https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/16/23834125/microsoft-windows-task-manager-pause-shortcut

Skip to main content
 The Verge logo.The Verge homepage

  * The Verge homepageThe Verge logo./
  * Tech/
  * Reviews/
  * Science/
  * Entertainment/
  * MoreMenu

 The Verge logo.
Menu

  * Microsoft/
  * Tech/
  * Windows

Today I learned you can easily pause the Windows Task Manager to stop
apps moving around

Today I learned you can easily pause the Windows Task Manager to stop
apps moving around

/

Hold down CTRL with the Task Manager open in Windows and prepare to
be amazed.

By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming,
console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to
Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.

Aug 16, 2023, 11:21 AM UTC|

Share this story

  * 
  * 
  * 

A user types on the Surface Pro 8 from behind. The screen displays
the Windows 11 Start menu on a white and blue background.
Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

I can't believe I've been struggling with apps in the Task Manager
randomly moving around without realizing there's a simple keyboard
shortcut to pause the Task Manager and stop its contents in their
tracks. Yup, all you have to do is hold down the CTRL key and it will
pause the Task Manager on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, and perhaps
even older versions of Windows, too.

This legitimately useful tip comes from Jen Gentleman, a Microsoft
employee on the Windows engineering team that regularly shares
helpful shortcuts and tips for Windows. I've used Windows for more
than 20 years, and I'm still learning the many ways you can do tasks
in the operating system on a monthly basis.

If you're used to turning to the Task Manager to end faulty tasks
then you might not even need to open it at all soon. Microsoft is
working on a force quit option to close apps without the Task Manager
in Windows 11 simply from a right-click option in the taskbar. But
the hold CTRL option to pause the Task Manager will still be useful
for everyone who hasn't upgraded to Windows 11 just yet.

While I have your attention, you might also like to know that you can
spin the gear in Windows 11's Notepad app. It's like a digital fidget
spinner, and part of the many delightful little additions to Windows
11. Microsoft has hidden little Easter eggs like this in Windows for
decades; there was even a hidden prompt in Windows 95 that was only
discovered in 2021.

Most Popular

 1. Elon Musk keeps getting creepier

    -----------------------------------------------------------------
 2. Linus Tech Tips pauses production as controversy swirls

    -----------------------------------------------------------------
 3. It's time to rethink our relationships with streaming services

    -----------------------------------------------------------------
 4. Google Chrome will summarize entire articles for you with
    built-in generative AI

    -----------------------------------------------------------------
 5. TweetDeck is officially becoming a paid service

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

Verge Deals

/ Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent
to your inbox daily.

Email (required)[                    ]Sign up
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
From our sponsor

 

 
Advertiser Content FromSponsor logo
Sponsor thumbnail

More from Microsoft

  * Microsoft Teams inside the Xbox Game Bar on Windows 11Microsoft
    Teams inside the Xbox Game Bar on Windows 11

    Microsoft Teams is now part of the Xbox Game Bar so you can
    stream gameplay to friends

  * A screenshot from Starfield.A screenshot from Starfield.

    Where to preorder the various editions of Starfield (and what's
    included)

  * Hands with additional fingers typing on a keyboard.Hands with
    additional fingers typing on a keyboard.

    Bing, Bard, and ChatGPT: How AI is rewriting the internet

  * [yH5BAEAAAA][M365_Group]

    Microsoft's new Office default theme and font arrives in
    September

  * 
     
    Advertiser Content FromSponsor logo

     

 The Verge logo.

  * Terms of Use
  * Privacy Notice
  * Cookie Policy
  * Do Not Sell Or Share My Personal Info
  * Licensing FAQ
  * Accessibility
  * Platform Status
  * How We Rate and Review Products

  * Contact
  * Tip Us
  * Community Guidelines
  * About
  * Ethics Statement

The Verge is a vox media network

  * Advertise with us
  * Jobs @ Vox Media

(c) 2023 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved