The optional Windows 11 update KB5067036 introduced a bug that causes the Task Manager process to duplicate itself instead of properly closing when you click the “X” button. This leads to multiple “taskmgr.exe” entries accumulating in the background, each consuming memory (around 20-25MB of RAM) and CPU resources, which can eventually slow down your PC. This issue primarily affects builds like 26100.7019 and 26200.7019. If you have not manually installed this optional update, it is safest to wait for a fixed version from Microsoft.
How to Check If You Are Affected
To see if you are affected, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), close it using the “X” button, and repeat this five to ten times. Then, switch to the Details tab and search for taskmgr.exe. If you see multiple entries, the bug is active on your system.
Manual Termination and Command Prompt Fix
There are several ways to fix the existing duplicates and prevent them from piling up again. The slow but straightforward method is to go to the Processes tab in Task Manager, right-click each Task Manager entry, and select End Task. For a quicker solution, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the command: taskkill /im taskmgr.exe /f. This instantly shuts down every running instance of Task Manager. Alternatively, simply restarting your PC will temporarily clear the duplicates.
Uninstalling the Update
If the issue persists, you can roll back the problematic patch. Go to Settings -> Windows Update -> Update history -> Uninstall updates, select KB5067036, and restart your PC.
Using ViVeTool for Safe Features
If you want the new features from the update without risking the bug, you can use the ViVeTool utility. Run Command Prompt as an administrator and type: vivetool /enable /id:49407484,57048231. This is generally considered a safer, preventative measure.
Microsoft has acknowledged this Task Manager duplication bug as a known issue and recommends using the manual or command-line methods as a workaround. A proper, permanent fix is expected to be included in the next cumulative update or patch from the company.
