A frozen or unresponsive computer can be incredibly frustrating. You’re trying to get work done, and suddenly your PC stops responding to your inputs. The mouse cursor won’t move, clicks do nothing, and everything is essentially frozen in place.
The easiest solution is often to force restart the computer by holding down the power button. However, that should only be a last resort, as forcefully powering off the PC can lead to data loss or file corruption. Luckily, there are several methods you can try to “unfreeze” your PC and regain control before resorting to a hard reboot.
Determine If Your Computer Is Truly Frozen
Before trying to unfreeze your PC, make sure it is actually completely unresponsive. Sometimes computers can just be running slowly and may start responding again after a few minutes. Here are some signs your PC is truly frozen:
- The mouse cursor does not move at all
- No programs, windows, or apps will open when clicked
- Pressing keys on your keyboard does nothing
- Num lock, caps lock, or other key lights do not toggle on/off
- Music or videos stop playing
If your computer is exhibiting any of those behaviors and has been unresponsive for several minutes, it’s likely frozen and needs to be unfrozen.
Wait It Out
As mentioned above, sometimes computers can just be running slowly and may start responding again after a few minutes. Before taking any action, wait 5-10 minutes to see if the PC unfreezes itself and starts working normally again.
Heavy computing tasks like updating Windows, running a virus scan, downloading large files, or editing media files can bring a computer to a crawl temporarily. Give it some time to finish its work before assuming it is completely frozen.
Check for Background Tasks
There could be a process or application running in the background that is hogging all of your computer’s resources and causing it to freeze. You’ll want to check for and close any unnecessary background tasks.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the task manager and view all running processes on your PC. Look for any application using an extremely high percentage of CPU or RAM and end its task. This may free up system resources and unfreeze your PC.
Restart Problematic Programs
An individual application freezing up can sometimes make the entire computer unresponsive. If you noticed the problem starting while using a particular program, restarting that application may fix the issue.
Open task manager again using Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Go to the Details or Processes tab, right click on the problematic program, and select Restart to relaunch it and force it to close any frozen windows or tabs.
Update Hardware Drivers
Outdated or corrupt drivers for your hardware like video cards, printers, or mouse/keyboards could be the cause of a frozen computer. Updating to the latest drivers ensures maximal compatibility with your hardware and may resolve any freezing issues.
You can update drivers manually by visiting the manufacturer’s website and downloading the newest versions. Alternatively, utilities like Driver Easy can automatically detect and update all your drivers for you with just a few clicks.
Disable Background Apps
Apps running in the background can periodically ping the internet, check for updates, or run other small processes that accumulate over time to slow down your PC and make it unresponsive. Windows 10 offers a useful feature to disable background apps:
- Open the Start Menu
- Click “Settings” then go to Privacy > Background Apps
- Toggle off any apps you don’t need running in the background. This prevents them from freezing your computer if they start hogging resources.
Restart Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer is the program that handles your Windows UI, taskbar, start menu, etc. Restarting explorer has been known to resolve temporary freezing issues in Windows:
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
- Select File > Run new task
- Type “explorer.exe” and click OK to restart Explorer
This will reload the Windows shell and desktop environment, potentially fixing any freezing problems.
Boot Into Safe Mode
Booting into Windows 10’s Safe Mode loads a minimal version of the operating system with only essential drivers and services. This can help isolate freezing issues caused by third party apps or programs:
- Open the Start Menu and hold Shift while clicking Restart
- On the recovery screen choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart
- After your PC restarts, select Safe Mode on the startup settings screen
If your computer is no longer freezing in Safe Mode, it indicates the problem is being caused by a third party application or service. You can then disable or uninstall recently added programs until you find the problematic software.
Check for Malware
Malware like viruses, spyware, and ransomware can overload your PC with unwanted processes designed to slow your system down. Running an antivirus scan can identify and remove any malicious programs responsible for freezing your computer.
Windows Security in Windows 10 provides real-time protection against viruses and malware. You can also run a full system scan to check for threats that may be causing freezes or high CPU usage.
Third party antivirus tools like Malwarebytes or HitmanPro are useful if Windows Security isn’t finding a virus that is slowing down your PC.
Clean Up Hard Drive
A hard drive that is nearly full can cause poor PC performance, freezing, and unresponsiveness. Make sure your C: drive has at least 20% free space available.
You can clear space by:
- Emptying the Recycle Bin
- Removing old Windows update installation files
- Uninstalling programs you no longer use
- Moving photos, videos, and other files to an external hard drive
Use the Disk Cleanup utility in Windows to quickly clean out system files and temporary caches that are taking up space.
Disable Startup Programs
Too many programs starting when Windows boots can lead to sluggish performance. Disabling unnecessary apps and services that run at startup can speed up computer boot time and system resources.
To modify startup programs in Windows 10:
- Type “Task Manager” into the search bar and open the Desktop App
- Go to the Startup tab
- Right click on any unwanted startup apps and select Disable
This prevents these programs from running automatically at startup and hogging resources that could otherwise be freed up to speed up your system.
Check Your Cooling
Computers require sufficient cooling to prevent overheating. Dust buildup in fans/vents along with dried thermal paste between the CPU and cooler can cause high temperatures.
Carefully clean out any built up dust from your computer case fans, CPU fan, and power supply air vents to improve airflow. Replacing dried or ineffective thermal paste between the processor and heatsink can also lower temperatures.
Monitoring programs like Core Temp or Speccy will alert you if there are any concerning CPU or system temperatures that may be contributing to freezing or crashes.
Test and Replace Hardware
Faulty hardware like RAM, hard drives, and video cards can mimic freezing and lockups. Testing components one at a time can help identify any defective parts:
- RAM – Remove RAM sticks one at a time and swap slots to isolate bad modules.
- HDD/SSD – Check HDD health with CrystalDiskInfo. Replace aging or damaged drives.
- GPU – Remove dedicated graphics card and switch to onboard video to test.
- PSU – Ensure enough consistent power with a UPS or by replacing suspect PSU.
If freezing issues disappear after removing a specific component, you’ve likely located the faulty hardware that needs replacing.
Reset the PC
If you’ve exhausted all other troubleshooting steps, performing a factory reset to erase and reinstall Windows is a nuclear option for stubborn system freezes:
- Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery
- Under “Reset this PC” click Get Started
- Choose Keep my files to refresh Windows while saving your data
Resetting Windows will reinstall the operating system while preserving your personal files and data. This can eliminate any corrupted OS files or settings that are causing freezing issues.
When to Force Shut Down a Frozen PC
After trying all of these troubleshooting tips, if your computer is still completely unresponsive you may have no choice but to force power it down.
Hold the power button until the PC forcibly switches off. Then wait a few minutes before turning it back on in case components need time to reset.
Ideally you want to avoid force shutdowns to prevent potential data loss or file system corruption. But if your system is well and truly frozen, power cycling the machine may be the only way to regain control.
Just be aware that any unsaved work will be lost when forcefully powering down a PC.
Prevent Freezing Issues
Following proper computer maintenance practices can help avoid freezing and crashes:
- Keep Windows and software up-to-date
- Only install trusted programs from reputable sources
- Perform periodic malware scans
- Clean out dust buildup and monitor temperatures
- Don’t overload the PC with unnecessary background apps
- Check HDD health and replace aging hardware
Freezes can still happen on occasion to even well-maintained PCs. But staying on top of updates, cleaning, and hardware health will minimize lockups and keep your computer running smoothly.
When to Seek Professional Repair
If your computer continually freezes despite trying all standard troubleshooting steps, the underlying problem may require professional repair:
- Critical Windows system files may be corrupted and require reinstallation or repair
- Failing or severely outdated hardware needs diagnosis and replacement
- An overtaxed and outdated machine may simply lack the resources for today’s software
Seeking professional PC repair can identify and resolve underlying issues that are beyond most home troubleshooting methods. Tech repair specialists have the skillset and tools to quickly diagnose problems and breathe new life into aging computers.
When to Buy a New PC
There comes a point where an old computer that constantly freezes may not be worth sinking more money into repairs. If your PC is over 5 years old, the hardware is extremely outdated, and you’ve already tried every DIY solution, it may be time to invest in a new system.
Advances in CPU speeds, RAM capacity, solid state drives, and graphics capabilities can make a brand new computer feel like a night and day difference. While repairs can prolong the lifespan of older machines, sometimes it is simply not cost effective compared to upgrading to a fast modern PC.
Conclusion
Dealing with an unresponsive frozen computer can be frustrating. But there are many troubleshooting steps you can take to try reviving a PC before force restarting it. Be sure to wait and see if performance returns after a few minutes. Updating drivers, closing background tasks, cleaning up disks, and disabling start up items are worthwhile fixes to attempt.
For severe lockups, explore options like Safe Mode, antivirus scans, hardware testing, and OS reinstallation to isolate the root cause. Getting professional help may be warranted if you’ve exhausted all do-it-yourself solutions. And if your machine is simply too old, it may be time to consider replacing it entirely.
With the right treatment, most common cases of computer freezing can be remedied and monitored to prevent recurrence. Just be sure to troubleshoot the issue instead of immediately hard restarting to avoid potential data loss.