By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Open Task Manager and name what its Processes, Performance and Startup apps tabs show.
- End a frozen app with Task Manager without restarting the computer.
- Spot a driver problem in Device Manager by its yellow warning icon.
- Change the power mode and screen timeout, and add a printer and a Bluetooth device.
- Take a screenshot with Windows key, Shift and S and eject a USB drive safely.
Sooner or later an app freezes, a device will not connect or the battery runs out too quickly. This lesson gives you the standard Windows tools for those moments. Each tool is for looking first. You will learn what the screens mean, which button is safe, and which ones to leave alone. Menu names can differ slightly between versions of Windows 11, so we describe where to look as well as what to click.
Task Manager: what is running right now
Task Manager lists every process, a running program, and shows how much of the processor, memory and disk each is using. Open it with Ctrl, Shift and Esc pressed together, or right-click the Start button and choose Task Manager. If it opens as a small window, click More details at the bottom.
| Tab | What it shows | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Processes | Apps and background programs, with CPU, memory, disk and network use. | Find a frozen app or the program using most memory. |
| Performance | Live graphs for CPU, memory, disk, Wi-Fi and graphics. | See whether the computer is overloaded. |
| App history | Resource use by app over time (some versions). | Spot an app that uses a lot of data. |
| Startup apps | Programs that start when you sign in, with an Enabled or Disabled status and an impact rating. | Make start-up faster by disabling apps you do not need at once. |
| Users | Accounts signed in and what they use. | Rarely needed at home. |
| Details and Services | Technical lists of processes and Windows services. | Leave alone unless an expert asks you to look. |
- Marker 1: Tabs
- Marker 2: The frozen app
- Marker 3: End task
Read this figure as text
A simulated Task Manager window listing apps with CPU and memory use, with one app marked Not responding.
A simulated Task Manager window. Marker 1 is the tab list on the left: Processes, Performance, App history, Startup apps, Users, Details and Services, with Processes selected. Marker 2 is the list of apps. It shows Browser using 4 percent of the processor and 610 MB of memory, Notes (Not responding) using 0 percent and 85 MB, and Music player using 1 percent and 120 MB. The Notes row is selected. Marker 3 is the End task button at the top right. Numbers are made-up examples.
To close a frozen app, wait a minute first, because some apps are only busy. Then open Task Manager, click the app (its name often says Not responding), and click End task. Windows closes it. Anything unsaved in that app is lost, but the rest of the computer carries on.
Device Manager: hardware and its drivers
Device Manager lists the hardware parts that Windows knows about, grouped by type: Display adapters, Network adapters, Keyboards, Bluetooth and so on. Open it by right-clicking Start and choosing Device Manager. Each part works through a Driver, a small program that lets Windows talk to it. A part with a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark has a problem, often a missing or faulty driver. A downward arrow on the icon means the device is disabled.
- Marker 1: Group of devices
- Marker 2: Working device
- Marker 3: Yellow warning: driver problem
Read this figure as text
A simulated Device Manager window listing hardware groups, with one network device flagged with a yellow warning.
A simulated Device Manager window. It lists groups: Audio inputs and outputs, Bluetooth, Display adapters, Keyboards, Network adapters and Print queues. Under Network adapters there are two devices: Wi-Fi adapter, working normally, and Unknown network device, which has a yellow warning triangle. Marker 1 is the group list. Marker 2 is the Wi-Fi adapter, working. Marker 3 is the device with the yellow warning. Names are made-up examples.
The safe approach is: first run Windows Update, because many drivers arrive that way. Then right-click the device, choose Properties, and read the Device status box, which explains the problem. If an update is offered, you can choose Update driver and then Search automatically for drivers. Do not download drivers from random driver sites, which often carry unwanted software. If it still fails, use the laptop maker's official support page.
Power and battery
Open Settings, then System, then Power & battery. Under Screen and sleep you choose how long the screen stays on and how long before the computer sleeps, separately for when it is on battery and when it is plugged in. Shorter times save battery. Under Power mode you can usually choose between lower energy use, a balance, or the best performance. Balanced is a good default. Battery saver reduces brightness and background activity when the charge is low, and you can set it to turn on at a chosen percentage. The Battery usage section lists which apps used the most power.
Printers and Bluetooth
Open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices. To add a printer, choose Printers & scanners, then Add device. Windows searches for printers on your network and lists them. Click yours and choose Add device again. A USB printer is often detected when you plug it in and switch it on. To add a Bluetooth device such as headphones, first make sure Bluetooth is turned on in Quick Settings. Put the device in pairing mode (usually by holding its button until a light flashes), then in Settings click Add device, choose Bluetooth, pick the device and wait for Connected. Pairing means the two devices agree to trust each other, so you do it only once.
- Step 1: Switch it onPairing mode for Bluetooth
- Step 2: Open SettingsBluetooth and devices
- Step 3: Add devicePick yours from the list
- Step 4: Test itPlay a sound or print a test page
Read this figure as text
A flow of four steps: switch the device on, open Settings, choose Add device, then test it.
Step 1: switch the device on and, for Bluetooth, put it in pairing mode. For a printer, make sure it is on and connected to the same network or by USB. Step 2: open Settings, then Bluetooth and devices. Step 3: choose Add device for Bluetooth, or Printers and scanners then Add device for a printer, and pick yours from the list. Step 4: test it by playing a sound or printing a test page.
Screenshots and external drives
A Screenshot is a picture of what is on your screen, useful for showing someone an error message. Press Windows key, Shift and S together. The screen dims and a small bar appears at the top: choose a shape (rectangle, freeform, window or full screen), then drag over the part you want. The picture is copied to the Clipboard, and a notification offers to open it in the Snipping Tool, where you can save it. The Print Screen key (PrtScn) copies the whole screen, and on some setups it also opens the Snipping Tool.
For USB sticks and external drives: plug them in, and they appear in File Explorer under This PC. Before removing one, close any files on it, then right-click the drive and choose Eject. Wait until Windows says it is safe to remove. Taking it out during copying can damage the files. Photos of screens that show passwords, bank details or personal data should not be shared, so check every screenshot before you send it.
Common mistakes
✖ Instead of: Ending a process in Task Manager just because it shows a high number.
✔ Do this: Check the name first. A browser or video app may legitimately use a lot. Ending unknown Windows processes can cause problems.
✖ Instead of: Downloading a 'driver pack' from a search result to fix a yellow triangle.
✔ Do this: Use Windows Update and the laptop maker's support page. Driver sites often bundle unwanted software.
✖ Instead of: Pulling out a USB stick while files are still copying.
✔ Do this: Wait for the copy to finish, then right-click the drive and choose Eject.
If something goes wrong
- Task Manager opens as a tiny window with only app names.
- Click More details at the bottom left to see the tabs and the usage columns.
- My printer is not listed under Add device.
- Check that it is on and on the same Wi-Fi network (or connected by USB). Restart the printer, then in the Add device window click Add manually or Refresh. Check the maker's page for a driver if it is still missing.
- Bluetooth headphones are paired but there is no sound.
- Open Quick Settings, click the arrow beside the volume slider, and choose the headphones as the output device. Check that their own volume is turned up.
- Windows key, Shift and S does nothing.
- Open the Snipping Tool from Start and use its New button instead. Check that a notification setting or a keyboard shortcut has not been disabled in Settings.
Key terms
- Task Manager
- The Windows tool that lists running programs, shows how busy the computer is and lets you end a stuck program.
- Device Manager
- A Windows tool that lists the hardware in your computer and its drivers.
- Driver
- Software that lets the operating system talk to a piece of hardware.
- Frozen program
- A program that has stopped reacting to clicks and keys, although the rest of the computer may still work.
- Screenshot
- A picture of what is showing on your screen.
- Clipboard
- A hidden holding place where the computer keeps whatever you last copied or cut, until you paste it.
Practise it for real
Reading is not the same as being able to do it. Complete these on your own computer, then tick only what you have actually done. These ticks are your own honest record: nothing checks them for you.
Look at Task Manager and Device Manager
Open Task Manager with Ctrl, Shift and Esc. On Processes, note the three apps using the most memory. On Performance, watch the CPU graph while you open and close an app. On Startup apps, note how many are Enabled, without changing anything. Close it. Then open Device Manager and expand Display adapters and Network adapters. Write down whether any device has a yellow triangle.
Challenge: screenshot a setting and change the screen timeout
Open Settings, System, Power & battery. Take a screenshot of the Screen and sleep area with Windows key, Shift and S and save it in your Documents practice folder as power-before. Change the screen timeout to a new value, take another screenshot called power-after, and then put the setting back to the original. Check that no private information is visible in either picture.
Knowledge check
6 questions. You need 80% to pass. Mistakes here are part of learning, and you can retry as often as you like.
Summary
- Task Manager (Ctrl, Shift, Esc) shows what is running. End task closes a frozen app. Do not end processes you do not recognise.
- Device Manager shows hardware, and a yellow triangle usually means a driver problem. Use Windows Update and the maker's official site.
- Settings, System, Power & battery controls screen timeouts, power mode and battery saver.
- Add printers and Bluetooth devices from Settings, Bluetooth & devices. Pair only your own devices.
- Windows key, Shift and S takes a screenshot. Eject USB drives before removing them.
Checklist: can you do these?
Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).
Related lessons
References and further reading
Official sources for details that can change between versions.
- Windows help and learning (Microsoft)
- Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots (Microsoft)