What to do when your computer freezes
When your computer freezes, the fastest fix is usually to force-close the program that stopped responding, not restart the whole machine. Windows and Mac both have built-in tools that let you shut down a single frozen process while keeping everything else running. If the entire system is frozen and you cannot move the mouse or keyboard, a hard restart is your last option — hold the power button for 10 seconds until the machine shuts down completely, then turn it back on.
The difference between a frozen program and a frozen system matters because it changes what you do next. A frozen program means one window is stuck but your computer is still working underneath. A frozen system means nothing responds at all, not even the taskbar or menu.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to open Task Manager, find the frozen program, and click "End Task" to close only that process.
- On Mac, press Command+Option+Esc to open Force Quit, select the frozen program, and click "Force Quit" to shut it down.
- If your entire computer is frozen and the keyboard and mouse do not respond, hold the power button for 10 seconds to force a shutdown.
- After unfreezing, restart the frozen program or restart your computer entirely if the freeze happened again within a few minutes.
- Freezes often happen when a program runs out of memory or a background process is using too much of your processor — checking Task Manager or Activity Monitor can show you which one.
Force-close a frozen program on Windows
Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard. A menu will appear with several options. Click Task Manager (or Open Task Manager depending on your Windows version). Task Manager is a list of every program running on your computer right now.
Look through the list for the program that is frozen. It will usually say "Not Responding" next to its name. Click on it once to select it, then click the "End Task" button in the bottom right corner. The program will close when ready. You can now open it again if you need it, or move on to something else.
If you do not see "Not Responding" next to any program but your computer still feels stuck, look at the CPU column in Task Manager. If one program shows 90% or higher, that program is using almost all of your processor and is likely the cause. Select it and click "End Task" the same way.
Force-close a frozen program on Mac
Press Command+Option+Esc on your keyboard. The Force Quit window will open, showing a list of programs currently running. Look for the program that is frozen — it will usually say "(not responding)" next to its name.
Click on the frozen program to select it, then click the "Force Quit" button at the bottom right. The program will close. You can reopen it afterward if needed. If you do not see a program marked "not responding," look at the list and close any program you were using when the freeze started.
Restart your computer when everything is frozen
If your mouse will not move and your keyboard does not respond — meaning even Ctrl+Alt+Delete or Command+Option+Esc does not work — your entire system is frozen. The only way out is a hard restart. Hold down the power button on your computer for 10 full seconds. Do not just tap it; hold it down. The computer will shut down completely, even if it looks like nothing is happening.
Wait 30 seconds, then press the power button once to turn the computer back on. It will restart normally. You may see a message saying the computer did not shut down properly — this is expected and harmless. Let it finish starting up completely before opening any programs.
A hard restart should be your last option because it can sometimes cause data loss if you had unsaved work open. However, it is safe to do and will not damage your computer.
Why computers freeze and what to check
Freezes usually happen because one program is using too much of your computer's memory or processor, leaving nothing for other programs to use. You can see which program is the culprit by opening Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) even when things are running normally.
On Windows, open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc. Click the Memory column header to sort programs by how much memory they are using. On Mac, open Activity Monitor (search for it in Spotlight), click the Memory tab, and look at the "Memory" column. If one program is using more than half your total memory, that is likely your problem. Close that program when you are not using it, or restart your computer to clear memory.
Other common causes include a program that has a bug and crashes repeatedly, a hard drive that is almost full, or malware running in the background. If freezes happen every day or multiple times per day, restart your computer and avoid opening too many programs at once. If the problem continues, you may need to check your hard drive space or run a malware scan.
Prevent freezes by managing your programs
The easiest way to avoid freezes is to close programs you are not actively using. Each open program uses memory, and when you run out of memory, your computer slows down and may freeze. If you work with large files — video, photo editing, or spreadsheets with thousands of rows — close other programs first.
Restart your computer once a week. Restarting clears your computer's memory and stops background processes that may have been running for days. Many freezes happen because a program has been running for too long and has developed a small leak in how it uses memory.
Keep your hard drive at least 10% empty. If your drive is almost full, your computer cannot write temporary files and will slow down or freeze. Check how much space you have by right-clicking your hard drive (Windows) or clicking the Apple menu and selecting "About This Mac" (Mac).
What to do if freezes keep happening
If your computer freezes multiple times in a single day, the problem is usually one of three things: a program with a bug, a hard drive that is failing, or malware. Start by restarting your computer and paying attention to which program you were using when the freeze happened. If it is always the same program, uninstall and reinstall that program, or look for an update.
If freezes happen randomly with no pattern, check your hard drive health. On Windows, search for "Check Disk" and run it. On Mac, open Disk Utility (search for it in Spotlight), select your hard drive, and click "First Aid." If either tool reports errors, your hard drive may be failing and you should back up your files when ready.
If you cannot find a pattern and your hard drive is healthy, run a malware scan. read and run Malwarebytes (free version available) or Windows Defender (built into Windows). Let the scan finish completely before restarting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a hard restart delete my files?
No. A hard restart shuts down your computer without saving open documents, which means you will lose any unsaved work in programs that were open. Your files on your hard drive are not deleted. If you had a document open that you had not saved, that document will be lost, but the program itself and all your other files remain.
Why does my computer freeze when I have lots of browser tabs open?
Web browsers use a lot of memory, and each open tab uses more. If you have 20 or 30 tabs open, your browser may use 2 or 3 gigabytes of memory, leaving little for other programs. Close tabs you are not reading, or use a browser extension that automatically closes inactive tabs after a set time.
Is it bad to force-quit a program?
Force-quitting a frozen program is safe and will not damage your computer. You may lose unsaved work in that program, but the program itself will restart normally next time you open it. Only use force-quit when the program is actually frozen and not responding.
What if Task Manager is also frozen and will not open?
If Ctrl+Alt+Delete does not work, your entire system is frozen and you need a hard restart. Hold the power button for 10 seconds. This is the only option when the keyboard does not respond at all.
Can I prevent freezes by closing programs in the background?
Yes. Programs that run in the background — like cloud storage, antivirus software, and system updates — use memory and processor power. You can see which ones are running in Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac). Closing ones you do not need will free up resources, but be careful not to close system programs you do not recognize.