This is one of the tricky errors where identifying the underlying cause is an uphill task, and most users end up either reinstalling the problematic program or resetting OS. At the same time, these should ideally be the last resort. The error message accompanying the popup reads, The application is not responding. The program may respond again if you wait in Windows 10. And waiting generally doesn’t help! So today, we’ll show you how to fix the Program not responding error in Windows 10 and 11.

What does it mean when an application is not responding?

When a program does not respond in Windows, it stops interacting with the OS. This happens after Windows sends several messages in a few seconds, and if the program doesn’t respond and the message queue fills up, the error message is encountered. Windows don’t throw an error when the program is not responding, and in some cases, it might start working again in a while. But, if it doesn’t, you could terminate the program from the Task Manager and then relaunch it.

Why do programs not respond?

There can be a lot of factors causing the problem—from a faulty system, conflicting apps, and bad drivers to malicious software and more. You can’t pinpoint a single issue in this case, so trying as many solutions as possible is essential. When a program is not responding, it means it is having problems communicating with Windows properly. This might be because the program is carrying out some background processes or due to some bugs and other issues. Moreover, here are some error variations that you can encounter, and fix with the same solutions below:

All programs not responding Programs not responding Windows 10, mMc Program not responding and won’t close Program not responding but using CPU Windows program not responding

And if you’re unsure why the program stopped working in Windows 10, review each of the solutions presented and see what works for you!

What to do if a program is not responding?

1. Restart your computer

The first and the simplest thing you should do is restart your computer, mainly if the issue occurred recently. To perform a restart, press Alt + F4, select the option from the dropdown menu, and click OK. Before you move on to more advanced solutions, try restarting the computer and see if the program not responding frequently in Windows starts to work after that.

2. Terminate the program

3. Update your app

This is how you can update the apps you got from Microsoft Store, but if the unresponsive app is from another source, you will need to check its menu for this option. In the unlikely situation where the app doesn’t have an update feature, head over to the developer’s website and get the latest version. Also, find out what to do if Microsoft Store doesn’t work in Windows since it would prevent you from updating existing apps and installing new ones.

4. Perform SFC and DISM scans

4.1 Run an SFC scan

If you cannot perform this step, check what to do if you can’t access Command Prompt as administrator and fix this problem immediately.

4.2 Run a DISM scan

Specific registry errors might also cause unresponsiveness because everything your program does goes into the registry. So, in the case of disruptions, you might end up with an unresponsive program. The SFC and DISM scans will check for system problems, including your registry, so after these scans, the difficulties should usually start working, and the Program not responding issue should be fixed in Windows 10 and 11. If SFC and DISM scans did not fix the issue, you can give a try to a third-party solution.

5. Reinstall the program

Updating an outdated program in Windows isn’t always a piece of cake. So, sometimes, your best bet is to uninstall it and install the latest version. Here’s how you can perform this action: Restoro’s technology replaces severely damaged Windows system files with clean, up-to-date ones from its secure online database. You can allow it to perform this action without harming your user data. This the ideal all-in-one tool for fixing Windows errors, PC crashes, or registry issues. It can boost the performance of your device and make it more secure within a few minutes. ⇒ Get Restoro Disclaimer: This program needs to be upgraded from the free version in order to perform some specific actions. Reinstallation is also helpful if your program gets corrupted, as it deletes all damaged files and replaces them with healthy ones. Assuming that you want to remove an application altogether, we strongly advise you to use an uninstaller software that deletes all leftover files that might cause problems in the future. By using a dedicated uninstaller application, you’ll altogether remove all files related to the problematic software. Once the software is completely removed, install it again, and the issue should be resolved. This may also fix things if Windows 10 is not responding after startup. SPONSORED

6. Perform a full antivirus scan

Since we’re talking about antiviruses, you might as well check if your system is infected with malicious software. Open your antivirus or Windows Defender and perform a full scan. If there is any malicious software on your computer, your antivirus solution will remove them. After that, restart your computer and run the program once again. If the Microsoft Windows Application not responding problem persists, end the process, and try once again. In case that too doesn’t work, move on to another solution.

7. Disable your antivirus

Windows 10 is infamous for preventing updates within certain apps and software. We want to check if your current antivirus solution conflicts with some of your programs. The easiest way to check this is to turn off your antivirus for a few minutes and rerun the program. If the program launches without any problems, it’s interfering with your antivirus. In that case, you’ll want to allow that program and exclude it from further scans. This should fix the program’s not responding issue in Windows 10 and 11. But be careful, and ensure that the program is safe to use and virus-free before you exclude it. Another solution is to change your antivirus or even wholly switch to ESET NOD32 Antivirus, a comprehensive tool that communicates very well with Windows PCs. If Windows Defender does not operate well in this case, we strongly recommend installing this third-party antivirus program that can run deeper checks for hidden threats and notify you of the exact issue.

8. Reset the PC

And finally, your last resort and the most time-consuming solution is to reset Windows to its factory settings. You should do this only if the other solutions don’t work. Remember that once you do that, you’ll have to install all your programs and apps again, which can be painful. Also, don’t forget to create a backup of your data and files to keep them safe from deletion.

What can I do if programs are not responding in Windows 11?

This problem is so old that we’ve been confronted with it since the early versions of Windows, so obviously, the latest OS didn’t escape this problem. Luckily, Windows 11 is not so different from its older counterpart, so all of the solutions we proposed for Windows 10 above will work just fine, with minor differences in the graphics and positions of the menus. For instance, to uninstall the problematic apps, you will have to click on the Installed apps from the Settings to get to the list of programs. The rest of the solutions are almost identical, so you can go ahead and apply them to fix the issue behind non-responsive apps in Windows 11.

Is freezing and crashing the same thing?

Technically speaking, the two refer to completely different situations. For example, when a program freezes, it stops responding but is still active and running and can be found in the Task Manager. However, when a program crashes, its process doesn’t run anymore and, consequently, can’t be found in the Task Manager. A crash is due to a problem that the OS can’t handle on its own, and the program stops running. This usually happens in case of significant incompatibility issues or problems with the app.

What if the Task Manager is not responding?

The first thing to do if the Task Manager is not responding is to carry out preliminary steps like restarting your PC. If this does not work, you can run an SFC scan followed by a DISM scan to fix corrupt system files. Another option is to install the latest Windows update as this might be the cause of the issue. For detailed fixes to solve this issue, check our guide on how to fix the Task Manager if it is not working. We hope at least one of these solutions helped you resolve the Program not responding error in Windows 10 and 11. Also, learn what to do if an application is not responding. Once again, since this is a widespread issue, we can’t know for sure what caused it. If you have any questions or suggestions, place them in the comments below.

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