Process Explorer replaces taskmgr when enabled how do I open it (taskmgr) anyway but not as default?

Question

Process Explorer replaces taskmgr when enabled how do I open it (taskmgr) anyway but not as default?

BRANDON HOLLAND 0

Did I explain? I like that process explorer uses less resources, and usually is what I want in a pinch, but to use taskmgr if I want to see network speed quickly, I haven't figured out a way to open it unless I disable the setting. I guess I could just use a shortcut for process explorer and keep the other "shortcuts" taskmgr, but still curious. It doesn't matter if its in a different path, and curiously it won't even work if renamed.

BRANDON HOLLAND 0 Reputation points

2026-10-13T15:49:54.3+00:00

If it could still be started maybe I could add a link to it from process explorer?

2 answers

Your answer

BRANDON HOLLAND 0 Reputation points

2026-10-13T15:49:54.3+00:00

If it could still be started maybe I could add a link to it from process explorer?

Answer 1

MotoX80 37,941

You should be able to just run "taskmgr". C:\Windows\System32\Taskmgr.exe

RLWA32 52,936 Reputation points

2026-10-13T17:12:10.6766667+00:00

Process explorer makes a registry edit to Image File Execution Options to redirect attempts to run taskmgr.exe

Answer 2

Since the registry edit made by Process Explorer diverts attempts to run taskmgr.exe to itself you can use reg.exe to undo the edit when you want to run Task Manager as well as use it to restore the entry made by Process Explorer.

Because the registry entries to be removed/restored reside in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE reg.exe must run with Administrator privileges. To avoid having to deal with a UAC prompt for elevation I used scheduled tasks that will run elevated without prompting and set up shortcuts on the desktop to run them. The following examples were created for my Win1022H2 system. You would need to conform the file system locations for your own system. I have not tested this on Win 11.

Both scheduled tasks (that will be run on demand from a shortcut) run with elevated privilege as an Administrator.

General

Both used the same one-time trigger -

Trigger

Both had the same settings options-

Settings

The task action to restore task manager (i.e., remove Process Explorer registry edit) -

Action

The task action to restore the Process Explorer registry edit. The command string was very long so there are two images so you can see it all

ActionPE1

ActionPE2

Desktop shortcuts to run either scheduled task -

Desktopshortcuts

You might want to set these shortcuts to run minimized to avoid a flash on the screen when they execute.

RLWA32 52,936 Reputation points

2026-10-15T12:41:37.0733333+00:00

@BRANDON HOLLAND Have you had a chance to give this approach a try? It is much faster than having to run process explorer with elevation to change settings through the menu.