My computer is frozen
When a computer stops responding, it is often just busy, but sometimes a program has got stuck. Always start with the gentlest fix, because forcing a computer off can lose unsaved work.
Quick fixes to try first
- Wait a full minute. Programs often recover by themselves.
- Check whether the mouse pointer still moves. If it does, the computer is probably still working.
- Try pressing the Caps Lock key. If its light does not change, the whole computer has frozen rather than one program.
Close the stuck program
- Windows: press Ctrl, Shift and Esc together to open Task Manager.
- Click the program marked Not responding, then choose End task.
- Mac: press Option, Command and Esc together, pick the program in the list, then choose Force Quit.
Anything you had not saved in that program may be lost, but the rest of the computer should carry on.
If nothing moves at all
Hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the computer switches off. Wait a few seconds and turn it on again. Warning: this can lose anything you had not saved, and in rare cases can upset files that were open, so use it only as a last resort.
Stop it happening again
- Restart your computer at least once a week.
- Keep some free storage space and install updates when offered.
- Try not to have lots of large programs open at once.
- Write down what you were doing when it froze. A pattern can point to the cause.
When to get more help
Stop and ask for help if it freezes several times a day, freezes as soon as it starts, shows a blue or black error screen, or makes clicking noises. Freezing can be a sign of a failing drive, so make sure your important files are backed up. Tell us how often it happens and what you were doing at the time.