Admin Tips
- Windows Server 2008/2003/2000/XP/NT Administrator Knowledge Base
  - Windows XP
    - Admin Tips
      - Miscellaneous
        Have Ctrl-Esc Starts Task Manager

Section(s): Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous
Published on Apr 20, 2004.
Last Modified on Apr 20, 2004.
Last Modified by Wayne Maples.
Rated 3.9 out of 5 based on 9 votes.

Removed in NT 4 but can be restored using following hack. It is there by default in Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Name: TaskMan
Type: REG_SZ
Value: TASKMAN.EXE

Task Manager can be started three ways:

Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE and click on the Task Manager button on the Windows Security dialog.
Right click on the taskbar and chose Task Manager
Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC and Task Manager will be launched instantly.