How to Kill an App Quickly without Task Manager in Windows 11/10

With Windows, programs getting freeze is a pretty common thing. In such situations, you launch Task Manager and kill the program. The task manager is quick and effective. But sometimes, you find trouble launching the Task Manager. Hence, the only option left with you is a hard reset. However, some methods help you kill an app without the Task Manager. And this is what I am going to discuss in this article.

How to Kill an App Quickly without Task Manager in Windows 11/10?

Apart from Task Manager, there are many other third-party apps and methods available that helps you to kill unresponsive programs in Windows. Here is the list of ways:

  1. Using A Desktop Shortcut
  2. Process Explorer
  3. AnVir Task Manager Free

Now let me talk about all of these methods in brief below.

1] Using A Desktop Shortcut

It is the quickest way to kill any unresponsive program on Windows. Windows comes with lots of hidden tricks. Among them, one is the taskkill command. You run this command in command prompt to kill a specific process.

However, you may ask why I need to launch the Windows Terminal and type the command to kill a process?

Well, you don’t have to. Instead, you will create a shortcut of it. And here is how it works:

  • Right-click on an empty area on your Desktop.
  • Go to New > Shortcut.

  • You will get asked to enter your shortcut location. So copy and paste the below command and click on Next.
taskkill /f /fi "status eq not responding"

  • Next, enter a name for your shortcut and click on Finish.

Now that your shortcut is ready to be used. Double-click on it whenever an app gets stuck, and restart it.

2]  Process Explorer

An excellent alternative to Task Manager is the Process Explorer. Microsoft built it, so you don’t have to worry about installing apps from unknown developers.

The Process Explorer is straightforward to use and comes in two sub Windows. The top Window will display a list of all the active processes, in addition to the names of their owning accounts and more. The bottom Window displays information depending on the process explorer’s mod.

Also, the software doesn’t require any installation. Instead, it comes in a zip file which you have to extract on your computer. Anyway, here are the steps that you have to follow:

  • First, download ProcessExplorer from here
  • Please right-click on the ZIP file and extract it on your computer.
  • Then double-click on the processxp.exe file to run it, and it will display all the running programs and processes.
  • Browse through the list, and right-click on the program or process you want to end.

  • Finally, select the Kill Process. Or you can press the Delete button.

3] AnVir Task Manager Free

AnVir Task Manager Free is another tool you can use to replace Task Manager. It helps you monitor processes, services, startup programs, CPU, HDD, and more.

The software is completely free to download and super easy to use. Also, it is similar to ProcessExplorer.

Getting started with the tool is also pretty straightforward. Download the exe file from its official website and install it on your computer.

Then launch the software, and it will list down all the active programs and processes. To kill a program, you can right-click on it and select the Kill process or use the Delete button.

What To Do When the Program Doesn’t Close Even With the Task Manager?

There are times when programs won’t close when you kill it using task manager. In such a case, you can use the Taskkill command. For this, follow the below steps:

  • Right-click on the Start menu and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
  • Now type Tasklist and press Enter to see all the running programs.
  • You will need to run the Taskkill /IM chrome.exe /F command to kill a program. Make sure to remove chrome.exe with the program that you wish to kill.
  • You can also kill programs using its ID displayed next to the program name. For this, you have to run the Taskkill /PID 2704 /F command. Make sure to replace 2704 with the program’s ID.
  • Apart from this, you can also kill multiple programs at once using their IDs. For this, you will need to run the Taskkill /PID 2704 5472 4344 /F command.

How Do I Force Close a Program in Task Manager?

Closing programs forcefully using Task Manager is a pretty simple job. For this, you will need to follow the below steps:

  • Right-click on the Start menu and select Task Manager.
  • It will list down all the running programs and processes.
  • Right-click on the program that you want to kill and select End task.

How Do I Close a Frozen Game in Windows?

Sometimes, a full-screen application like a game prevents you from leaving the application. As a result, you cannot launch Task Manager. In such a case, you can press the Alt + F4 key combination to close the program immediately.

Even if that doesn’t work, you can simultaneously press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC keys to launch Task Manager. And from there, you will be able to kill the program.

So those were a few programs and methods that help you kill an app quickly without a task manager. Now go ahead and give these methods a try and see if they help you. Also, if you are stuck at anything, feel free to drop a comment below.

Nayan is a crypto and gadget enthusiast who likes to cover topics related to Tech, Startups, Crypto, Gaming, Windows, and other interesting areas. But when he is not working, you can find him playing games or watch random videos on YouTube.