System Add "Kill all not responding tasks" Context Menu in Windows 11


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Task_Manager_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Kill all not responding tasks desktop context menu for all users in Windows 11.

The Kill all not responding tasks desktop context menu item will allow users to to quickly kill any "not responding" task processes all at once.

When you use the Kill all not responding tasks context menu, you will see a No tasks running with the specified criteria message if there are currently no "not responding" tasks running. If there were any not responding tasks running, then they would be listed as being killed instead.


While you must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove this context menu, all users can use this context menu.



EXAMPLE: "Kill all not responding tasks" desktop context menu

It is required to click/tap on Show more options first by default, then click/tap on Kill all not responding tasks.


Show_more_options.png
Kill_all_not_responding_tasks_context_menu.png

Kill_all_not_responding_tasks.png



Here's How:

1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.

2 Add "Kill all not responding tasks" to Desktop context menu

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Add_Kill_all_not_responding_tasks_to_desktop_context_menu.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\KillNRTasks]
"icon"="taskmgr.exe,-30651"
"MUIverb"="Kill all not responding tasks"
"Position"="Top"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\KillNRTasks\command]
@="CMD.exe /C (tasklist /fi \"status eq Not Responding\" | find /v \"No tasks\" && taskkill.exe /f /fi \"status eq Not Responding\" || echo No not-responding tasks found.) & ECHO; & <NUL: set /p junk=Press any key to close this window. & PAUSE >NUL:"

3 Remove "Kill all not responding tasks" from Desktop context menu

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Remove_Kill_all_not_responding_tasks_from_desktop_context_menu.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\KillNRTasks]

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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Last edited:
About a week ago I posted an enhancement to this command (to show the names of the tasks that are being killed) on your Windows 10 forum:
Replace the last line of the .reg file with:
Code:
@="CMD.exe /C (tasklist /fi \"status eq Not Responding\" | find /v \"No tasks\" && taskkill.exe /f /fi \"status eq Not Responding\" || echo No not-responding tasks found.) & ECHO; & <NUL: set /p junk=Press any key to close this window. & PAUSE >NUL:"

How it works: Tasklist is called to list all unresponsive tasks. This list is piped to find which searches for any lines NOT containing "No tasks". If any are found, taskkill is called to kill them, else a failure message is displayed.
In either case, <NUL: set /p prints the exit message without advancing to a new line and PAUSE >NUL: accepts a keystroke without prompting "Press any key to continue".

Please add this enhancement, and if you have not done so yet, please also add it to the Windows 10 tutorial.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    several (Dell, HP, custom build, Lenovo, ASUS, etc.)
    CPU
    several
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    several
    Browser
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    I have many computers, mostly Dell and HP.
Hello @SpacemanSam, :-)

The context menu as is should list any "not responding" tasks if getting killed. Did it not for you?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Spectre x360 2in1 14-eu0098nr (2024)
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 7 155H 4.8 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Intel Arc
    Sound Card
    Poly Studio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    14" 2.8K OLED multitouch
    Screen Resolution
    2880 x 1800
    Hard Drives
    2 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
    Internet Speed
    Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Premium

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    several (Dell, HP, custom build, Lenovo, ASUS, etc.)
    CPU
    several
    Motherboard
    several
    Browser
    Firefox
    Other Info
    I have many computers, mostly Dell and HP.

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Spectre x360 2in1 14-eu0098nr (2024)
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 7 155H 4.8 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Intel Arc
    Sound Card
    Poly Studio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    14" 2.8K OLED multitouch
    Screen Resolution
    2880 x 1800
    Hard Drives
    2 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
    Internet Speed
    Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
how to make this run as ADMIN. ... some unresponded task need admin cmd to kill it
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23h2 22631.2792
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Ultrabook Portege Z830 PT224L-01402S
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2677M CPU @ 1.80GHz
    Motherboard
    Portable PC (0x000003EC - 0x103CB030)
    Memory
    6,00 GB (5,90 GB usable)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000
    Sound Card
    USB Generic
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in Laptop
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba THNSNB128GMCJ 128GB PCI-E M-SATA INTERNAL Solid State Drive(SSD)
    Keyboard
    Using USB Port K120
    Mouse
    Using USB Port
    Internet Speed
    Broadband 50 Mb/s
    Browser
    Edge Stable Only
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender Only
    Other Info
    Screenshot Apps: Snipping Tools || I Try to use Everything from Microsoft Product
how to make this run as ADMIN. ... some unresponded task need admin cmd to kill it

Hello, :alien:

For now, you can open an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter to manually run it as admin.

taskkill.exe /f /fi "status eq Not Responding"
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Spectre x360 2in1 14-eu0098nr (2024)
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 7 155H 4.8 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Intel Arc
    Sound Card
    Poly Studio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    14" 2.8K OLED multitouch
    Screen Resolution
    2880 x 1800
    Hard Drives
    2 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
    Internet Speed
    Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Premium

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