Windows 11 users are currently contending with an unusual glitch linked to the KB5067036 update, which leads to the duplication of Task Manager instances each time it’s closed. While Microsoft has yet to officially acknowledge these issues, findings reveal that approximately 30% of tested virtual machines are experiencing this complication. For habitual users of Task Manager, this could potentially hinder overall system performance.
This specific update, known as KB5067036 (Build 26200.7019 or 26100.7019), was made available as an optional patch on October 28, introducing several enhancements. These include a revamped Start menu and vibrant battery icons for the taskbar, alongside a new Recommended feed feature in File Explorer. However, the update promises more than just cosmetic changes.
Notably, the KB5067036 update addresses the long-standing issue where Windows failed to shut down correctly when selecting ‘Update & Shut Down’ from the power options in the Start menu.
Moreover, a significant change involves the Task Manager, as Microsoft reportedly claims to have rectified an issue where applications and their processes were not being grouped correctly, leading to confusing performance metrics.
On the surface, these enhancements appear beneficial; nonetheless, users may face a quirky bug possibly stemming from Microsoft’s intended fix for the Task Manager’s process grouping.
In our evaluations, it was discovered that Build 26200.7019 or 26100.7019 interferes with the Task Manager’s close button on various systems.
This interference means that attempting to close Task Manager via the ‘X’ button doesn’t always terminate the application. Instead, it continues to run in the background, leading to multiple Task Manager processes each time it is reopened and closed.
For those skeptics wondering about the implications, consider this: after repeatedly opening and closing Task Manager around 100 times, I ended up with an astonishing number of instances—each consuming 20–25 MB of RAM, tallying approximately 2 GB of usage. While this may be inconsequential on a system with 32GB of RAM, it could present significant performance issues on devices with lower specifications.
What To Do If Task Manager Won’t Close
Our testing shows that not all users are impacted by this ghost instance issue. If you encounter this problem, it’s advised to refrain from using the ‘X’ button to close Task Manager. Instead, opt for the ‘End task’ function to properly terminate the application.
To clear all Task Manager instances, you’ll need to manually choose ‘End task’ on each process. Alternatively, for those comfortable with command line operations, executing taskkill /im taskmgr.exe /f in the Command Prompt will eliminate all Task Manager processes in one go.
October 2025: A Challenging Month for Windows 11
The updates released in October have not been smooth sailing. Following the Patch Tuesday update on October 14, numerous users faced connectivity issues with LocalHost, resulting in an “ERR_CONNECTION_RESET” error for apps or websites attempting to reach 127.0.0.1.
Although Microsoft quickly responded with a server-side patch to rectify the broken LocalHost connections—which depended on the Internet Information System (IIS)—another major issue emerged concurrently. Many users found themselves unable to utilize the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) due to a malfunction that rendered both the keyboard and mouse unresponsive.
In light of this, Microsoft was compelled to issue an out-of-band update to address the shortcomings with WinRE. By the end of the month, while it seemed as though Microsoft was finally resolving the outstanding issues, the introduction of the Task Manager bug raised fresh concerns.
Currently, Windows 11 appears trapped in a cycle where each update remedies one issue but inadvertently creates another. This pattern of “fixing”has been troubling for users.
What has your experience been like after the latest Windows update? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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