How to Open and Use Task Manager on Mac (2024)

If you have been using Windows for a long time and have recently switched to Mac, you may be wondering where is Task Manager on Mac or how to get Task Manager on Mac. Isn’t that right? After using Windows for a while, most users get into the habit of pressing “Ctrl + Alt + Delete” to launch Task Manager, force quit an app, or check what is slowing down the system. There is also a Windows Task Manager for Mac equivalent that provides similar information and tools. This article will tell you how to open and use Task Manager on Mac. Here it is!

The Mac’s equivalent of Task Manager

Windows computers have a Task Manager that allows users to see what programs are running on their computer, check resource usage, and manage tasks and troubleshoot problems. Every Mac has an equivalent to Task Manager called Activity Monitor. This built-in macOS tool offers a detailed view of the processes on your Mac, including system apps and tasks. You can see which processes and apps are currently running and how many system resources each process is using. Additionally, this equivalent of the Mac task manager lets you force quit apps that can’t be closed normally.

How to Open Task Manager on Mac

Unfortunately, the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Alt + Delete” will not open the Mac task manager, Activity Monitor, for you. However, it is very easy and quick to open Activity Monitor on your Mac. Here are a few ways to do it.

Method 1: Using Spotlight

Spotlight Search is one of the fastest ways to open the Activity Monitor on your MacBook. Since you can access Spotlight from any window or app you’re working on, you always have your Mac’s task manager at your fingertips. Here’s how:

• Use ““Command + Space” Keyboard shortcut to open Spotlight on Mac.
• Now start writing Activity monitor.
• Once it is highlighted, press Return or click Activity Monitor to open it.

Method 2: Using Finder

• From the Dock, open Finder.
• Go to Applications from the left sidebar.
• Now click Tools in the application windows and double-click Activity monitor to open it.

Method 3: Using Launchpad

• From the Dock, open Launch pad.
• Click on Others and you will see Activity Monitor.
• Double click to open Activity Monitor on your MacBook.

Method 4: Using the Dock

If you need Activity Monitor more often, you need to pin it to the dock for easier access. This will be a handy shortcut to open the Task Manager on your Mac with a single click. Here’s what you need to do:

• First, open Activity monitor on your Mac. You can use any of the methods discussed above.
• Once activated, right-click the Activity Monitor icon in the Dock.
• Click on Options and then select Store in dock.

The Activity Monitor will now remain in the Dock and can be launched at any time just like any other app or program.

How to Use Task Manager on Mac

Activity Monitor is a task manager for Mac. If you have always used a Windows computer, you may need to learn how to use Activity Monitor. We have mentioned some of the most useful ways to use Task Manager on Mac. Let’s check them out.

Check CPU usage

Activity Monitor has a CPU tab that shows real-time CPU usage. It shows the processes currently using your Mac’s CPU, how much power they’re using, and how long they’ve been running. To find out which processes are using the most CPU, click %Processor column. This will sort the process by CPU usage, from highest to lowest.

You will notice that a process called “kernel_task” may be taking up a large portion of your CPU. Don’t panic and disable it. This is a necessary macOS process that simply manages the CPU temperature, making it less accessible to processes and apps that use it intensively.

Check RAM usage

If your Mac is running too slow, you can use Activity Monitor to check the RAM usage on your Mac. Since RAM is directly responsible for keeping your device running, RAM usage can help you determine the cause of slow performance so you can speed things up.

To check your RAM usage, click Memory tab at the top. At the bottom, you’ll see a memory pressure indicator that indicates the system’s ability to meet the user’s memory requirements. More memory pressure can worsen system performance. If the bar turns red, you may want to upgrade your computer’s memory.

Check your energy consumption

There may be times when your MacBook battery is draining abnormally and you have no idea why. In such cases, you can use Activity Monitor to check the real-time power usage on your Mac. Simply click Energy Card from the top. This will show you how much battery your apps and processes are using. If you notice apps draining your battery, close them to extend your screen time.

Check disk usage

Unlike other tabs in the Mac Task Manager, you may not use Disk card very often in your daily routine. This tab shows how many times different processes interact with your hard drive to read and write data. If some processes are overwriting a lot of data, they may be malware. You need to close them immediately.

Check network usage

At the end there is Network tab in the Mac Activity Monitor, which shows the amount of data received and sent by each app you have on your computer. While you won’t use this often, it can help you find apps and processes that are sending too much data online.

Force Quit Apps and Processes on Your Mac

Activity Monitor on your Mac lets you force quit apps that aren’t responding or can’t be quit normally. It also lets you see and close background processes that you wouldn’t normally see. This is useful when your Mac is running slowly or an app is behaving erratically.

• Open Activity monitor.
• Browse through the list of processes and find the application you want to close.
• Now, Click the “X” button in the upper left corner.

• In the pop-up window, click on “Force End” button.

Inspecting processes in Activity Monitor

You can also dive deeper and investigate a specific process running on your Mac. This information is useful when you are dealing with poor performance on your Mac that is running slowly. It can help you pinpoint an app or background process that is slowing down your system.

Here’s how to check the process on your Mac:

• In Activity Monitor double click on the process you want to watch.
• A new window will open with detailed information about the process.
• After clicking The parenting process, another window will be displayed with information about the parent process.
• This Memory This tab shows the CPU usage of a process in real time.
• This Statistics This tab displays some technical information, including the number of threads used by the process.
• This Open files and ports shows the files and ports used by the application at the moment.