What to do when your computer stops responding

A frozen computer — one that stops responding to mouse clicks or keyboard input — usually means a single program has crashed or your system is overloaded. The fix depends on whether you can still move your cursor and whether you can open the task manager. Start by waiting 30 seconds; sometimes a slow program catches up on its own. If nothing changes, force-close the frozen program using the task manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on Mac, then restart your computer if the freeze returns.

Most freezes are temporary and caused by a program using too much memory or a background process that stalled. Restarting your computer clears the memory and stops the stalled process. If your computer freezes repeatedly, the cause is usually a driver that needs updating, malware, a full hard drive, or a program that conflicts with your system.

Key Takeaways

  • Wait 30 seconds before taking action, because some programs recover on their own.
  • Use Task Manager on Windows (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) or Activity Monitor on Mac (Command+Space, then type Activity Monitor) to close the frozen program without restarting.
  • Restart your computer if the freeze persists or if you cannot open the task manager.
  • Freezes that happen repeatedly point to a driver, malware, or a program conflict that needs investigation.
  • A full hard drive or too many startup programs can slow your computer enough to feel frozen.

Force-close a frozen program on Windows

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager directly. Look for any program with the status "Not Responding" — that is the frozen one. Click it once to select it, then click "End Task" at the bottom right. The program will close when ready.

If Task Manager itself will not open, your system is more severely frozen. In that case, hold the power button for 10 seconds until the computer shuts down completely, then turn it back on. This is a hard shutdown and should be your last resort, but it will always work.

After you close the frozen program, check whether your computer is responsive again. If it is, you can continue working. If it freezes again within a few minutes, restart your computer by going to Start > Power > Restart.

Force-close a frozen program on Mac

Press Command+Space to open Spotlight, type "Activity Monitor", and press Enter. Look through the list for any program showing a red circle with an X, or look for high CPU or memory usage. Click the program name, then click the X button labeled "Force Quit" in the top left corner.

If Activity Monitor will not open, your Mac is severely frozen. Hold Command+Control+Power (or Command+Control+Eject on older Macs) for a few seconds to force a restart. Your Mac will shut down and restart without warning.

After you force-quit the program, test whether your Mac responds normally. Repeated freezes mean you should restart your Mac by going to Apple menu > Restart.

Restart your computer safely

If you can still move your cursor and click, use the normal restart method. On Windows, click Start, then Power, then Restart. On Mac, go to Apple menu > Restart. This gives your computer time to close programs and save data before shutting down.

If your computer is completely frozen and you cannot click anything, hold the power button for 10 seconds until it shuts down. Wait 30 seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on. This is a hard shutdown and can occasionally cause data loss, but it is safe to do when your computer will not respond.

Find out why your computer keeps freezing

If your computer freezes once and never again, you can usually ignore it. If it freezes multiple times a week or multiple times a day, something on your system needs fixing. The most common causes are outdated drivers, malware, a hard drive that is almost full, or too many programs running at startup.

Check your hard drive space by opening File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and looking at how much space is left. If you have less than 10 percent of your drive free, delete large files you no longer need or move them to an external drive. A full hard drive forces your computer to work much harder and causes slowdowns that feel like freezes.

Check your startup programs by opening Task Manager on Windows and clicking the Startup tab. Disable any programs you do not need to run when your computer starts — the more programs running at startup, the slower your computer will be. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Login Items and remove programs from the list.

Run a malware scan using Windows Defender (built into Windows) or the Malwarebytes free version. Malware often causes freezes by running hidden processes that consume your computer's resources. Scan your entire system and remove anything it finds.

Update your drivers

Outdated drivers — the software that lets Windows or Mac communicate with your hardware — can cause freezes, especially graphics drivers. On Windows, right-click the Start button, click Device Manager, and look for any devices with a yellow warning triangle. Right-click each one and select "Update driver", then choose "Search automatically for updated driver software".

For graphics drivers specifically, visit the website of your graphics card manufacturer (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and read the latest driver for your card model. Install it and restart your computer.

On Mac, go to Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update and install any updates available. Mac handles driver updates through system updates, so there is no separate driver manager.

Prevent freezes in the future

Restart your computer once a week. This clears memory, stops background processes that have slowed down, and installs updates that require a restart. Many freezes happen because a computer has been running for weeks without a restart.

Keep your hard drive at least 15 percent empty. When your drive gets full, your computer has nowhere to write temporary files and slows dramatically. Delete files you no longer need or move them to cloud storage or an external drive.

Close browser tabs you are not using. Web browsers consume a lot of memory, and having 20 or 30 tabs open can slow your computer noticeably. Close tabs regularly and consider using a tab manager extension if you need to keep many tabs open.

Keep your operating system and programs updated. Updates often include fixes for problems that cause freezes. On Windows, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Software Update.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to force-shut down my computer by holding the power button?

Yes, it is safe to do occasionally when your computer will not respond. It can rarely cause data loss if you had unsaved work, but it will not damage your computer hardware. Use it only when your computer is completely frozen and you cannot access the task manager or restart normally.

Why does my computer freeze when I open a specific program?

That program is likely crashing or using more memory than your computer has available. Try closing other programs before opening it, or restart your computer and open only that program. If it still freezes, the program may have a bug or may not be compatible with your system version. Check the program's website for updates or contact its support.

Can a virus cause my computer to freeze?

Yes, malware and viruses often cause freezes by running hidden processes that consume your computer's resources. Run a full malware scan using Windows Defender or Malwarebytes, and remove anything it finds. If freezes continue after scanning, the malware may be difficult to remove and you may need professional help.

What should I do if my computer freezes during startup?

Restart your computer and when ready press F8 (Windows) or hold Command+R (Mac) to enter Safe Mode or Recovery Mode. This loads only essential programs and can help you identify which program is causing the freeze. Once in Safe Mode, disable startup programs or uninstall recently installed software.

Does adding more RAM stop my computer from freezing?

It can help if your computer is freezing because it is running out of memory, but it is not the first thing to try. First, close unnecessary programs, restart your computer, and check your hard drive space. If freezes continue and Task Manager shows your memory is constantly at 90 percent or higher, adding RAM may help.