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If one app freezes while Windows still responds, start with that app’s repair options. If several apps or the desktop stop responding, check for background-software conflicts and Windows-level problems instead. Random freezes do not point to one cause, so begin with the least disruptive step that matches what is happening.
First, work out whether the freeze is app-specific or system-wide
When a program shows “Not responding,” check whether you can still use the taskbar, open another app, or move around the desktop. A single frozen program calls for app-specific troubleshooting; freezes across multiple apps or the desktop suggest a broader issue that needs a different approach.
Note the affected app, what you were doing when it froze, whether the problem began after an app or Windows update, and whether it occurs with a particular file, device, or peripheral. These details help narrow the next step, but none proves a cause on its own.
If only one application freezes
Restart, then try Repair
- Close and reopen the affected app. If Windows remains responsive, restart the PC as well.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Select the menu beside the app, then choose Advanced options if it appears.
- Select Repair, if available, and test the app again.
Windows does not provide these controls for every app. Microsoft’s instructions are at Repair apps and programs in Windows.
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Use Reset only after considering local data
If Repair does not help, return to the same Advanced options page and choose Reset if it is available. Reset can remove app data or settings, depending on the app. Before using it with software that stores work locally, check the app publisher’s documentation and make sure you have copies of important files.
Check the app’s own update or reinstall guidance
If the problem remains isolated to one program, look for an update from its publisher. You can also follow that publisher’s documented repair or reinstall procedure, or contact its support team. Steps vary by application, so avoid assuming that a procedure for one app applies to another.
If several apps freeze, test for background-software conflicts
A clean boot starts Windows with essential drivers and startup programs, making it easier to determine whether nonessential services or startup software are interfering with an app or game. It is a diagnostic step, not a permanent startup configuration.
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- In Windows Search, type msconfig and open System Configuration.
- On the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services before choosing to disable other services. Record what you disable.
- Open Task Manager’s Startup apps section and disable the enabled startup apps as directed by Microsoft’s clean-boot procedure.
- Restart Windows and test the affected app or apps.
- When testing is complete, restore normal startup by reversing the changes, using Microsoft’s instructions.
Some functions may be temporarily unavailable during a clean boot. A work- or school-managed PC may also have policies that restrict these steps; follow your IT team’s instructions in that case. See How to perform a clean boot in Windows for the full sequence and return-to-normal steps.
If Windows itself seems unstable
Consider updates and device-specific drivers
Install relevant Windows updates. If the timing or symptoms point to a particular device or driver, use guidance from the device manufacturer rather than generic driver-updater software. Hardware, drivers, and software can all contribute to serious Windows failures such as unexpected restarts and stop-code errors, but those possibilities do not establish the cause of an ordinary app hang. Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance for unexpected restarts and stop-code errors addresses those more serious failures.
Run DISM and System File Checker when file corruption is plausible
Corrupted critical Windows files can contribute to unresponsiveness, but system-file repair is not a guaranteed fix for every app freeze. When corruption is a reasonable concern, Microsoft recommends running DISM and then System File Checker (SFC) from an elevated Command Prompt, following its current instructions: Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files.
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Choose a recovery step carefully if the problem persists
Recovery options differ in how much they change or remove. Back up important files before using them, and choose an option that fits the problem and when it began. If the freezes started after a Windows update, uninstalling that update may be an option. If less disruptive troubleshooting has failed, Microsoft’s recovery guidance covers options such as System Restore, reinstalling Windows, or resetting the PC.
Microsoft advises starting with the least disruptive suitable option. A device manufacturer’s recovery image may include drivers and factory apps specific to that PC, which generic installation media may not include. Review Recovery options in Windows before proceeding. On a work- or school-managed device, contact your IT department if the problem remains unresolved.
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