Addressing the New Task Manager Bug in Windows 11
The recent Windows 11 update, specifically the November 2025 Security Update (KB5067036), has unfortunately introduced a significant bug impacting Task Manager functionality. This issue leaves the Task Manager process running in the background, creating multiple instances every time it is reopened. While initially seeming benign, accumulating duplicate processes can gradually diminish system performance, particularly on systems with limited resources.
Fortunately, there are multiple methods to mitigate this problem until an official resolution is provided. Options include utilizing the taskkill command, modifying the Registry settings, or employing the ViveTool utility. This guide will outline these various solutions in detail.
It’s assumed you know what you’re doing and have created a full backup of your system before proceeding.
How to Fix Task Manager’s Duplicate Processes
To resolve the problems related to duplicate Task Manager processes on Windows 11, you can choose from three distinct methods: the taskkill command, Registry edits, or leveraging ViveTool.
Option 1: Using the taskkill Command
To terminate any duplicate Task Manager instances, follow these steps:
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Open the Start menu.
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Type Command Prompt into the search bar, then right-click the first result and select Run as administrator.
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Input the following command and hit Enter:
taskkill.exe /im taskmgr.exe /f
After executing these commands, the Task Manager instances will be terminated. However, keep in mind that this command will need to be run each time the utility is closed.
Option 2: Editing the Registry
To mitigate the duplicate process issue via the Windows Registry, adhere to these outlined steps:
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Access the Start menu.
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Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select Run as administrator.
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Input the following commands to enable important features with the update:
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\14\1318466191"/v EnabledState /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /freg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\14\1318466191"/v EnabledStateOptions /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
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Execute the following commands to rectify app grouping issues:
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\14\4188347533"/v EnabledState /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /freg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\14\4188347533"/v EnabledStateOptions /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f -
Restart your computer to apply the changes.
Following these steps ensures that the Task Manager no longer generates duplicate processes. If needed, you can undo the changes by executing the command:
REG DELETE "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\14"/f
Option 3: Utilizing ViveTool
To effectively resolve the Task Manager issue using ViveTool, follow these instructions:
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Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to your computer.
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Open the zip file with File Explorer by double-clicking on it.
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Click the Extract all button to unzip the contents.
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Click the Extract button to finalize the extraction.
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Copy the path to the extracted ViveTool folder.
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Open the Start menu.
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Search for Command Prompt, right-click the result, and choose Run as administrator.
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Navigate to the ViveTool folder by entering:
cd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.x.xMake sure to replace the path with your actual folder path.
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Input the following command to resolve the Task Manager issue:
vivetool /enable /id:49407484, 57048231 -
Restart your computer to apply the changes.
After following these steps, the Task Manager should no longer run in the background once closed. Additionally, you can revert these changes using the command:
vivetool /enable /id:49407484, 57048231Source & Images
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