7 Simple Ways to Open Task Manager on Mac (Activity Monitor Guide)

Your first days with MacOS might have you scratching your head trying to locate the Task Manager, especially if you’ve been using Windows. macOS does not have a specific “Task Manager,” but do not fret as it has Activity Monitor instead, which serves the same purpose and is equally useful. This guide will equip you with seven ways to open Activity Monitor, meaning you can manage your Mac like the professional that you are.

Activity Monitor helps you keep an eye on your Mac’s performance, showing which apps are using the most system resources. It’s also the go-to tool for force-quitting unresponsive programs and troubleshooting slow performance.

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What is Task Manager on Mac? (Activity Monitor Explained)

Before we jump into the different ways to open it, let’s take a quick look at what Activity Monitor actually does and why you might need it.

If you’ve used Task Manager on Windows, you know it helps track CPU, memory, and disk usage. On a Mac, Activity Monitor serves the same purpose, allowing you to:

• Monitor CPU, memory, and network usage to see what’s slowing down your system
• Check which apps are using the most power (great for MacBooks to save battery life)
• Force quit frozen apps when they stop responding
• Keep track of disk and energy usage to optimize performance

If your Mac is running slow, heating up, or an app has frozen, Activity Monitor is the tool that can help you diagnose and fix the issue.

Now, let’s go over,

Seven easy ways to Open Task Manager (Activity Monitor) on Mac

1. Use Spotlight Search (Quickest Method)

The fastest way to open Activity Monitor is through Spotlight Search:

1. Press Command (⌘) + Spacebar to open Spotlight.
2. Type “Activity Monitor” in the search bar.
3. Press Enter to launch it.

This method works instantly and is perfect if you need to access Activity Monitor quickly.

2. Open Activity Monitor via Finder

If you prefer navigating through folders, you can open Activity Monitor from Finder:

1. Click on the Finder icon in your Dock.
2. Go to Applications > Utilities.
3. Double-click Activity Monitor to open it.

This method is useful if you want to browse other system utilities at the same time.

3. Open Activity Monitor from Launchpad

For those who love using Launchpad, here’s how to find Activity Monitor:

1. Click on the Launchpad icon in the Dock (or pinch with three fingers and a thumb on your trackpad).
2. Type “Activity Monitor” in the search bar.
3. Click on Activity Monitor when it appears.

Launchpad is a great option if you like a more visual way of opening apps.

4. Use Siri to Open Activity Monitor

Why not let Siri do the work for you? If you have Siri enabled, you can simply:

1. Click the Siri icon in the menu bar (or say “Hey Siri” if enabled).
2. Say “Open Activity Monitor.”

Siri will launch Activity Monitor for you in seconds—no typing required!

5. Open Task Manager on Mac Using Terminal

For advanced users who love Terminal, you can open Activity Monitor with a simple command:

1. Open Terminal (Command + Space, then type “Terminal”).
2. Type the following command and press Enter:
   open /Applications/Utilities/Activity\ Monitor.app
3. Activity Monitor will open immediately.

This method is especially useful if you’re already working in Terminal and need to check system performance.

6. Add Activity Monitor to Your Dock for Quick Access

If you use Activity Monitor frequently, it’s a good idea to keep it in your Dock for one-click access:

1. Open (Task Manager) Activity Monitor using any of the above methods.
2. Right-click the Activity Monitor icon in the Dock.
3. Go to Options > Keep in Dock.

Now, you can open Activity Monitor anytime with a single click!

7. Use a Keyboard Shortcut (Custom Method)

While macOS doesn’t have a built-in keyboard shortcut for Activity Monitor, you can create your own:

1. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.
2. Select App Shortcuts and click the + button.
3. Choose All Applications, enter “Activity Monitor” as the menu title, and assign a custom shortcut (like Control + Option + A).
4. Click Done and try your new shortcut!

This is a great option if you want instant access to Activity Monitor without searching for it.

Final Thoughts

And that’s it! You now know seven different ways to open task manager (Activity Monitor) on Mac. Whether you prefer using Spotlight, Finder, Terminal, or even Siri, there’s a method for everyone.

When it comes to monitoring the performance of your Mac, Activity Monitor is an invaluable resource if you notice sluggish system performance, connections to apps becoming unresponsive, or whenever you want to check device resource consumption.