In non-preemptive multitasking, the CPU control largely remains with one program for longer durations. Non-preemptive multitasking works well with applications and programs that require intensive and continuous CPU resources. However, when a program holds the CPU for such long periods, it affects other programs that must wait for the current program to finish or voluntarily release the CPU.

Non-preemptive multitasking also incorporates some elements from cooperative multitasking, where one or more programs cooperate, to some extent, in CPU utilization sharing and collaboration.