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Windows 10 Taskbar is Unresponsive or Frozen: How to Fix it

The solutions you are looking for are in the guide below

10 min. read

Updated onMarch 20, 2024

updated onMarch 20, 2024

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Windows 10isn’t without flaws, and one of the more annoying issues is the unresponsive taskbar so that’s what we’re going to address now.

With an unresponsivetaskbar,you aren’t able to access your notifications, Start menu, or Cortana, so you can see why this is such a problem.

In fact, a lot of users reported Windows 10 that the Start menu and taskbar not working, so we are going to take a closer look at this problem.

So, if your taskbar is not working on Windows 10 after an update, you definitely came to the right place to get it fixed.

What causes the Windows taskbar to freeze?

There are many reasons whyWindows 11 Taskbar is not working, but the most common one is the corruption of the user profile, so recreating it might be the best course of action.

On the other hand, if theStart Menu isn’t working, it’s possible that you encountered a system bug, so it’s a good idea to update your system.

This isn’t the only component that can experience issues, and many reported that theSearch bar is not working in Windows 11, but that can be easily fixed with the solutions from this guide.

Fortunately, we have several solutions available to you.

Thetaskbaris a key component of your system, however, sometimes yourTaskbarmight become unresponsive. Speaking of the unresponsiveTaskbar, here are some similar issues that users reported:

How do I fix the unresponsive taskbar in Windows 10?

1. Perform a System Restore or use a dedicated software

You can repair the Windows 10 unresponsive taskbar using this useful resolution with the System Restore service. See the guided steps to perform it safely.

PressWindows Key + Sand entercreate a restore point. Choose toCreate a restore pointfrom the menu.

2.System Propertieswindow will now appear. SelectSystem Restorefrom the menu.

3.WhenSystem Restorewindow opens, clickNext.

4.If available, checkShow more restore pointscheckbox. Select the desired restore point and clickNext.

Follow the instructions on the screen to restore your PC.

After the restoration process is completed, check if your Taskbar is working again.

If other solutions can fix the problem with the unresponsive Taskbar, you might want to tryperforming a System Restore.

1.2 Use dedicated software to fix the problem

What can you do if you don’t have any restore points created? Unfortunately, you will have to solve this problem in some other way. We recommend a dedicated,third-party softwarethat can solve this problem automatically.

2. Uninstall your Nvidia graphics driver

Some users report that uninstalling their current Nvidia graphics driver and replacing it with an older Nvidia driver could solve the problem. To do that, simply follow the steps above.

After doing that, go to your graphics card’s manufacturer’s website and download the driver that is a couple of months old. Once the download and install the older driver, check if the issue is still there.

3. Check your antivirus

Sometimes you might experience issues with unresponsiveTaskbardue to your antivirus software.

Using an antivirus is important, but third-party antivirus tools can sometimes interfere with your system and cause this and many other errors to occur.

To fix the problem, you need to disable certain antivirus features and check if that helps. If that doesn’t solve the problem with the unresponsiveTaskbar, your next step would be to completely disable your antivirus.

In case that doesn’t help, your only solution is to remove your antivirus software. Several users reported that Norton antivirus caused this issue on their PC, but after removing it, the problem was resolved.

Keep in mind that other antivirus tools can also cause this problem, so you might have to remove them as well.

If removing the antivirus solves the problem, your next step would be to switch to a different antivirus.

There are many great antivirus tools on the market, but if you want a tool that offers maximum protection without any interference with your system, we suggest that you try out the solution below.

⇒Get ESET NOR32

4. Disable the iGPU MultiMonitor in BIOS

Users report that disabling the iGPU MultiMonitor option inBIOShelped fix this issue. To access BIOS you’ll have to pressDelorF2(or some other key depending on your motherboard) while booting.

We have to mention that not every BIOS has the iGPU MultiMonitor option. Also, the location of the iGPU MultiMonitor option might be different for different versions of BIOS, so there’s no unique way to disable it.

You’ll have to try and find it in your BIOS on your own. Most likely you will find it in the graphics section so it won’t be that difficult to locate.

5. Use PowerShell

5.1 Enable Firewall

In order for this solution to work, you’ll need to have your Windows Firewall enabled. If your Windows Firewall isn’t enabled perform the steps above to enable it.

After you’ve enabled Windows Firewall you can proceed to the next steps.

6. Check for missing updates

If you’re having problems with the unresponsiveTaskbar, the issue might be related to the missing updates. Sometimes there might be a glitch in your system and installing the updates might fix that.

Windows 10 installs the missing updates automatically, but you can always check for updates manually.

If any updates are available, Windows will download them automatically in the background. Once the updates are downloaded, they will be automatically installed as soon as you restart your PC.

After your system is up to date, check if the problem is still there. Yes, it might be as easy as installing the latest Windows 10 updates.

7. Create a new account

According to users, sometimes the problem with an unresponsiveTaskbarcan be caused by a corrupted user account. To fix this problem, it’s advised that you create a new account and check if that helps.

Once you create a new user account, switch to the new account and check if the problem is still there.

If the issue doesn’t appear on the new account, you might have to move all your personal files to it and start using it instead of your old account.

8. Remove the problematic applications

Sometimes third-party issues can cause problems with Taskbar to appear. According to users, applications such asQuickTimeorQuickbookscan cause this problem to appear.

If you’re having problems with the unresponsive Taskbar, the best way to deal with this issue is to remove the problematic applications.

There are several ways to do that, but the best method is to use uninstaller software. By using an uninstaller software such asIOBit Uninstaller, you’ll remove the problematic application, as well as its files and registry entries.

This will ensure that the application is completely removed and prevent the problem from appearing in the future.

9. Restart File Explorer

According to users, one way to deal with an unresponsive Taskbar is to restart File Explorer. Your Taskbar andStart Menuare related to File Explorer, and by restarting its process, you’ll also restart your Taskbar.

Once File Explorer restarts, check if the problem is still there. Keep in mind that this might not be a permanent solution, so if the problem reappears, you’ll need to restart Windows Explorer again.

How do I restart the taskbar service?

Don’t worry, this is a really simple process that is not going to take up a whole lot of your time, so don’t even worry about that.

You will see the steps described right below, so go through them carefully and you will have your issues resolved in absolutely no time.

How can I fix unresponsive Taskbar on Windows 11?

This issue with the Windows taskbar not working can be an annoying problem, but we hope that some of these solutions were helpful to you.

After reading this article, you will be a lot more prepared to deal with your taskbar not working on windows 10 HP.

Many users reported their Windows 10 taskbar being unresponsive after updates, so this is not an isolated issue.

An unresponsive taskbar on your Windows 11 device can be pretty annoying, so just follow this guide and put all that in the past.

You can also use these steps if your Windows 10 taskbar has a loading cursor, or your Windows taskbar has frozen on startup.

Remember to keep your Windows 10 up to date with the latest updates because if none of these solutions were helpful, maybe the latest update might fix this issue.

Windows 10 Taskbar is Unresponsive or Frozen: How to Fix it#

What causes the Windows taskbar to freeze?#

How do I fix the unresponsive taskbar in Windows 10?#

1. Perform a System Restore or use a dedicated software#

2. Uninstall your Nvidia graphics driver#

3. Check your antivirus#

4. Disable the iGPU MultiMonitor in BIOS#

5. Use PowerShell#

6. Check for missing updates#

7. Create a new account#

8. Remove the problematic applications#

9. Restart File Explorer#

How do I restart the taskbar service?#

How can I fix unresponsive Taskbar on Windows 11?#