Task manager stuck while it looks fine on resources monitor?

Question

Ever Since the late Feb (2026) update this keep happening to me, what worse when i open some app like unity for instance, it's running yes but stuck in the background process. this also effect me when i open some text editor and more. I already upgrade the Ram so it prob help but this CPU scream is really annoy me the task manager not responding while i can just check the Resource monitor and its fine. to make things worse after the 100% things the setting app stuck on logo and this also effect my game project that i've worked on, Thinking to reset the PC. i will give an update to see how it goes.

Answer 1

Hi Hafiz Rahmansyah,

I understand how disruptive this has been, especially with high CPU usage causing applications (including Settings and Unity) to become unresponsive or launch only in the background.

Before moving toward a full reset, I’d recommend working through the steps below in order. Each step is intended either to resolve the issue or help narrow down the root cause.

Step 1: Install optional driver updates

Following major Windows updates, Microsoft often releases follow‑up driver fixes as optional updates. These are not installed automatically but can address stability, performance, and hardware compatibility issues.

• Go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates.
• Install any available driver updates, especially those related to graphics, chipset, firmware, or storage controllers.
• Restart the device and check whether CPU usage and app responsiveness improve.

Step 2: Clean reinstall the graphics driver

Since the issue also affects graphics‑intensive apps like Unity, a corrupted or partially updated GPU driver may be contributing to the problem.

• Download the latest graphics driver directly from the manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA / AMD / Intel).
• During installation, select the Clean install (or equivalent) option to remove old driver components that may conflict with recent updates.
• Restart the system and test whether applications now open normally and Task Manager responds correctly.

Step 3: Check system file integrity

Recent Windows updates can occasionally leave system files in an inconsistent state, which may cause system apps such as Settings or Task Manager to hang.

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• If System File Checker reports issues it cannot repair, follow up with: sfc /scannow
• Restart once completed and re‑check system performance.

Step 4: Perform a clean boot

If the issue persists, performing a clean boot can help determine whether a third‑party startup application or background service is contributing.

• Disable all non‑Microsoft services and startup items, then restart the system.
• Test for high CPU usage, Task Manager responsiveness, and whether applications launch and behave normally.
• If the issue no longer occurs in a clean boot state, services can be re‑enabled gradually to help identify the specific trigger.

*Disclaimer: A "clean boot" starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. It helps to determine whether a background service is interfering with your game or program and to isolate the cause of a problem. 

These steps of "clean boot" might look complicated at first glance. However, to avoid any trouble for you, please follow them in order and step-by-step so that it will help you get back on track. 

Please work through these steps one at a time and test the system between each step. This approach should help us either resolve the issue or clearly identify what the next step should be.

Let me know how it goes, and feel free to reach out if you need help with any of the steps.

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Answer 2

There is a known Windows 11 issue where Task Manager misbehaves after recent updates: closing it with the X button may not fully terminate the process, which can leave extra Taskmgr.exe instances running and cause it to appear hung or show misleading usage.

Workarounds that can be used until a fix arrives in a future update:

1. Use Task Manager to end itself
   • Open Task Manager (even if it looks stuck, wait for it to draw the list).
   • On the Processes tab, find Taskmgr.exe under Apps or Background processes.
   • Right‑click it and choose End task. This closes that instance cleanly instead of just hiding the window.
2. Close all Task Manager instances from command line
   • Open Command Prompt as administrator.
   • Run a command that terminates all Task Manager processes (as suggested in the referenced workaround). This clears any hidden or zombie Taskmgr.exe instances that may be causing the UI to freeze or misreport CPU.
3. Monitor and troubleshoot heavy processes
   • Use Task Manager mainly to identify which apps are actually consuming resources, then close or uninstall those that are not needed.
   • Also review the Startup apps tab and disable unnecessary startup programs to reduce background load, which can improve responsiveness for tools like Unity and text editors.
4. General performance tuning
   • Consider setting Power mode to Best performance and adjusting visual effects to Adjust for best performance to reduce UI overhead.
   • Periodically optimize drives and close unused apps, then restart the PC to clear accumulated issues.

Microsoft has marked the Task Manager multi‑instance problem as mitigated in current servicing information, so installing future cumulative updates when they become available should eventually resolve the underlying bug.

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References:

• Tips to improve PC performance in Windows
• Use a screen reader to navigate Windows support tools
• Latest Windows 11 update, I’ve noticed Task Manager sometimes opens multiple instances