A method for managing tasks of an instant messaging application, applied in an intelligent terminal, and comprising: during a process of executing a first function task of the instant messaging application, switching (101, 202) the first function task to background if an instruction for triggering a second function of the instant messaging application is received; after switching the first function task to the background, storing current status information of the first function task and a task identifier of the first function task using a correspondence or link between them; creating (102, 203) a first task tab configured to pull up the first function task after switching the first function task to the background; and then creating (103, 204) a second function task for the second function; after creating the second function task, pulling up (104, 205) the first function task to switch the first function task to foreground based on the task identifier of the first function task to display the current status information of the first function task if a designated operation is received based on the first task tab, wherein the method further comprises: to facilitate creating a new task tab to create a function task, displaying an empty tab which does not correspond to any one function task while displaying a plurality of task tabs; and if receiving a creating instruction based on the empty tab, creating a function task according to the creating instruction, and configuring the empty tab as a task tab corresponding to the created function task. during a process of executing a first function task of the instant messaging application, switching (101, 202) the first function task to background if an instruction for triggering a second function of the instant messaging application is received; after switching the first function task to the background, storing current status information of the first function task and a task identifier of the first function task using a correspondence or link between them; creating (102, 203) a first task tab configured to pull up the first function task after switching the first function task to the background; and then creating (103, 204) a second function task for the second function; after creating the second function task, pulling up (104, 205) the first function task to switch the first function task to foreground based on the task identifier of the first function task to display the current status information of the first function task if a designated operation is received based on the first task tab, wherein the method further comprises: to facilitate creating a new task tab to create a function task, displaying an empty tab which does not correspond to any one function task while displaying a plurality of task tabs; and if receiving a creating instruction based on the empty tab, creating a function task according to the creating instruction, and configuring the empty tab as a task tab corresponding to the created function task. to facilitate creating a new task tab to create a function task, displaying an empty tab which does not correspond to any one function task while displaying a plurality of task tabs; and if receiving a creating instruction based on the empty tab, creating a function task according to the creating instruction, and configuring the empty tab as a task tab corresponding to the created function task.