We've all experienced the frustration of a frozen program that refuses to close, forcing us to open Task Manager or restart our computer. What if Windows could automatically handle these unresponsive applications for you? With a simple tweak, you can enable the AutoEndTasks feature, which tells Windows to automatically terminate programs that stop responding. Here's how to set it up safely and effectively.
Method 1: Enable AutoEndTasks Using Registry Editor
This method uses Windows’ built-in Registry Editor and works on all modern Windows versions.
Step 1. Open Registry Editor
Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog, then type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Step 2. Navigate to the Desktop Registry Key
Go to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Step 3. Create AutoEndTasks Value
Right-click in the right pane and choose New > String Value to create it. Name the new string to AutoEndTasks.
Step 4. Set Value Data
Set to 1 to enable AutoEndTasks. If you need to disable the AutoEndTasks feature, set 0 in the value data.
Method 2: Enable AutoEndTasks Using Wise Care 365
For users who prefer not to edit the registry manually, Wise Care 365 offers a convenient way to enable AutoEndTasks. This method automates the registry changes we discussed earlier while providing additional system optimization options.
Step 1. Open Wise Care 365
Launch the Wise Care 365 application on your computer. If you don't have it installed, you can download it from the official Wise Cleaner website.
Step 2. Go to System Optimizer
Click System Tuneup on the top menu. In the left panel, select System Optimizer.
Step 3. Enable Automatic Close Unresponsive Processes
Scroll down to the System Stability section, check the box next to Automatically close unresponsive processes to avoid system crashes.
Step 4. Apply the Changes
Click the Optimize button, Wise Care 365 will apply the selected optimizations and modify the necessary registry settings automatically.
Conclusion
Enabling AutoEndTasks can be a time-saver for users who frequently encounter unresponsive programs, particularly on systems with limited resources. Advanced users can enable it manually through the registry, while most users will benefit from the simplicity of Wise Care 365.
