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.
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.
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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
- Download ViveTool from the GitHub.
- Put the ZIP archive contents to the c:\vivetool folder.
- Right-click the Windows button in the taskbar and select Terminal(Admin) from the menu.
- In the command prompt, type the following command:
c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:36860984. Press Enter to run it.
- Restart Windows 11 for the changes to take effect.
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
- Right-click the Start button and select Run from the menu.
- Type
regeditin the Run box and and press Enter.
- In the Registry Editor, navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\4 key.
- Right-click the 4 subkey and select New > Key.
- Name the new key as 1887869580.
- Now right-click the newly created 1887869580 key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) value.
- Name the new value as EnabledState, and set its value data to 2.
- Now, right-click the 1887869580 key once again and again select New > DWORD (32-bit) value. Name it as EnabledStateOptions and leave its data as 0.
- Reboot Windows 11.
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.
-
enable task manager in taskbar context menu.reg- applies the reviewed Registry changes. -
undo task manager in taskbar context menu.reg- removes the changes from the Registry. - Now restart your computer, and you are done.
That's it.
Via PhantomfOfEarth
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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.