ghost taskmgr processes

Ghost taskmgr processes refer to invisible taskmgr.exe instances that remain running in Windows 11 after closing Task Manager via the X button. This regression caused ghost processes to accumulate, potentially degrading system responsiveness on memory-constrained machines. Microsoft addressed the issue in the November 2025 cumulative update KB5068861, which upgrades affected devices to OS builds 26200.7171 or 26100.7171. The patch restores the expected Task Manager lifecycle, ensuring that closing the window terminates the process and prevents ghost-process buildup. Users experiencing unexplained performance hits or multiple taskmgr.exe entries in Process Explorer may find relief after applying this update.