Task Manager visible in taskbar W10 [closed]

Question

I like to have Task Manager (%windows%\system32\taskmgr.exe) running all the time on my PC to show CPU activity. I check Options>Hide When Minimized so that it only shows in the system tray (information area). With XP and W7 I simply made a shortcut with Run Minimized selected and placed it in the Startup folder.

With W10 this doesn't work; from the Startup folder (Win-R, shell:Startup); a Taskmgr shortcut just doesn't start. I can start Taskmgr using Task Scheduler but I cannot then start it minimised. I can use a batch file containing start /min taskmgr and this works from both the Startup folder and Task Scheduler, but it shows an icon in the taskbar. If I click this taskbar icon twice (restore and then minimise) then Taskmgr is only in the system tray as desired. Experiments with regedit of HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run gave similar results.

Is there a way to achieve my wish: start with Taskmgr only visible in the system tray?

(I know about Process Explorer but would prefer a native Windows solution.)

Leptosome

I've just noticed a question about W10 Task Manager in SuperUser; am I in the wrong community? – Leptosome

2 weeks and no reply; I have placed a copy of this question in SuperUser – Leptosome

Answer 1

Start Task manager when Pc start up in minimized and hide his icon in task bar and show only the icon in system tray (option of hide when minimized in task manager menu) .

and your batch file "start /min taskmgr" not work with task schedule in way you like, so let's edit your batch:

echo createobject("wscript.shell").run "taskmgr.exe",0,false >t.vbs && start /wait t.vbs && del /f t.vbs

Write this whole line in a new batch file and use schedule task to start this batch.

OR use VBScript file:

createobject("wscript.shell").Run "taskmgr.exe",0,false

Just save this line in text file and name it anything like "t.vbs" and then add this script to the task schedule.

If you don't like schedule task to run this VBScript in start up of your pc or user login you can copy and paste " t.vbs " to start up in programs folder for

• all user : %programdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
• current user : %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

OR if you don't like to use schedule tasks to run at PC start up and you like to run it through Run key in registry.

this batch file will accomplish all task for you from:

1. Add to run in registry keys to start up the batch so no need schedule tasks

2. Run CMD to create the VBScript

3. Execute this script to minimized and hide Task Manager in tray icons

4. Delete the VBScript after it run.

so every time you reboot your PC this TaskMgr will start in minimized window mode and his icon will show only in system tray if you like run this batch file for single user use HKCU instead HKLM

so every time you login with this user account it will start without reboot.

reg ADD "HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run" /v "TaskManager" /d "cmd.exe /c cd \"%userprofile%\" && echo createobject(\"wscript.shell\").run \"\"\"%systemroot%\system32\taskmgr.exe\"\"\",0,False > taskmgr.vbs && start /wait taskmgr.vbs && del /f taskmgr.vbs" /f

copy whole this one command line and paste in cmd.exe and run it or save it in text file then name it anything like " TaskMgr.bat " then run it through cmd.exe as administrator because if you add in registry you need administrator privilege most of time not all.

OR if you like to use registry editor instead of batch file to user Run in registry to start task manager

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"TaskManager"="cmd.exe /c cd \"%userprofile%\" && echo createobject(\"wscript.shell\").run \"\"\"C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\taskmgr.exe\"\"\",0,False > taskmgr.vbs && start /wait taskmgr.vbs && del /f taskmgr.vbs"

copy this lines in text file and then save it as "Taskmgr.reg" then double click this file to run .

Cathexis

There is problem in this way - double click not restoring task manager from task bar - need to press right mouse button and select 'restore' manually. – Moncear

Answer 2

If you use AutoHotkey, the following script works for me (with minimal flickering).

Run, %A_WinDir%\System32\Taskmgr.exe,, Min
WinWait, ahk_class TaskManagerWindow
PostMessage, 0x112, 0xF120 ; 0x112 = WM_SYSCOMMAND, 0xF120 = SC_RESTORE
PostMessage, 0x112, 0xF020 ; 0x112 = WM_SYSCOMMAND, 0xF020 = SC_MINIMIZE

(Yeah, it shouldn't be that hard, Microsoft.)

Glide

Answer 3

To start the Windows 10 task manager directly to the system tray (not the taskbar), create a new 4-line "text" file in the Windows 10 startup folder (via Windows+R shell:startup)

hiddentaskmgr.vbs (sample file name, just make sure it ends with .vbs and not .txt)

Dim WShell
Set WShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WShell.Run "taskmgr.exe", 0
Set WShell = Nothing

Then reboot.

Tested on 2020-10-28 with Windows 10 Pro (10.0.19401 Build 19401)

Grammalogue

P.S. The first restore from the system tray appears to need a right click & Restore. After a subsequent minimize it will restore with a double click. At least the task bar is clean after startup. ;) – Grammalogue