Automation is at the core of workflow productivity worldwide; automating manual tasks saves time, labor, and precious human resource. While automation might seem tech-intensive, you can easily automate even the smallest tasks in Windows in a few easy steps. This article talks about methods to create automated tasks in Windows. Please make sure that you stay tuned till the end of this article.
Why Automate Tasks In Windows and What is Windows Task Scheduler?
Automating tasks saves time. It makes manual tasks that are meant to be completed daily so much easy. Automating specific tasks also reduces the margins for errors and mistakes, as automated tasks only execute in a defined way. Repetitive tasks that require no human input can be automated, and you can focus on more productive tasks that require your thoughts for execution.
Let’s now look at what Task Scheduler is in Windows.
Task Scheduler is a free utility available on Windows which allows users to automatically execute predefined tasks when a particular condition is met or a specific event occurs. You can set task triggers in many ways. You can set a specific time when the task is supposed to run, a frequency, or a condition.
There are countless possibilities of triggers you can create with Task Manager. You can even instruct the Task Manager to execute a particular script or start a program when the trigger occurs.
Now that you have a clear idea about why automation is so important and how you can use it to your benefit, let us proceed with creating automated tasks in Windows.
How To Create Automated Tasks In Windows
In this section, we’ll discuss the two ways you can automate tasks in Windows. You can either use Task Scheduler, which is a free utility by Windows, but there is a limited number of tasks you can automate. Then, there are third-party apps that allow you to automate many complex tasks. Some are free, while others require you to pay a one-time premium or recurring subscription. Let’s now have a look at the methods.
Creating Automated Tasks In Windows Using Task Scheduler
Creating Tasks using a task scheduler is a relatively simple process if you know everything you want the task to fulfill. We’ll be explaining the process in three sections here they are:
- Creating Task Folder In Task Scheduler
- Creating A Basic Task In Task Scheduler
- Creating An Advanced Task In Task Scheduler
Let’s have a detailed look at all of these.
1] Creating A Task Folder In Task Scheduler
You can organize your tasks using folders in Task Manager. Creating a separate folder for your new tasks is one of the primary steps and is recommended, as some of the tasks are created by system applications, and their folders should ideally not be used for other tasks. Here are the steps:
- Open Task Scheduler by searching for it in the Start menu.
- Once in the Task Scheduler, expand the Task Scheduler Library option from the left pane, then right-click the Task Scheduler Library folder.
- From the context menu that opens, click New Folder.
- Now, type in a name for the new folder and click OK.
Your new folder for the tasks will now be created. Now we can proceed with creating basic and advanced tasks.
2] Creating A Basic Task In Task Scheduler
Creating a basic task is a simpler and straightforward process that does not allow you to do a lot of customizations to the task but is suitable for most users. Here’s how to create a basic task in Task Scheduler:
- To start, click on the Create Basic Task option from the right pane.
- Now, the Create Basic Task Wizard will open.
- For the first step, name the task and describe it. Make sure that the description makes it easier for you to understand the task.
- You will be asked to set a trigger for the task; you can set frequency-based triggers like Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or One Time. Or, set event-based triggers like, When the computer starts, When I log on, or When a specific event is logged.
- Now, depending upon which trigger you select, you’ll be asked to fill in additional information for Daily frequency. You’ll need to set the time at which the task is executed, or for When a specific event is logged trigger, you’ll need to specify the event log from the list of available logs.
- Next, you will have to set up an action for the task. You can either choose to start a program, send an email, or display a message.
- For starting a program action, you will be asked to select the program or provide the script for the program. For the email, you have to provide the to and from email address, the subject and body of the email, and the SMTP server address. For the message, you will have to provide the Title and body of the message.
- You will be taken to the Finish tab, where you can verify and save the task details.
3] Creating An Advanced Task In Task Scheduler
By creating an advanced task, the whole experience becomes a whole lot more customizable. You get additional security settings, advanced triggers, the ability to add conditions to the task, and many other settings. Let’s have a look at how to create an advanced task in Task Scheduler:
- Click the Create Task option from the right pane to create an advanced task. A create task window will now open.
- Now, in the General tab of the Window, you can set the Name and Description for the task along with the task location.
- You also can choose from a bunch of security options for the task in the General tab. You can select the Task Privileges, whether the task is supposed to run when the user is logged out or not, and you can also change the user for whom the task is created.
- Now, in the next tab, set Triggers for the task. You get more triggers while creating Advanced tasks. For each trigger, there are Advanced settings that provide you with greater control.
- In the next tab, you get to select the Actions. The actions are the same. You can either Start a program, Send an email, or Display a message.
- Next is the Conditions tab. The Conditions tab is an addition to the Triggers. The task will not be executed until the specified condition holds.
- Lastly, you can head to the Settings tab to modify any other settings related to the task and save it.
Creating Automated Tasks In Windows Using Third-Party Apps
Automating tasks through third-party apps in Windows is relatively simple and allows you to automate way more tasks than the Windows Task scheduler. Here are the applications covered in this section:
- AutoHotKey
- Jitbit Macro Reader
- Macro Express
- RoboTask
Let’s now have a detailed look at these applications.
1] AutoHotKey
AutoHotKey is an open-source, free scripting language that allows you to automate almost any task in Windows. You can remap keys to make them hotkeys, meaning that when you click a certain key, it automatically executes the preset task. The same can be done with the mouse keys as well.
Features:
- Open Source
- Free Utility
- Highly Customizable
- Create Hotkeys
Pros:
- Endless Customizations
- Assign Hotkeys
- Light Installation package
Cons:
- Requires basic programming and scripting knowledge
2] Jitbit Macro Reader
Jitbit Macro reader is an advanced macro reader and task automation software for Windows. The Macro reader records all your activity with your keyboard and mouse for a specific period. You can then convert this Macro recording to an automated task that executes as you define or to an exe file that will perform all the actions you did in the Macro directly upon execution.
Features:
- Powerful Macro Recorder
- Easily Convert Macros To Exe Files
- Create Automated Tasks
- Assign Hotkeys
- Edit Macros
Pros:
- Inbuilt Macro Reader
- Create EXE Files From Macros
- Assign Hotkeys
Cons:
- Paid Application
- Complicated User Interface
3] Macro Express
Macro Express is yet another Macro recorder and automater app that works by recording the keyboard and mouse actions and then replicating them upon request. Macro Express is one of the best software for automation is its simple interface and many preset Macros, which you can use to automate tasks immediately.
Features:
- Highly Customizable
- Numerous Preset Macros To Choose From
- Capture And Edit Macros
- Edit Automation Scripts
- Create Hotkeys
Pros:
- Easy To Use
- Preset Macros
- Customizable
Cons:
- Paid Application
- Dated Interface
4] RoboTask
RoboTask is a highly customizable and adaptable task automation software for Windows that works without you having any knowledge of programming and can be used to automate from the simplest to the most complex tasks. The possibilities are just endless. You can create an automatic trigger from almost anything on the computer. The application is one of the most widely used and oldest out there.
Features:
- Very Easy To Use
- Numerous Automation Triggers
- Well Designed Interface
- Powerful Macro Recorder And Editor
- Customize Macro Recordings
Pros:
- Well Designed Easy To Use Interface
- Wide Range Of Automation Triggers
Cons:
- Paid Application
- Not Frequently Updated
Conclusion:
Automation is making our lives easier every day, and a few intelligent steps and tweaks to your computer can make your workflow much more productive, faster, and smooth. We hope you found the article to be helpful. Please make sure that you share it with everyone.
Do I Have To Pay To Automate Task In Windows?
Windows provides a free utility called Task Scheduler. Which lets you schedule and automate tasks. This utility is quite featureful and works well for most users. However, you can refer to many automation solutions available by paying a premium if you need more advanced features.
I Can See Many Tasks In Task Scheduler Which I Did Not Create. Can I Delete Them?
Most of these tasks in the Task Scheduler are created by the system or installed applications on your computer and are essential for those applications to function. You should delete only the tasks you know are unrelated to such applications.
