Enable Task Manager disabled by Administrator or Virus in Windows

Windows Task Manager is used to view details about processes running on your computer. Since it can be used to terminate programs that are misbehaving or are viruses disguised in the form of harmless programs, most spyware and viruses disable it to prevent themselves from being closed through it. Some administrators also disable Task Manager to prevent users from closing important security programs like antiviruses and anti-malwares.

In such situations, running the Task Manager will give the "Task Manager has been disabled by Administrator" error. However, there are some techniques you can use to re-enable task manager and close those harmful programs manually. This article contains few such simple techniques you can use to regain access to Task Managing privileges.

Create a Registry(.reg) file for enabling Task Manager

If you are unfamiliar with manually editing the Registry, you can create a Registry file which will automatically modify the Registry Key to re-enable Task Managing. To create one such file:-
Open Notepad or any other text editor.
Copy the code given below and paste it as it is in it.


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\System] “DisableTaskMgr”  =dword:00000000

Save the file as Enable Task Manager.reg or *.reg.

Open the file by double clicking on it.

Registry Editor will ask you for confirmation. In the confirmation Window, click Yes.
Task Manager would immediately be accessible. If it is not, restart your computer.