Taskkill is a command line prompt (CMD) command used to terminate processes and programs in Windows operating systems. It is a powerful tool that can be used to terminate multiple processes at once, or to end a process that has become unresponsive. In this guide, we will discuss the syntax, options, and user examples of the taskkill command, as well as provide a comprehensive overview of its capabilities.
What is the Taskkill Command?
Taskkill is a command line prompt (CMD) command used to terminate processes and programs in Windows operating systems. It is a powerful tool that can be used to terminate multiple processes at once, or to end a process that has become unresponsive. It can also be used to end a process that is using a specific port, or to end a process that is using a specific file. The taskkill command can be used in both the command prompt and in a batch file.
Taskkill Syntax
The syntax of the taskkill command is as follows:
- taskkill [/s system [/u username [/p [password]]]] { [/fi filter] [/pid processid | /im imagename] } [/f] [/t]
The parameters of the taskkill command are as follows:
- /s system – Specifies the remote system to connect to.
- /u username – Specifies the user context under which the command should execute.
- /p [password] – Specifies the password for the given user context.
- /fi filter – Specifies a filter in the form of a query.
- /pid processid – Specifies the process ID of the process to be terminated.
- /im imagename – Specifies the image name of the process to be terminated.
- /f – Forces the termination of the process.
- /t – Terminates the specified process and any child processes.
Taskkill Options
The taskkill command has several options that can be used to customize the command. These options include the following:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| /s system | Specifies the remote system to connect to. |
| /u username | Specifies the user context under which the command should execute. |
| /p [password] | Specifies the password for the given user context. |
| /fi filter | Specifies a filter in the form of a query. |
| /pid processid | Specifies the process ID of the process to be terminated. |
| /im imagename | Specifies the image name of the process to be terminated. |
| /f | Forces the termination of the process. |
| /t | Terminates the specified process and any child processes. |
Taskkill Examples
The taskkill command can be used in a variety of ways to terminate processes and programs in Windows operating systems. Here are some examples of how to use the taskkill command:
- Terminate a Process by Process ID – To terminate a process by its process ID, use the following command: taskkill /pid [process id]
- Terminate a Process by Image Name – To terminate a process by its image name, use the following command: taskkill /im [image name]
- Terminate a Process by Filter – To terminate a process by a filter, use the following command: taskkill /fi [filter]
- Terminate a Process on a Remote System – To terminate a process on a remote system, use the following command: taskkill /s [system] /u [username] /p [password] /im [image name]
Conclusion
The taskkill command is a powerful tool that can be used to terminate processes and programs in Windows operating systems. It can be used to terminate multiple processes at once, or to end a process that has become unresponsive. It can also be used to end a process that is using a specific port, or to end a process that is using a specific file. The taskkill command can be used in both the command prompt and in a batch file. In this guide, we discussed the syntax, options, and user examples of the taskkill command, as well as provided a comprehensive overview of its capabilities.