What to do when your computer stops responding

A frozen computer — one that does not respond to mouse clicks, keyboard input, or any command — usually means a single program has crashed or consumed all available memory, not that your entire machine is broken. The fastest fix is to force that one program to close without shutting down your whole system. On Windows, this takes 30 seconds. On Mac, it takes about the same. If the freeze happens repeatedly, the cause is usually a program conflict, outdated drivers, or insufficient storage space.

The steps below work for most freezes. If your computer freezes during startup or before you can reach the desktop, that is a different problem and may require booting into safe mode or using recovery tools.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete on Windows or Command+Option+Esc on Mac to open the task manager or force-quit menu without restarting.
  • Look for the program using the most CPU or memory, or the one that stopped responding, and close it first.
  • If the entire desktop is frozen and you cannot open the task manager, hold the power button for 10 seconds to force a shutdown, then restart normally.
  • Freezes that happen repeatedly point to a specific program, driver, or low disk space — identify which by checking what was running when it froze.
  • Restart your computer after unfreezing to clear temporary files and reset memory.

Force-quit a frozen program on Windows

Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete at the same time. A menu will appear with options including "Task Manager" or "Sign out". Click Task Manager. The Task Manager window will open and show all running programs.

Look at the Status column. Any program marked "Not responding" is the one that froze your system. Click it once to select it, then click the End Task button in the bottom right. The program will close when ready. If no program shows "Not responding", look at the CPU or Memory columns — the program using the highest percentage is likely the culprit. Select it and click End Task.

Once the frozen program closes, your desktop should respond normally. You can then close Task Manager and continue working. If the freeze happens again with the same program, that program may have a bug or conflict with your system.

Force-quit a frozen program on Mac

Press Command+Option+Esc at the same time. A window titled "Force Quit Applications" will appear, listing all open programs. Look for any program with the word "not responding" next to its name. Click it once to select it, then click the Force Quit button.

The frozen program will close. If no program shows "not responding", the freeze may be system-wide. Close this window and try restarting your Mac normally by clicking the Apple menu and selecting Restart. If the restart button is greyed out, hold the power button on your Mac for 10 seconds until it shuts down, then press it again to turn it back on.

What to do if you cannot open the task manager or force-quit menu

If your entire screen is frozen and clicking or typing does nothing, the task manager or force-quit menu will not open. In this case, force your computer to shut down by holding the power button for 10 full seconds. The screen will go black and the computer will turn off. Wait 30 seconds, then press the power button again to restart normally.

This is a hard shutdown and should be your last resort, because it can occasionally cause data loss if you had unsaved work open. However, it is safer than leaving your computer frozen indefinitely. After the restart, your system should work normally. If you had documents open, many programs (including Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and most browsers) will offer to recover unsaved work when you reopen them.

Why your computer keeps freezing

If freezing happens once, it is usually a temporary glitch. If it happens repeatedly, look for a pattern: Does it freeze when you open a specific program? Does it happen after your computer has been running for several hours? Does it freeze when you are using the internet, or when you have many browser tabs open?

The most common causes are a program that crashes regularly, insufficient free disk space (less than 10 percent of your drive), outdated drivers (especially graphics drivers), or too many programs running at once. Check your available disk space by opening File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and looking at your main drive. If it shows less than 10 percent free, delete old files, empty your Recycle Bin or Trash, and uninstall programs you no longer use.

If a specific program freezes your system every time you use it, uninstall that program and look for an updated version on the publisher's website. If freezing happens randomly across different programs, restart your computer and avoid opening too many programs at once. If the problem persists after a restart, your computer may need a more thorough check — consider running a malware scan or consulting a technician.

Restart your computer after unfreezing

After you force-quit a frozen program, restart your computer within the next few hours. A restart clears temporary files from memory, resets background processes, and gives your system a fresh start. You do not have to restart when ready — you can continue working — but restarting before the end of your session helps prevent the freeze from happening again.

To restart on Windows, click the Start menu, click the power icon, and select Restart. On Mac, click the Apple menu and select Restart. Save any open work first. The restart usually takes one to three minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will force-quitting a program delete my files?

No. Force-quitting closes only that one program. Your files remain on your computer. However, any unsaved work in that program will be lost. If you were editing a document when the program froze, you will lose the changes you made since you last saved.

Is it bad to hold the power button to shut down my computer?

Holding the power button is a hard shutdown and should be used only when your computer is completely frozen and will not respond to any other command. It is not ideal because it does not give programs a chance to close properly, but it is better than leaving your computer frozen. Do it only when necessary, not as a regular shutdown method.

Why does my computer freeze when I have many browser tabs open?

Each browser tab uses memory. If you have 20 or more tabs open, especially tabs with video or constantly updating content, your computer may run out of available memory and freeze. Close tabs you are not actively using, or use a browser extension that suspends inactive tabs to free up memory.

Can a virus cause my computer to freeze?

Yes, malware can consume system resources and cause freezing. If your computer freezes frequently and you cannot identify a specific program causing it, run a malware scan using Windows Defender (built into Windows) or a third-party scanner like Malwarebytes. Restart your computer in Safe Mode first if the freezing is severe.