Windows 10 users often claim that the tasks bar completely freezes multiple times after upgrading their devices. So, if you come across a situation where Windows 10 taskbar frozen, then you can not proceed without resolving it.
Whenever this issue hits your system, there will be no access to the Start menu or application icon. Also, when you use shortcuts such as Windows and R keys, Windows + X keys, Windows 10 will not respond properly.
Though it is an annoying issue, still you can quickly fix the frozen taskbar on Windows 10.
Fixes to Try if Taskbar Frozen on Windows 10
To get rid of the taskbar problem, check out these easy and effective solutions.
Solution 1- Restart Windows Explorer
For restarting the Windows Explorer in the Task Manager, press and hold the Ctrl+Shift and Esc keys together.
In the Task Manager, click on the File and then click on the Run new Task button. Enter ‘explorer’ in the given box and mark the box next to the ‘Create this task with administrative privileges’ option.
Thereafter, open the Task Manager. Thereafter, locate the Explorer in the Processes tab. Afterward, right-click on the Explorer entry and choose Restart from the available options.
Now, the Explorer will be restarted and after that Taskbar should work normally.
Solution 2- Run the SFC and DISM Tool
Corrupted system files can be a primary cause of this issue. In such a condition, you have to run the inbuilt SFC tool to overcome the situation. Follow the given directions to try this solution.
Step 1
First, open the Task Manager window by following the instruction discussed in the previous method. Under the Task Manager, select File and then click on ‘Run a new task’ option.
The File Explorer window will appear on the screen. Next, navigate to the path ‘C: \ Windows \ System32’.
Step 2
From the System 32 folder, scroll down and right-click on the ‘cmd.exe’ file. Select ‘Run as Administrator’ and when the User Account Control prompts, click on ‘Yes’.
In the Command Prompt window, enter ‘ sfc/scannow’ and hit the Enter key to run it. Wait until you see a 100% verification message.
Step 3
If you are still struggling with the taskbar, then type the following command:
‘Dism/Online/cleanup-image/RestoreHealth’
Then hit the Enter key to run the command.
Once done, reboot the Windows 10-based device and check whether the Taskbar works normally or not.
Solution 3- Use Powershell
Launch the Task Manager window. After that, click on the ‘More Details’ button to see all the tabs and ensure that Windows Firewall is running.
Thereafter, launch the Run dialog box. You can do this by pressing the Windows and R keys together. Next, enter ’powershell’ within the given field.
However, if you are unable to open the Run box, then launch the Task Manager and tap on Start.
Thereafter, click on ‘Run new tasks’. Within the given box, enter ’powershell’ and click on the ‘Create this task with administrative privileges’ option. Also, click on OK.
After that, type the below command and hit the Enter key.
‘Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}’
If the taskbar is still not working, then try the next solution to get rid of the frozen situation.
Solution 4- Enable the User Management
Sometimes, if the feature of ‘User Management’ is disabled, then it might lead to a frozen Windows 10 taskbar. Hence, try to enable it with the below steps.
- Open the Run dialog box.
- Enter ‘services.msc’ in the input field and hit the Enter key.
- From the list of Windows Services, locate and double-click on the ‘User Management’ option.
- Next, select the Startup type menu. From there, scroll down and choose ‘Automatic’. Click on OK.
Reboot the Windows 10 device and if you are still dealing with the problem, then go to the next solution.
Solution 5- Disable Recently Opened Items
To disable all the recently opened items, first, press and hold the Windows and ‘I’ keys together. Thereafter, hit the Enter key to open Settings.
Under Settings, scroll down and select ‘Personalization’. On the left column, click on ‘Start’.
Slide the toggle button beside the ‘Show recently opened items in Jump lists on start or taskbar’ option to turn it off.
Then, restart the computer and if the error still persists, jump to the next method.
Solution 6- Perform a System Restore
At first, open the Run dialog box and enter ‘sysdm.cpl’ in it. Hit the Enter key after that. Now, within the new dialog box, select ‘System Properties’. Then, click on System Restore.
In the next window, click on Next and select a preferred restore point. To continue the process, follow the online instructions. Once completed, restart the computer to let the changes take effect.
Solution 7- Create a new Account
If all the above six fixes fail to solve the problem, then you are advised to create a new user account on Windows 10.
To do so, first, press and hold the Windows and ‘I’ keys together and press Enter.
After that, the Setting window will appear on the screen. In Settings, choose ‘Accounts’ and thereafter click on the ‘Family & Other People’ option.
Next, click on the ‘Add someone else to this PC’ option. Afterward, tick on ‘I don’t have this person’s sign-in information’ dialog box. Furthermore, click on ‘Next’.
On the next page, click on ‘Add a user without a Microsoft account’ option. Tap on ‘Next’ to continue.
Now, log in to the new user account. If the Taskbar works normally, then transfer all the files to the new account and delete the old one.
These are the resolving techniques that you can apply to fix the Taskbar frozen issue on Windows 10.
