What to do right now when your computer stops responding

When your computer freezes, the fastest way out is usually Force Quit on Windows or Force Quit on Mac. On Windows, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then click Task Manager. Find the program that has stopped responding (it will say "Not Responding" next to the name), click it once, then click "End Task" at the bottom right. On Mac, press Command + Option + Escape, click the frozen program, then click "Force Quit".

If your entire screen is frozen and you cannot open Task Manager or Force Quit, restart your computer. On Windows, hold the power button for 10 seconds until the machine shuts down completely, then press it again to turn it back on. On Mac, hold the power button for about 10 seconds. You will lose any unsaved work in open programs, but a restart almost always unfreezes the machine.

If restarting does not work and your computer freezes again when ready, the problem is likely a hardware issue or a background process that runs at startup. Move to the sections below to find the cause and stop it from happening again.

Key Takeaways

  • Use Ctrl + Alt + Delete on Windows or Command + Option + Escape on Mac to force-quit a frozen program without restarting.
  • A full restart (holding the power button for 10 seconds) unfreezes your computer when individual programs will not respond.
  • Check Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on Mac to see which programs are using the most memory and CPU, which often causes freezing.
  • Disable startup programs you do not use, update your operating system and drivers, and run a malware scan to prevent freezing from returning.
  • If freezing happens during specific tasks like video editing or gaming, your computer may not have enough RAM or storage space for that work.

Find out which program is actually freezing

Before your computer freezes again, open Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) while everything is running normally. On Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + Escape. On Mac, open Applications, then Utilities, then Activity Monitor. Look at the CPU and Memory columns. Programs using more than 50% of your CPU or more than half your total RAM are the ones most likely to freeze your machine.

Write down the names of the top three programs by memory and CPU use. If you recognize them — like your web browser or a video editor — that is normal. If you see programs you did not open or do not recognize, search the program name online. Many background programs (like updaters, cloud sync tools, or antivirus software) run constantly and can freeze your computer if they are misconfigured or broken.

Close any program that is using an unusual amount of resources. If it is something you installed, uninstall it. If it is a Windows or Mac system program you do not recognize, do not delete it — instead, disable it from running at startup (see the next section).

Turn off programs that run when your computer starts

Many programs launch automatically when you start your computer, and each one uses memory and processing power. If too many run at once, your computer freezes. On Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + Escape to open Task Manager, then click the "Startup" tab. You will see a list of programs that run at startup. Right-click any program you do not need to start automatically and select "Disable".

On Mac, go to System Settings, then General, then Login Items. You will see two lists: "Allow in the Login Window" and "Open at Login". Click the minus sign next to any program in the "Open at Login" list that you do not need to start automatically. Do not remove anything you are unsure about — if you disable something important, you can always add it back.

Common programs that slow startup and cause freezing include cloud storage tools (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive), messaging apps, and antivirus software running multiple scans. Disable the ones you do not use every day. Your computer will start faster and freeze less often.

Check your hard drive and RAM space

A computer that is almost full freezes more easily because it cannot write temporary files to disk. On Windows, open File Explorer, right-click "This PC" or "My Computer", and select Properties. Look at the C: drive — if the blue bar is nearly full, you are running out of space. On Mac, click the Apple menu, select About This Mac, then click Storage. If the bar is mostly full, you need more space.

If your drive is more than 80% full, delete files you no longer need or move them to an external drive. Uninstall programs you do not use (on Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features; on Mac, drag unused programs to Trash). If you cannot free up space this way, your computer may need a larger hard drive or an external drive for storage.

If your drive has plenty of free space but your computer still freezes when you run demanding programs like video editors, photo software, or games, you may not have enough RAM. Check how much RAM you have (Windows: Settings > System > About; Mac: Apple menu > About This Mac). If you have less than 8 GB and you do heavy work, adding more RAM often stops freezing. If you have 16 GB or more, the problem is usually something else.

Update your operating system and drivers

Outdated software often causes freezing because old code conflicts with newer programs. On Windows, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click "Check for updates". Let your computer read and install any updates, then restart. On Mac, click the Apple menu, select System Settings, then General, then Software Update. Install any updates you see.

After updating Windows or Mac, update your drivers — the software that controls your hardware like your graphics card, network adapter, and sound card. On Windows, go to Device Manager (right-click the Start button and select it), right-click each device, and select "Update driver". On Mac, drivers usually update automatically with the operating system, but check the website of your computer maker for any available updates.

If you use an external graphics card, printer, or other hardware, visit the manufacturer's website and read the latest drivers for your specific model. Outdated drivers for graphics cards especially can cause freezing during games or video work.

Scan for malware and viruses

Malware and viruses run in the background and consume resources, causing your computer to freeze. On Windows, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Virus & threat protection and click "Scan options". Select "Full scan" and click "Scan now". This takes 30 minutes to an hour but will find most threats. On Mac, malware is less common, but you can read Malwarebytes (free version) from malwarebytes.com and run a scan.

If a scan finds threats, let your antivirus remove them. After removal, restart your computer and check Task Manager or Activity Monitor again to see if resource use has dropped. If freezing stops after removing malware, the problem is solved. If freezing continues, move to the next section.

Disable visual effects and animations

Windows and Mac both use visual effects — animations when you open windows, transparency effects, and shadows — that can slow older computers. On Windows, right-click "This PC" or "My Computer", select Properties, then click "Advanced system settings" on the left. Under Performance, click "Settings". Select "Adjust for best performance" to turn off all visual effects, or check individual boxes to keep only the ones you want. Click OK and restart.

On Mac, go to System Settings > Accessibility > Display and turn off "Reduce motion" and "Reduce transparency" if they are on. These settings help older Macs run faster. You can also go to System Settings > General > About and check your Mac's age — if it is more than 7 years old, it may straightforward be too slow for modern software, and upgrading the RAM or switching to a newer machine may be the only real fix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my computer freeze only when I use a specific program?

That program is using more resources than your computer can handle. Close other programs before using it, or check if a newer version of the program is available — updates often fix performance problems. If the program is old and no longer updated, it may not work well with your current operating system, and you may need to replace it with a newer alternative.

My computer freezes randomly throughout the day. What should I check first?

Open Task Manager or Activity Monitor and look for programs using high CPU or memory. Disable startup programs you do not need, then check if your hard drive is nearly full. If both are fine, run a malware scan and update your operating system. Random freezing is usually caused by one of these four things.

Does freezing mean my hard drive is failing?

Not always, but it can be a sign. If your computer freezes when you access files, or if you hear clicking sounds from inside the machine, your hard drive may be failing. Back up your files to an external drive or cloud storage right away. If the hard drive is failing, you will need to replace it.

Will adding more RAM stop my computer from freezing?

Only if you are running out of RAM. Check Activity Monitor or Task Manager to see how much RAM you are using when the freeze happens. If you are using 90% or more of your total RAM, adding more will help. If you are using less than 80%, more RAM will not fix the problem.

Is it safe to force-quit a program?

Yes. Force-quitting closes a program without saving, so you will lose unsaved work in that program, but it will not damage your computer or other programs. If a program freezes regularly, uninstall it and look for an alternative.