Microsoft is adding new shortcuts to Windows 11 Task Manager

Microsoft is working on a redesigned Task Manager interface for Windows 11. Most of the planned changes give Task Manager a new look, but don’t change the functionality of the program.

The next version supports light and dark modes, which are enabled based on system preferences. The full view interface now shows the Task Manager sections on the left side and no longer as tabs.

Microsoft released a new Windows 11 Insider build for development channels this week, and with it new keyboard shortcuts for Windows Task Manager.

Many Windows users know that they can launch Task Manager with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-Esc.

When it’s open, users will soon be able to use the following keyboard shortcuts to perform certain actions in Task Manager:

• Alt-N — to run a new task. Use Alt-N to show the interface, type the name of the executable file and press Enter key to run the task.
• Alt-E — to end the selected process. Select a task in the task list and use Alt-E to finish it.
• Alt-V — to toggle the efficiency mode for the selected process. Efficiency mode speeds up the application to reduce resource usage while it is running.
• Ctrl-Tab — scroll through Task Manager pages (already exists in Stable).
• Ctrl-Shift-Tab — scroll Task Manager pages backwards (already exists in Stable).

There are several other actions available that are displayed at the top of the Task Manager page. These can also be executed using the Alt key and the corresponding trigger. Pressing the Alt key will highlight the available keys on the interface.

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Windows users who prefer keyboard shortcuts over touch and mouse-based actions might like the new Windows Task Manager shortcuts. While these may speed things up, it should be noted that at least one of them, Alt-E to kill a process, is already supported. Pressing the Delete key on the keyboard ends the selected process in Task Manager.

The new Alt-E shortcut adds a second option, but I don’t see many users switching to it, as it requires two keys to be activated for the same action.

Now you: Do you use Windows Task Manager? Would you use the new keyboard shortcuts?

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