Restart Windows from Task Manager

Restarting Your Computer via Task Manager When Frozen

When your Windows system becomes unresponsive, to the point where even the Start menu is inaccessible, a restart can often resolve the issue.

Instead of performing a hard reset – which isn't ideal for your computer’s hardware – utilizing Task Manager offers a more controlled approach.

There are a couple of quick methods to launch Task Manager when your system is locked up.

Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del will bring up a screen where you can select Task Manager.
Alternatively, a direct shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+Esc, which immediately opens Task Manager.

Employing either of these key combinations will allow you to access the necessary tools.

Once Task Manager is open, you have two primary options.

You can attempt to restart a specific application that appears to be frozen within the processes list.

Or, if a full system restart is needed, navigate to the Shutdown option and then select Restart.

This straightforward technique can be incredibly helpful in regaining control of a frozen computer.