I can’t believe I was struggling with the apps in the task manager moving randomly without realizing that there was a simple keyboard shortcut to pause the task manager and stop its contents in their tracks. Yes, all you have to do is hold down the CTRL key and this will pause the Task Manager on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, and maybe even older versions of Windows as well.
This helpful tip comes legit From Jane Gentleman, a Microsoft employee on the Windows Engineering team who regularly shares helpful Windows shortcuts and tips. I’ve used Windows for over 20 years, and I’m still learning the many ways you can perform tasks in the operating system on a monthly basis.
If you’re used to resorting to the Task Manager to kill faulty tasks, you may not even need to open it at all soon. Microsoft is working on a force quit option to close apps without the Task Manager in Windows 11 simply from a right-click option in the taskbar. But the CTRL option to pause the Task Manager will still be useful to everyone who hasn’t upgraded to Windows 11 yet.
While I’m getting your attention, you might also want to know that you can spin the gear in Windows 11’s Notepad app. It’s like a digital fidget spinner, and part of many delightful little additions to Windows 11. Microsoft has been hiding little easter eggs like this in Windows for decades . There was even a hidden prompt in Windows 95 that was just that Find out in 2021.
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