How To Fix Windows 10 Not Responding Error In 2022? [6 Methods]

Windows 10 is an excellent operating system, but once you start liking it, you must be prepared to face windows 10 not responding issue. Troubleshooting Windows 10 is like walking a tightrope. Most of the time, you are safe as long as you don’t do anything irrelevant.

But there will be various instances where you need to get down and dirty with your computer, and sometimes you will need to go deep in to fix things.

We should give you a heads-up because you will have to take an intense ride through the system to get to the issue’s core. Sometimes it may be an issue with Outlook not responding to Windows 10, or even your personalized settings may create a glitch. The audio services can also be a hurdle when it starts acting up and freezes the entire operating system. 

The Windows 10 operating system is the hub for all the individual programs and apps running solely or in coordination to make your work easy and accomplished.

This also means that the os becomes a potential ground for errors, malfunctioning, and defects. You may also encounter errors such as Visual Studio code windows not responding or ‘SQL Developer not responding in windows 10’. 

If you are starting to feel upset, then don’t because there is a solution to every problem – you need to work through the guide provided by the not responding team.

On the contrary, if you can troubleshoot, you are way ahead of everything.  

How to Fix Windows 10 Not Responding? [6 Solution]

If you are facing the windows applications not responding issue, you are at the right place. Here is a complete step-by-step guide.

Solution: 1. Troubleshooting in Windows 10 

It is easy to start the Troubleshooting process in Windows 10. But before you jump to that, if you are facing windows not responding issue now and then, first try the following quick fixes

  1. Force Start your Windows – hold the power button to turn off the system. Please turn it on again, and any glitches bugging the system might be restored. 
  2. Reset The Drivers – this is majorly for your Video Driver. The frozen screen can be the malfunctioning of the Video Driver. Hold Win + Ctrl + Shift + B. This will turn your screen black, and after you hear a beep, be assured that your driver was reset. 
  3. Retrieve the task Manager – CTRL + ALT + Delete is what we all are experts at doing. So go ahead and press them from the Task Manager and quit the applications that are not responding. 
  4. Revise any recent changes – The unresponsiveness of Windows 10 might be because of a new program, software, or app being installed. You can always reinstall the latest additions and restart your system to see if the problem prevails. If not, then you have troubleshot the problem. 

How To Start Windows Troubleshooter?

Once your system is back to its original form and not showing any signs of concern, then it is advised that you start running the basic troubleshooting to get to the underlying issue that led to the unresponsiveness. 

Usually, Windows will generate a pop-up stating Troubleshoot if a problem has occurred. You can access the same event from Settings if that does not happen. 

The troubleshooter may help you fix your problem of “windows not responding” faster by identifying the issue.

 To access Troubleshoot from Settings

1. Tap on Settings and find the icons

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 1

2. System & Security 

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 2

3. System maintenance

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 3

4. The problem will be listed here, or you can choose either.

Recommended choices

  1. Run troubleshooters automatically, dont notify me
  2. Run troubleshooters automatically, then notify me
  3. Ask me before running troubleshooters.
  4. Dont run any troubleshooters

It is advised to select the one that suits your working capacity best and will align with your frequency of issues. 

You can also check for the previous troubleshooting performed by the system under the link ‘View Troubleshooting History. 

Overall it is a reliable way of getting everything under control and preventing future errors and modifications related to windows not responding. 

Solution 2. Setup Task-Free Manager

You can also revert to running the Task Manager to catch the culprit for future reference. The Task Manager lists all the programs currently running and the apps.

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 5

 Windows> Windows System > Task Manager > More Detail

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 6

It will give a complete insight into how many programs are running in the foreground and the background. How much is each program consuming the system’s capacity in terms of power, memory, CPU, etc.

Analyzing the Task Manager will help you pinpoint the program causing the freeze. The program using up most of the processor will be highlighted. Thus you can uninstall or reinstall that program to fix the bugs related to windows not responding and run your Windows 10 smoothly. 

Solution 3. Reinstalling/Update Your Drivers

Defective driver files can also be the offender that may be freezing your screen or the system. Access your Device Manager to update drivers. This way, you will be not only getting the newer versions of the drives but fixing any bugs as well. 

1. Press the “Window + S” Button and search for “Device Manager.”

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 7

2. Click on “Device Manager

3. Access The Device 

4. Right-click to update the drivers

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 8

Solution 4.  Remove/Clean Corrupt Files

When your Windows 10 is experiencing errors such as the slow running of programs, freezing in the middle of your work, or being unable to access specific files or programs, and windows are not responding to errors, your system is having trouble because of corrupt files. 

There are a few ways to remove corrupt files in Windows 10. One way is to use the Command Prompt. To do this, look for Command Prompt on the Start Menu. 

Once located, right-click, and select ‘Run as Administrator.’ They will prompt you for a command – Type

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 9

Del /F /A /Q < file path >” And Press “ENTER.”

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 10

Sometimes even when you let your system run the troubleshooter on its own, it will fix the faulty and corrupt files. 

Solution 5. Run A Virus Scan

Unresponsiveness and frequent freezing of the screen and programs might result from a virus. If your antivirus is outdated, and you are entirely working without one, then, first of all, install an antivirus program and make sure it is updated. 

If you already have one, run a virus scan to detect any underlying issues. Once the scan is complete, continue with the advised fixing procedure.

6.  Install Windows Update

Check if your Windows requires updates. An outdated version of the system may also be creating complications. And when technology is involved, it’s better to stay ahead and updated at all times. 

You can follow simple steps.

Control Panel > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check For Updates

If everything is under control so far, you have resolved the issue. You have fixed the problem, such as windows not responding.

How to Fix Windows Not Responding step 11

However, if you are still facing the issue and they are targeting a specific program, then read on to know more. As mentioned earlier, the solution may be right under your nose. 

Some Common Problems Related to Windows Not Responding

Some most common problems may exist. They may read windows not responding to the issue. Let’s look at them and try to fix them at a glance.

1. Outlook Is Not Responding to Windows 10

Outlook is an email service that Microsoft provides. It is a top-rated email service used by many worldwide. It is straightforward to use and has a lot of storage space. Outlook also has a perfect spam filter that helps to keep your inbox clear.

Outlook Not Responding Windows 10 – Causes

There are a few reasons why Outlook may need to respond. One possibility is that the Outlook application is incompatible with your operating system because it is not updated or an add-in interferes with Outlook. 

It could also be that your AppData folder is redirected to a network location or that your Outlook files are corrupted or damaged. Finally, the Outlook application needs to be appropriately configured. Whatever the reason, you can try a few things to get Outlook up and running again. 

Outlook Not Responding Windows 10 – Solutions

If you’re having trouble with Outlook not responding, fix Ms Outlook Error by following these easy steps: check to ensure that Outlook is closed completely, and then try restarting your computer. If that doesn’t work, try running Outlook in Safe Mode. To do this, hold down the Ctrl key while you double-click the Outlook shortcut. 

If Outlook runs fine in Safe Mode, there’s likely an issue with one of your add-ins. Try disabling all of your add-ins and then restart Outlook. If there are no further problems, you can enable your add-ins individually. 

Any corrupt one can then be easily spotted. You can also try updating your antivirus software or disabling any programs conflicting with Outlook. 

2. Personalized Settings Not Responding Windows 10

Who doesn’t like to personalize their system? Vibrant colors, cool themes, unique backgrounds, and more. When you personalize your settings on Windows 10, you are customizing the way your device looks and feels to suit your preferences. But sometimes, the personalized settings may fail to respond. 

Personalized Settings Not Responding Windows 10 – Causes

Multiple reasons could be causing the “personalized settings not responding” error in Windows 10. One possibility is that your computer’s registry is corrupt or damaged. This can happen if you’ve installed and uninstalled a lot of programs. 

Another chance is that a critical Windows system file is damaged or missing. An outdated version of Windows 10 can also be the likely reason for the unresponsiveness. Lastly, if your drivers still need to be updated, you may know what to look for. 

Personalized Settings Not Responding Windows 10 – Solutions

Initially, you can try troubleshooting with the primary and standard procedures like force restart, running the troubleshooter, and turning off any programs via the Task Manager. If that doesn’t work, running the SFC command or updating the drivers might help. 

3. Visual Studio Code Window Is Not Responding

Microsoft develops visual studio code. It is available for Windows and various other Operating Systems. It is an open-source code editor with various features, including syntax highlighting, code completion, and linting.

 Visual Studio Code Window Is Not Responding – Causes 

If you are working with Visual Studio Code and its crashes, there might be two primary reasons behind it. Your graphics driver might need upgrading, or the Hardware Acceleration must create a hindrance. 

Visual Studio Code Window Is Not Responding – Solutions

Updating your Graphics driver might resolve the issue. Secondly, if the problem persists, turn off the hardware Acceleration so that it only uses the Software rendering. Other than that, you can uninstall and reinstall the Visual Studio Code even if deleting corrupt files does not solve your problem.

4. Audio Services Not Responding Windows 10&11

Audio services in Windows 10 and 11 provide high-quality audio playback and recording for users. These services can play and record music, podcasts, and other audio files. They can also improve the quality of audio playback and recording on a PC.

Audio Services Not Responding Windows 11 & 10 – Causes

The most common underlying cause of this “Audio services not responding on Windows” problem is corrupt or outdated audio drivers. If they are obsolete and corrupt, this error may occur. There may also be some dependent services of the audio service that may need to be fixed, and that’s why the Audio services may have stopped working. 

Audio Services Not Responding Windows 11 & 10 – Solutions

If you need help with audio services not working on Windows 11 or 10, you can check if your audio drivers are up to date. Access the Device Manager and check for updates. If you’re still having trouble, try uninstalling and reinstalling your audio drivers. This can often fix problems with audio drivers that have become corrupted. 

If you’re still having issues, reset your Windows audio settings. Access the Control Panel and open the Sound settings. From here, reset all of your audio settings to default. 

5. SQL Developer Not Responding In Windows 10

SQL Developer lets you work with SQL Databases in a free and integrated environment. It is available for Windows and provides users with various features, including a code editor, a profiler, and a debugger. 

SQL Developers Not Responding In Windows 10 – Causes

Considering all the experiences developers usually have and the issues they have to face, all address the fact that the SQL Developer or the Java is not upgraded. The versions are not compatible with Windows 10.

SQL Developers Not Responding In Windows 10 – Solutions

To run SQL Developers smoothly, you need SQL Developer 17.2 or Java 8 update 201. Other than that, one of the drivers could also be faulty. To know the reason behind the crash:

  • Open a Cmd window. 
  • CD to your SQL Developer installation’s sqldeveloperbin directory. 
  • Run sqldeveloper.exe directly from the command line. 
  • Correct the indicated problem. There may be a video driver conflict with your Java version; try upgrading the driver.

Relevant How To Guides And Errors:

Conclusion

We know it can be disappointing and annoying when your Windows PC freezes or stops responding, whether it’s the entire system, a program, or your audio or video files. The best part is that we have some simple fixes to help you get back on track quickly. We hope you enjoyed our blog post on how to fix Windows 10 not responding. 

Leave a Comment