General Change Default Start Page for Task Manager in Windows 11


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Task_Manager_banner.png

This tutorial will show yo how to change the default start page for Task Manager for your account in Windows 11.

Task Manager can be used to view and manage your processes, performance statistics, app history, startup apps, users, process details, and services in Windows 11.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22557, Microsoft has updated the design of Task Manager to match the new Windows 11 design principles. This includes a new hamburger style navigation bar and a new settings page. A new command bar on each page gives access to common actions. The dark theme has now been brought to Task manager and will automatically match the system-wide theme configured in the Settings app.

You can press the Ctrl + Page Up and Ctrl + Page Down keys to navigate through pages in Task Manager.

You can select to have Task Manager always open to the Processes, Performance, App history, Startup apps, Users, Details, or Services page by default.


EXAMPLE: Processes default start page for Task Manager

Task_Manager_Processes_start_page.png



Here's How:

1 Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc).

2 Click/tap on Settings in the left pane of Task Manager. (see screenshot below)

3 Select Processes (default), Performance, App history, Startup apps, Users, Details, or Services in the Default Start Page drop menu for what you want.

This setting is saved as the DefaultStartPage value to the settings.json file in the %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\TaskManager folder.

0 = Processes
1 = Performance
2 = App history
3 = Startup apps
4 = Users
5 = Details
6 = Services


4 You can now close Task Manager if you like.

Task_Manager_default_start_page.png



That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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I am testing Windows 11 22H2 (22621.2215) in a VM.

After using "RegistryChangesView" and finding that nothing changed regarding Task Manager in the registry after setting the default start page to "Details", I went looking online and found this page. So many of your reg tweaks have been really useful Brink (y)

The problem is, this one doesn't seem to work anymore, I'm guessing because of a Windows update (I'm updated to today) or perhaps I just put so many other tweaks in, something else is stopping it working. :unsure:

I tried exporting the "Preferences" registry entry (a huge wall of hex) from under the same key, but importing that along with "StartUpTab" on a clean snapshot didn't make it work either. In fact I have the exact same tweak in my main tweaks file that applied during install so the entry is there, it's just being ignored for some reason. Manually setting it in Task Manager works fine.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Ryzen 5 (3600)
    Motherboard
    MSI B450M Pro-M2 Max (MS-7B84)
    Memory
    Patriot (DDR4/3200/16GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Super
    Sound Card
    (Motherboard)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus VZ249
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
    ST6000DM003-2CY186
    PSU
    Seasonic Core Gold GM 650 Modular 80+
    Case
    An ancient cheap one!
    Cooling
    Stock
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 (CH-9109012-UK)
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder v2
    Internet Speed
    272 Mbps Down / 24 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Comodo (CIS) v12
I am testing Windows 11 22H2 (22621.2215) in a VM.

After using "RegistryChangesView" and finding that nothing changed regarding Task Manager in the registry after setting the default start page to "Details", I went looking online and found this page. So many of your reg tweaks have been really useful Brink (y)

The problem is, this one doesn't seem to work anymore, I'm guessing because of a Windows update (I'm updated to today) or perhaps I just put so many other tweaks in, something else is stopping it working. :unsure:

I tried exporting the "Preferences" registry entry (a huge wall of hex) from under the same key, but importing that along with "StartUpTab" on a clean snapshot didn't make it work either. In fact I have the exact same tweak in my main tweaks file that applied during install so the entry is there, it's just being ignored for some reason. Manually setting it in Task Manager works fine.
Hello, and welcome. :alien:

I'm seeing the same thing in build 25936 (Canary). It looks like this setting is no longer saving to the registry.
 

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
I worked it out checking with InstallRite.

This file doesn't exist if Task Manager has not been run yet, but when it is run, this JSON file appears:

%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\TaskManager\settings.json

I set Task Manager to details view and when doing so, this got added to that settings.json file, just before the last curly bracket at the very end of the (huge) line...

Code:
,"DefaultStartPage":5

I'll try to make some sort of Powershell command in a batch file or whatever, that can add that - or, I'll just add the whole json file to my unattended OS files, since the file doesn't exist unless Task Manager has been run, I mean Powershell wouldn't have a file to process if it's not there lol. Microsoft sigh. :confused: Very odd that they are using a json file, or is it, when over 5,000 json files exist in a clean install of Windows 11 :dizzy:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Ryzen 5 (3600)
    Motherboard
    MSI B450M Pro-M2 Max (MS-7B84)
    Memory
    Patriot (DDR4/3200/16GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Super
    Sound Card
    (Motherboard)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus VZ249
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
    ST6000DM003-2CY186
    PSU
    Seasonic Core Gold GM 650 Modular 80+
    Case
    An ancient cheap one!
    Cooling
    Stock
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 (CH-9109012-UK)
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder v2
    Internet Speed
    272 Mbps Down / 24 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Comodo (CIS) v12
I worked it out checking with InstallRite.

This file doesn't exist if Task Manager has not been run yet, but when it is run, this JSON file appears:

%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\TaskManager\settings.json

I set Task Manager to details view and when doing so, this got added to that settings.json file, just before the last curly bracket at the very end of the (huge) line...

Code:
,"DefaultStartPage":5

I'll try to make some sort of Powershell command in a batch file or whatever, that can add that - or, I'll just add the whole json file to my unattended OS files, since the file doesn't exist unless Task Manager has been run, I mean Powershell wouldn't have a file to process if it's not there lol. Microsoft sigh. :confused: Very odd that they are using a json file, or is it, when over 5,000 json files exist in a clean install of Windows 11 :dizzy:

Yeah, I've noticed more and more apps are using their own JSON file instead of the registry now. Just makes it harder.
 

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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