TechFor60s

Don’t worry — this is a common issue and usually easy to fix!

Windows PC Error

“Taskbar Not Responding”

What This Means (In Plain English)

The bar at the bottom of your screen that shows your open programs and the clock has frozen. You can usually fix this with a restart.

Medium Urgency—Worth fixing soon, but no need to panic.

Common Causes

  • •A Windows Explorer glitch
  • •A corrupted system file
  • •A problematic Windows update
  • •Third-party software interfering with the taskbar

How to Fix It — Step by Step

  1. 1

    Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

  2. 2

    Find "Windows Explorer" in the list.

  3. 3

    Click on it and click "Restart".

  4. 4

    If you cannot open Task Manager, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and choose "Task Manager" from there.

  5. 5

    If restarting Windows Explorer does not fix it, restart your computer.

  6. 6

    If the problem keeps happening, run "sfc /scannow" in Command Prompt (as administrator).

How to Prevent This in the Future

Keep Windows updated. Avoid installing third-party taskbar modification tools.

Related Errors You Might See

File Explorer Not Responding

The program you use to browse your files and folders has frozen. Your files are safe — the program just needs to be restarted.

Application Not Responding

A program on your computer has frozen and is not responding to your clicks. The rest of your computer is usually fine.

Still stuck? Don’t worry!

If the steps above did not solve the problem, ask a trusted friend or family member for help, or contact us and we will do our best to assist you.

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