How to Fix a Frozen Laptop Screen

Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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A laptop screen freezing can be a frustrating situation. When your laptop screen freezes, it seems like your computer has stopped working altogether. However, there are several methods you can try to solve this problem. This guide will walk you through various steps, from simple troubleshooting to more advanced techniques. By following these steps, you can often make your laptop workable again without needing professional help.

1. Wait and see

Sometimes the laptop screen may freeze due to a temporary interruption or a process taking an unexpectedly long time to complete. In such cases, the best solution is to wait a few minutes and see if the laptop resolves the problem on its own. This is especially true if the screen freezes while running resource-intensive applications, such as video editors or games.

2. Check system activity

Before taking extensive measures, see if your system is still responding in some ways. Look for signs like the following:

• The mouse cursor can still move.
• The Caps Lock or Num Lock keys can toggle their respective LED indicators.
• Background noise coming from a fan or hard drive may be a sign of activity.

If you notice these signs, your system might still be working, so waiting a little longer might be helpful.

3. Try keyboard shortcuts

Try using some essential keyboard shortcuts to regain control of your laptop:

• Ctrl + Alt + Delete: This combination brings up the security screen. From here, you can try opening Task Manager to close any unresponsive programs.
• Alt + Tab: This allows you to switch between open applications. This can help you identify if a specific program is causing the freeze.
• Windows Key + L: This locks your screen. If the lock screen appears, you can re-enter your credentials to resume work.

4. Close unresponsive programs

If Task Manager opens, you can close unresponsive programs through the following steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager directly.
2. In Task Manager, look for any programs marked as "Not Responding."
3. Select the unresponsive program and click End Task to close it.

5. Force restart your laptop

If the above steps don't work, you may need to force restart your laptop. To do this:

1. Press and hold the power button on your laptop for about 10-15 seconds until it shuts down completely.
2. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to restart your laptop.

Note: A force restart will lose any unsaved work you have, but it will often resolve the freeze issue.

6. Check for overheating

Overheating can cause your laptop to freeze. To check for overheating:

• Make sure there is adequate ventilation around your laptop.
• Use a cooling pad if you have one.
• Open Task Manager and check the CPU and GPU temperatures using a hardware monitoring tool like HWMonitor.

7. Update or rollback the drivers

Faulty or outdated drivers can cause system instability. To update or rollback a driver:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the categories and look for devices that have a yellow triangle next to them, indicating a problem.
3. Right-click on the problematic device and select Update Driver or Rollback Driver, depending on the situation.

8. Check for software conflicts

Sometimes, multiple programs may conflict with each other, causing the screen to freeze. To check for software conflicts:

1. Boot your laptop into Safe Mode by pressing F8 during startup (for older laptops) or through Advanced Boot Options (for Windows 10/11).
2. If the issue doesn’t occur in Safe Mode, it could be due to a software conflict.
3. Uninstall any recently installed programs or updates from Control Panel -> Programs and Features.
4. Restart your laptop and see if the issue is resolved.

9. Run a system scan

Malware or corrupted system files can cause your laptop to freeze. To check for these problems:

• Run a full system scan using your antivirus software to detect and remove any malware.
• Open Command Prompt as administrator and run System File Checker by typing sfc /scannow and pressing Enter. This scan will repair corrupted system files.

10. Update your operating system

Outdated operating systems may contain bugs that cause instability. To update your operating system:

1. Go to Settings and select Update & Security.
2. Click Check for Updates and install any available updates.

11. Check for hardware problems

Hardware problems can also cause the screen to freeze. To check for hardware problems:

• Run the hardware diagnostics tool provided by your laptop manufacturer.
• Make sure the RAM and other components are properly seated in their slots.
• If you have additional components such as RAM or a hard drive, try replacing them to see if that resolves the issue.

12. Restore the system to a previous state

Sometimes, restoring your system to a previously stable state may resolve the issue. To do this:

1. Type system restore in the search bar and open it.
2. Select a restore point when your laptop was working correctly.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the restore.

13. Reset your laptop

If none of the above steps work, you may have to reset your laptop to factory settings. This should be the last resort as it will erase all your data:

1. Go to Settings and select Update & Security.
2. Click Recovery, and then click Get started under the Reset this PC section.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset your laptop.

14. Seek professional help

If you've tried all of the above methods and your laptop screen is still frozen, it's probably time to consult a professional technician. They can diagnose and repair any underlying problem that may not be obvious to you.

Conclusion

Dealing with a laptop screen freezing is a common problem that can usually be resolved through a series of troubleshooting steps. By following the methods outlined in this guide, from simple waiting and watching system activity to more complex solutions like checking for hardware problems, you can often identify and resolve the problem. If these steps fail, remember that professional help is always available.

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