Windows Taskbar context menu for open apps always had an option to End Task that can quickly close a running application. It came in handy in case the program stopped responding. The option was removed but has not made it back to Windows. In this post, we will show you can enable or show the End task item in the Taskbar context menu of Windows 11.
How to show End Task item in the Taskbar Context Menu of Windows 11
There are two methods you can use to show the End task item in the Taskbar Context menu, as given below:
- Enable End Task via Windows Settings
- Enable End Task via Registry Editor
- Enable End Task via Windows Terminal
You will need admin permission to execute some of these suggestions.
1] Enable End Task via Windows Settings
- Open Windows Settings and click the System option on the left pane. Next, click the For developers option on the right.
- Locate the End Task option on the right and toggle it to enable the end task in the Taskbar with a right-click.
- Once you are done, close the Windows Settings app.
So, that is it! Therefore, all running app icons in the taskbar will show a new End task item in the context menu when you right-click it.
An easy way to get to the For developers settings page is to use the ms-settings:developers command. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box, type the command, and press the Enter key to open the For developers page.
Read: Add, Remove, Edit Context Menu items with Context Menu Editors
2] Enable End Task via Registry Editor
- Open Registry Editor and copy and paste the path given below:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarDeveloperSettings
Note: If the TaskbarDeveloperSettings key is not installed, right-click the Advanced subkey in the left pane, choose New > Key from the context menu, and name it TaskbarDeveloperSettings.
- Double-click the TaskbarDeveloperSettings key. In the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value pop-up window, type 1 into the Value data column and press OK.
- If you do not have the DWORD, right-click the DeveloperSettings key on the left and click New > DWORD (32-bit) Value from the context menu. Next, name it TaskbarEndTask.
- You can set its value to 1, as mentioned above, and you will see the End task option for the apps in the taskbar when you right-click them. To disable the feature, you can set the Value data to 0 and press the OK button to save the changes.
Read: How to force close a Program which Task Manager cannot terminate
3] Enable End Task via Windows Terminal
Using the Windows Terminal is another way to bring the End task option for taskbar applications in the context menu. Follow the steps given below to enable it:
- Open Windows Terminal (Admin), copy and paste the command given below, and press the Enter key to activate the command:
reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarDeveloperSettings /v TaskbarEndTask /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
This will make the End Task item available from the taskbar’s right-click menu for app icons.
- To undo the command you activated, copy and paste the command given below and press the Enter key.
reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarDeveloperSettings /v TaskbarEndTask /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Conclusion
The Windows 11 Taskbar’s new End task feature is easy to use and saves time, especially when you need to end an unresponsive or frozen app. Launching Task Manager, finding the application, and closing it is no longer necessary. It is crucial to remember that you will still have access to your familiar context menu items, such as the Close window option.
Now, if you try to right-click the Taskbar shortcut button for any program, the context menu will display the new End task option. This post also provides instructions to disable the previously mentioned option if you remove the End task option from the Taskbar context menu.
How do I force end a task without a Task Manager?
You can keep pressing ALT + F4 or the close button of the app until the task becomes unresponsive and Windows brings up the prompt to close it. It comes in handy when the Task Manager itself becomes unavailable.
Read: How to kill a Process using the Command Line
How do you end a task in CMD?
When using Command Prompt (CMD) on Windows, the “taskkill” command is used to terminate tasks. Its syntax is “taskkill /f /im [process image name],” where “/f” forces termination and “/im” specifies the process image name. For example, to terminate “notepad.exe,” use “taskkill /f /im notepad.exe.” However, it’s important to exercise caution as this command forcefully terminates processes without allowing for data saving or clean shutdowns.
