Fixed: Windows 11 Task Scheduler Not Working

Overview of Windows Task Scheduler

The Windows Task Scheduler is a vital tool that manages, schedules, and prioritizes tasks on your system. Ensuring the proper functioning of the task scheduler is essential for your system to operate normally.

By now, you likely recognize the importance of the Task Scheduler functioning correctly. If you encounter errors indicating that the Windows Task Scheduler not working, it could pose a significant problem for you.

This article will help you troubleshoot the Windows 11 Task Scheduler not working issue and offer a backup option to safeguard your system to prevent potential operation mistakes. You can see the above table of contents column to address the specific section directly.

Why is the Windows Task Scheduler not working?

This article summarizes the common causes of Windows 10/11 Task Scheduler not workingr for you.

• An unreliable driver or application is installed
• The task scheduler service is disabled
• No administrative rights
• The tree cache used by the scheduler is corrupted
• Background tasks conflict

Backup system before fixing problems

Before trying any of these methods to resolve the Task Scheduler issue, it's highly recommended to create a system image first. If these methods do not solve the problem and you've made changes to the system settings during the process, you can use the system backup to quickly restore your system. This not only safeguards your system's security but also prevents potential data loss.

AOMEI Backupper Standard is reliable and best free backup and restore software that is compatible with Windows 11/10/8/8.1/XP, Vista and etc.

Backup options: you can backup your important files and folders, partitions and disks, also you can create a system backup to keep everything intact.

Flexible backup destinations: You can backup files to external hard drive, USB flash drive, network drive, NAS, etc

Other useful features: if you are worried that your computer may fail, you can use this software to create a bootable USB or CD/DVD in advance.

Here is the full guide to backup your windows 11. Before you start, please download this free software and install it on your computer.

Step 1. Launch the software and click System Backup under the Backup tab.

Step 2. Modify the Task Name to distinguish it from other backup tasks if you need. The program will select the system and boot partitions by default as the source. Then choose a destination path to save the backup image.

Step 3. Click Start Backup to begin system backup in Windows 11.

✍Other powerful settings: In addition, you can also click Options, Schedule Backup and Backup Scheme to customize the settings at the bottom left.
▶ Options: You can comment the current backup task and enable email notifications. When you upgrade to the professional version, you can also enable encrypted backup.
▶ Schedule Backup: You can set daily, weekly and monthly backup files for free. After upgrading to the pro version, files can also be backed up at event triggers and USB plug-in.
▶ Backup Scheme: to save storage space, you can create incremental or differential backups once you made a full backup. The differential backup can be used in the professional version.
In addition, after upgrading to a higher version, you can also delete old backups to keep the latest backup versions.

How to fix Windows Task Scheduler not working

If you're unsure about the cause of the problem, it's advisable to try each of the methods mentioned in the articles one by one. There's usually a solution available. Remember, after completing each method, it's crucial to restart your system.

Fix 1. Check and Enable the Task Scheduler Service

Step 1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type taskschd.msc and hit Enter to proceed.

Step 2. Click on a task and select the Properties option.

Step 3. Choose the Triggers tab and verify that the task is enabled. If not, choose the Edit button.

Step 4. Finally, check the Enabled checkbox and seelct the OK button.

Fix 2. Change Service Configuration

Step 1. Open Start Menu and type cmd. Select Run as administrator.

Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, type SC config schedule start= auto and press Enter.

Step 3. If the final message you get is [SC] Change Service Config SUCCESS then the scheduler will start working.

Step 4. Restart your system.

Fix 3. Start Task Scheduler with Command Prompt

If the above methods don't work and your Windows 11 task scheduler not working, then you can also use Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell to enable it.

Step 1. Press Windows + X to open the Quick Access menu. Select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin) from the list.

Step 2. Then type net start task scheduler in the Windows PowerShell window and hit Enter.

Fix 4. Run System File Checker to repair corrupt system files

The issue can be caused by corrupted system files on your computer. You can run the System File Checker to find potentially corrupt system files, repair and maintain them.

Step 1. Press Windows + X to open the Quick Access menu. Select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin) from the list.

Step 2. Then type sfc/scannow in the Windows PowerShell window and hit Enter to confirm.

Fix 5. Delete Corrupted Task Scheduler Tree Cache

Finally, if none of the previous methods work, then you can try this method, which is to solve the problem by deleting the corrupted task scheduler tree cache. This method is a little more complicated than the previous methods, please follow the steps below.

Step 1. Type regedit in the Run window and hit Enter.

Step 2. Go to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree

Step 3. Right-click on the Registry and rename it as Tree.old.

• If Task Scheduler should be working properly when you go to Start search and type Task Scheduler. If it does, follow the below steps to find out the root that stops it.
• Undo the modifications you made earlier. Specifically, rename the registry as Tree.

Step 4. Proceed by opening the Registry hierarchy. Rename each key to keyname.old. After completing this process, attempt to run the Task Scheduler again.

Step 5. Continue following the above steps until you find out the specific registry key where the Task Scheduler displays the error.

Step 6. Once the error is found, right-click on it and select Delete.

Step 7. Restart your system.

FQA

Does Task Scheduler work on Windows 11?

 

Absolutely, Task Scheduler is a built-in application in both Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems. You can access it via Windows Search. Task Scheduler is essential for scheduling tasks in Windows 11, and it also enables you to launch programs or open files during system startup.

How do I manually trigger a task in Task Scheduler?

To manually trigger a task in Task Scheduler, the task's status should be "Ready." If it is disabled, right-click on it and select "Enable." Once enabled, its status will change to "Ready." Now, right-click on the task and select "Run" to manually trigger the task.

Summary

This article offers 5 potential solutions to troubleshoot Windows 11 Task Scheduler not working issue. Since the exact cause is often unknown, it's advisable to try the 5 methods one by one.

Given that these methods involve making changes to your system settings, it's wise to prioritize your system security and prevent data loss. To do this, you can utilize professional backup software like AOMEI Backupper Standard to create a system backup beforehand to prevent any issues arise.

Moreover, if you need to restore your system backup to a computer with different hardware, AOMEI Backupper's Universal Restore feature can effortlessly handle that for you.

Maggie · Editor

Maggie is a technical editor from AOMEI and troubleshoots technical problems against data protection. She has received professional and systematic technical training. With a focus on user experience, security, and problem-solving, she always puts herself in the readers' shoes and provides them with valuable technical insights.

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