Fix Windows 11 Not Responding or Frozen Issues Quickly

Is your Windows 11 computer freezing or not responding? This guide will help you troubleshoot and resolve these issues efficiently.

What can I do if the Windows 11 desktop is not responding?​

1. Free Up Disk Space​

• Open the Start Menu by clicking on Start on the Taskbar.
• Type "Storage" in the search bar and press Enter to open Storage Settings.
• Click on your main drive (usually C:).
• Review the storage categories, click on a category, and identify large files (like videos or games) you no longer need.
• Select and delete unnecessary files by clicking the three dots or right-clicking.

Freeing up disk space can improve system performance and prevent freezes caused by the lack of available storage.

2. Check for Updates​

• Open the Start Menu and click on Settings.
• Go to Windows Update in the left pane.
• Click Check for updates and install any available updates.
• Restart your computer if prompted.

Keeping your system updated ensures you have the latest bug fixes and performance improvements, which can help reduce freezing issues.

3. End Unnecessary Background Processes​

• Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
• Click on the Processes tab.
• Identify high-resource processes (look for high CPU or memory usage).
• Right-click on each process and select End Task.

Ending unnecessary background processes can free up system resources, reducing the likelihood of freezes.

4. Adjust Virtual Memory​

• Press Win + I to open Settings.
• Type "performance" in the search box and press Enter.
• Click Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.
• Go to the Advanced tab and click Change under Virtual Memory.
• Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
• Select Custom size, enter the Recommended value in Initial size, and a larger value in Maximum size.
• Click OK to save changes.

Increasing virtual memory helps handle resource-intensive tasks more efficiently, reducing the chances of system freezes.

5. Run System File Checker (SFC) Scan​

• Click the search box, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
• Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Running an SFC scan can repair corrupted system files that might be causing freezes.

6. Run DISM​

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
• Type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter.

Using the DISM tool can fix issues with the system image, potentially resolving freezing problems.

7. Update GPU Drivers​

• Open Device Manager via the Win + X menu.
• Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphic card driver, and choose Update driver.
• Select Search automatically for drivers.

Outdated GPU drivers can cause freezing issues, so keeping them updated is crucial.

8. Clear Temporary Files​

• Open Settings and go to System > Storage.
• Click on Temporary files under Local Disk.
• Check the boxes for the files you want to delete and click Remove files.

Clearing temporary files can free up space and improve system performance.

9. Run a Disk Check​

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
• Type chkdsk C: /f /r and press Enter (replace C: with your drive letter if necessary).

Running a disk check can identify and fix errors on your hard drive that might be causing freezes.

10. Perform a Clean Boot​

• Press the Windows key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• Up next, click the Services tab at the top, check the box for Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.
  
  
  
• Select the Startup tab at the top and click Open Task Manager.
  
• Right-click each of the apps there and select Disable.
  
• Go back to the System Configuration window and click Apply, followed by OK.
  
  
  
• Finally, restart your PC.

11. Perform a Windows Memory Test​

• Press Win + R, type mdsched.exe, and click OK.
• Choose Restart now and check for problems.

A Windows Memory Test can help identify memory issues that might be causing your system to freeze.

12. Reset BIOS to Default Settings​

• Restart your computer and enter the BIOS setup (usually by pressing F2, F12, Del, or Esc during startup).
• Find the option to reset to default settings (often labeled Load Setup Defaults or similar).
• Save and exit the BIOS setup.

Resetting BIOS to default settings can resolve hardware configuration issues that might be causing system freezes.

13. Rebuild Search Index​

• Open Control Panel and search for Indexing Options.
• Click on Advanced.
• Under the Troubleshooting section, click Rebuild.

Rebuilding the search index can resolve freezing issues related to Windows Explorer and search functionality.

Following these steps can help identify and fix the root cause of your Windows 11 freezing issues, ensuring smoother and more reliable performance.