If you grew up usingWindows computers, you know that Ctrl + Alt + Delete is a magic combination that can get you out of sticky situations. It could help yourestart the computer, shut it down, and even open up Task Manager, which could help you get windows that were stuck to close. Force-quitting something to make your computer normal again was a satisfying way to wipe a chaotic screen clean.
But most people probably haven’t thought about Task Manager much since those days. Either that or you only thought it could be used to force quit unresponsive browsers and apps. But Task Manager can do so much more. In fact, it can actually make your computer run more efficiently.
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Whether you haveWindows 10or Windows 11, there are features embedded that can be put to good use within Task Manager. It’s no longer just for getting things that weren’t working to stop trying. It’s now for helping your entire computer work to its fullest potential. Here’s more on howTask Managercan be a secret weapon for Windows users.
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What you can get out of your Task Manager
It may look different depending on the OS
There’s a lot of information stored in Task Manager. If you haven’t looked into it before, you do need to be careful about what you’re poking around – you could seriously affect your computer and even make parts of the operating system less efficient if you don’t follow the right steps.
If you aren’t sure what you’re doing, ensure to read about Task Manager before using it.
When you open Task Manager, it will open intoProcesses. It shows you all the processes that are currently happening, what’s taking up the most power, and how efficiently everything is running. If you hold down theCtrlbutton, the Task Manager will freeze, allowing you to take a look at everything more closely. Once you let it go, the Task Manager will begin updating again and moving processes up and down the list as they turn on and off.
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Efficiency Mode is meant for lower-priority apps that may be taking up more CPU usage than you want them to.
If you notice that one of the apps is taking up a ton of CPU usage, you can end the task by right-clicking on it and clickingEnd task. This will stop it from running and will free up some space. The Task Manager is where you can find out which apps start when you open your computer, which allows you to change what starts up when you log in. This is done by clicking on the Startup Apps portion of Task Manager.
If you want to stop a specific app from opening, you can click on it and then clickDisable.
How to run Efficiency Mode
It only takes a few clicks to get it going
As you might have guessed, Efficiency Mode is a setting that helps your computer run more effectively. It’s easy to turn certain programs into more efficient ones, but be warned that it’s important to know exactly what each program does before you turn efficiency mode on. If you turn the wrong application into efficiency mode, it could slow down your computer even more.
Efficiency Mode is meant for lower-priority apps that may be taking up more CPU usage than you want them to. This can be true for apps that you may only use in certain situations, but your settings have them opening and running in the background. What you can do is:
This will lower the priority and make the power more effective for your computer.
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Look at stats in real time
This can give you an idea of what needs tweaking
The Performance tab gives you a deeper look at what’s running efficiently and what’s using more power than necessary. On the left side of Task Manager, you’ll findPerformanceas an option. Click on it, and you’ll see a line graph displaying your CPU’s performance. Below that, you’ll find Memory, Disk, Wi-Fi, and GPU – each shows real-time stats on what’s running smoothly and what else might be struggling.
If your computer’s running slowly, you might have too little memory or too many applications open at once. An overworked computer will slow down, but you may check how your CPU is handling the load. From there, go intoProcessesand limit the ones using the most resources. Once you’ve done that, head back toPerformanceto see if your adjustments are making a difference.
It’s all about balancing what you really need for your computer.
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