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Need a Guaranteed Fix Because Your Windows 11 Task Manager Refuses to Close Properly?
A recent Windows update for versions 24H2 and 25H2 has introduced a problem with the Task Manager. If you installed the preview update KB5067036 in late October 2025, you might notice this issue.
When you close the Task Manager window by clicking the ‘X’ button, the program does not fully shut down. Instead, it continues to run in the background. If you open Task Manager again, a new copy of it starts, while the old one remains active. This can happen multiple times. Having many copies of Task Manager running at once uses your computer’s memory and can cause it to slow down significantly. You can see these duplicate programs listed on the “Processes” tab inside the Task Manager itself.
Microsoft has acknowledged this bug and is working on a permanent solution. In the meantime, they have provided ways to close the program correctly. There are also community-developed fixes for more advanced users.
Official Ways to Close Task Manager
Instead of using the ‘X’ button, use one of these methods to ensure Task Manager closes completely:
- While in Task Manager, go to the Processes tab, find “Task Manager” in the list, select it, and then click the “End task” button.
- Right-click on the Task Manager icon in your computer’s taskbar and select “End task” from the menu that appears.
Advanced Community Fix
Users have discovered a more permanent fix that involves disabling a specific system feature. This method is for those who are comfortable with using system tools. You will need a program called ViveTool to run a command. After running the command and restarting your computer, the problem should be resolved. An alternative method involves directly modifying the Windows Registry.