How to Fix Windows Applications Not Responding

It’s frustrating when a program stops responding on Windows. You can’t click on anything or type anything. If you restart your computer, you may lose everything you were working on. And if it frequently happens on your computer, you lose valuable time and productivity on top of that.

Here are some troubleshooting tips that may reduce or eliminate the instances of “Microsoft Windows application is not responding.”

1. Set Up Task Manager for Fast Force-Quit

The first port of call to quickly abort or restart Windows apps that misbehave is through the Windows Task Manager which lets you quickly “end processes” among other things.

Here’s how to force quit apps using Task Manager:

1. Right-click your “Taskbar” and select “Task Manager.”

2. Expand the app view by clicking “More details.”

3. Go to the “Processes” tab, select “Options,” and check the box “Always on top.”

Note: That will ensure that each time you open Task Manager, it will show over the top of whatever isn’t responding, letting you close it quickly.

4. Right-click on an unresponsive app and click “End task.”

The Windows Applications should work fine after the force quit. If the issues persist, move on to the following approaches.

Tip: if your Windows network speed is running slow, here are a few ways to improve it for free.

2. Run a Scan for Viruses

If your computer is having problems, it is always a good plan to first run a scan for viruses. If Windows Defender didn’t detect anything, consider using another antivirus software such as Kaspersky, Norton, or Avast to double-check.

Here’s how to run a scan for viruses on Windows:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and open “Settings.”

2. Go to “Privacy & Security” and click “Windows Security.”

3. Select “Open Windows Security.”

4. Navigate to the “Virus and threat protection” section and click “Quick scan.”

3. Update the Operating System

Outdated operating systems lead to many internal bugs, which is why Microsoft constantly releases software updates to fix them.

Here’s how to update Windows operating systems:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and open “Settings.”

2. Navigate to the “Windows Update” section and click “Check for updates.”

3. Click “Install” follow by “Restart now” to install the updates.

4. Clear Temporary Files

Having a large amount of temporary or cache files can take up valuable memory. These files can cause problems with the way Windows functions.

Here’s how to clear temporary files on Windows:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and pick “Run.”

2. Type temp in the Run dialog and hit “OK.”

3. Confirm the process by clicking “Continue.”

4. Select the files by pressing Ctrl + A and delete them.

Tip: another commonly seen error is “File Is Open in Another Program”. Here is how you can fix it.

5. Update Drivers

An old and outdated driver may be the culprit that is causing Windows to freeze. You can try updating drivers to see if it fixes the problem.

Here’s how to update a driver using the Device Manager:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and open “Device Manager.”

2. Right-click on the preferred driver and select “Update driver.”

3. Pick “Search automatically for updated driver software.”

4. Reboot the computer when done.

6. Use the Built-in Troubleshooter

Microsoft operating systems come with built-in troubleshooters in various areas of the OS to help users find and resolve possible conflicts automatically without getting too technical.

Here’s how to perform recommended maintenance tasks:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and open “Settings.”

2. Navigate to the “System” section and click “Troubleshoot.”

3. Select “Other troubleshooter.”

4. Launch the “Program Compatibility Troubleshooter” by hitting “Run.”

5. Reboot the machine when done.

And when the troubleshooter app is not working, we show you how to troubleshoot the troubleshooter.

7. Perform SFC and Chkdsk scans

The Windows System File Checker (SFC) and Check Disk (CHKDSK) are built-in utilities that scan your device for corrupted system files and problematic drive errors.

Here’s how to run an SFC scan:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and click “Windows Terminal (admin).”

2. Confirm the “UAC” prompt by clicking “Yes.”

3. Type the following command and press Enter on your keyboard:

Sfc /scannow

4. Restart your computer.

Note: This process takes a while, so be prepared to wait. It works in the background, though, so you can continue working.

Here’s how to run a CHKDSK scan:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and click “Windows Terminal (admin).”

2. Confirm the “UAC” prompt by clicking “Yes.”

3. Once PowerShell launches, type the following command and press “Enter” on your keyboard:

chkdsk

4. Restart your computer.

Note: This process takes a while, so be prepared to wait. It works in the background, though, so you can continue working.

8. Use a Clean Boot

Clean booting will give you the best chance to determine if an application or service is causing the problem with your computer by ensuring no startup app or service is in conflict.

Here’s how to clean boot Windows:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and pick “Run.”

2. Type msconfig in the Run dialog and hit “OK.”

3. Open the “Boot” tab and uncheck the “Safe Boot” option.

4. Click on the “General” tab, choose “Selective startup,” and uncheck the box next to the “Load startup items.”

5. Move over to the “Services” tab, check the box “Hide all Microsoft services,” and choose “Disable all.”

6. Open the “Startup” tab, and select “Open Task Manager.”

7. Right-click on each startup item and choose “Disable.”

8. Restart the computer when done.

Note: If the issues go away, re-enable essential startup apps to determine which one caused the problem. Then reinstall or repair it to permanently fix the error.

9. Memory Check

A memory leak is when applications don’t release system RAM after usage, leading to memory card errors in your device. However, you can use the Memory Check command to determine their presence.

Here’s how to run the Memory Check process:

1. Right-click on your “Start Menu” and pick “Run.”

2. Type mdsched.exe in the Run dialog and hit “OK.”

3. Choose “Restart now and check for problems (recommended).”

The Windows Applications should work fine after the scan.

Hopefully, one of these options will stop Windows from freezing on your computer. For more Windows tips, see how to access the Windowsapps folder and how to check which TCP and UDP ports are in use on your system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Farhad Pashaei - Staff Writer

As a technophile, Farhad has spent the last decade getting hands-on experience with a variety of electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, accessories, wearables, printers, and so on. When he isn’t writing, you can bet he’s devouring information on products making their market foray, demonstrating his unquenchable thirst for technology.