, although the easiest option is to search in the explorer, when the program is running, from the Windows 10 task manager window you can quickly enter the location of it.

You just have to click on the program in question and choose to open file location and it will take you immediately to the source folder, it can be done for programs and processes that run in the background.

  • The operating system prompt starts directly, in the task manager, you can choose the option to run a new task and the box to run is displayed.

This option allows you to manually restart the browser when it is not responding, but it can also be entered in the same way through the Windows menu by permanently pressing the control key.

  • Option Start of the system configuration, in this function the Windows 10 task manager , activates the command “msconfig” and allows access to the system, moving the start option to the task manager.

This option allows us to modify the programs that will be activated automatically when the computer starts up. This tool gives you detailed information about each program and how it affects the performance of the operating system, so the user can deactivate the ones he sees as the most inconvenient.

Command to open task manager

what is task manager
what is task manager

If the user needs to enter the task manager, then the different ways they can do it are presented:

  1. Execute option: press Win + R on the keyboard and type “taskmagr”.

  2. Simultaneously pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del: this way is known to all users, but the Windows 10 task manager does not start directly and you will have to give it one more click to start. You can consult this interesting article: type of buses .

  3. Advanced user menu: this is another option for quick entry using the mouse, click the right button on “Start” to enter the advanced menu. You will also find the Task Manager.

  4. Pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc at the same time: directly displays the task manager.

  5. In the task menu: by right-clicking on the task menu with the mouse, options are displayed and here you can enter the task manager.

How to open the Windows task manager?

This section shows in a practical way how to start the task manager. This time it is using the option to press Ctrl + Alt + Del at the same time.

The task manager is made up of different elements:

  • Menu in the upper area.
  • Various tabs: processes, applications, performance, networks and users.

Menu

Using the various menus, the user can see all the administrator functions:

  • Options menu: shows how the task manager behaves, whether it is performed in the foreground or in the background. And you can choose the option by giving it “Options”. To do this you must go to the Windows menu, and choose the windows you want to display.

  • Help: provides useful information to the user about the performance and functionality of each running program.

  • Exit the application: you can use the task manager to manage the performance of the computer and to close a program or application that does not respond.

Tabs

Another useful section is the use of tabs: applications, processes, performance, users and networks. We list each one below:

  • Applications: allows us to see the running programs, their status, if they are not responding. If you want to close it, select the program, click with the mouse and press finish tasks. The program will be closed.

  • Processes: here a list of the applications that are executed will be displayed and it is more for technicians or specialists. In this option you can observe the CPU usage and you can see the programs or processes that are overloading the system and making it slow. Most processes do not have easy to identify names: terms like MSIMN.exe, for example.

  • Performance: the performance option provides a global and technical view of the processes running on the computer, showing graphs of CPU usage and complete history.

  • Users: this is the last of the tabs that we can see as a complete view being users, in addition to the network. In the case of personal computers, only one user will be activated.

  • Networks: if you are connected to a network and you cannot close the session in a conventional way, you can do it from here, selecting the option Close Session in the lower area. It will return you to the Windows startup. In that part you can register as a user, this is the option for when the computer stops working completely.

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