[New] Windows 11 freezing on startup? Fix it with these 8 solutions.

Windows is the latest, most secure, and feature-packed operating system offered by Microsoft. Although it's a sleek, adaptable, and popular OS, it's not immune to issues, just like any other software. Many users have reported that their Windows 11 freeze on startup, which can be frustrating when you're in a hurry to get some important work done. This article will walk you through eight methods to fix the Windows 11 freezing on startup issue.

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What causes Windows 11 to freeze on startup?

Though there can be many reasons for this, a few specific culprits tend to be responsible in most cases. They include:

• Insufficient RAM: If you have heavy applications set to run at startup, or your system is cluttered with unnecessary files, this can take up your memory storage. Reduced available memory can sometimes cause the system to freeze on startup, run slowly, or even result in a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error.
• Faulty peripherals: Having outdated peripherals or a malicious USB drive inserted in your computer can potentially lead to system freezing or crashing during startup.
• Damaged or corrupted system files: System files are crucial for PC startup. Any issues with these files can result in the system freezing or crashing while booting.
• Outdated GPU drivers: For a system to start successfully and smoothly, all motherboard components need to initialize correctly. Outdated or incompatible GPU drivers can cause the system to freeze upon startup.

Now that you're aware of the reasons behind Windows 11 freezing on startup, let's dive into eight methods to fix the issue.

8 Ways to Fix Windows 11 Freezing on Startup

We'll go through eight possible ways to help you fix the Windows 11 freezing on startup issue:

• Solution 1: Run Windows Startup Repair
• Solution 2: Perform a Clean Boot to Fix Freezing Issues
• Solution 3: Boot into Safe Mode for Troubleshooting
• Solution 4: Disable Windows Fast Startup
• Solution 5: Run DISM Command to Fix Windows 11
• Solution 6: Update Device Drivers in Windows 11
• Solution 7: Check for Available Windows 11 Updates
• Solution 8: Solve Stuck Issues with System Restore

You can also search for the video below by timestamp to quickly and easily address this issue:

• 00:00 Opening
• 00:14 Using the Command Prompt
• 00:51 syncing the clock

Fix 1: Run the Windows Startup Repair

In addition to standard Windows settings, you can employ operating system-level settings and tools to fix Windows 11 and address issues like freezing on startup. One such tool is the Windows Startup Repair. Here's how to use it:

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open Windows Settings.

Step 2. In Settings, go to System, and then open Recovery.

Step 3: Under Recovery, click on Advanced startup, and then click the Restart now button.

Step 4: This will lead you to the Blue Screen. On the blue screen, click on “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Startup Repair”.

Step 5: System Repair will automatically diagnose and suggest solutions to problems that prevent your computer from starting up.

Solution 2: Perform a Clean Boot to Fix Freezing Issues

Sometimes, a conflicting or malicious app or service might cause your system to freeze on startup. A clean boot helps identify the app because it starts Windows with the minimum number of apps and services. Here's how:

Step 1: Type msconfig in the Windows search bar, then open the first result that appears.

Step 2: In the System Configuration utility, go to the Services tab, check the box that says “Hide all Microsoft services,” and then click Disable All. Click Apply to save your changes.

Step 3: Next, open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard. In the Task Manager, click on the Startup tab. Then, right-click on each startup app and disable them.

Disable Startup Apps

Step 4. Restart your computer to perform a Clean Boot of Windows. If your computer starts up normally without freezing, try uninstalling programs and services that you suspect might be causing the issue.

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Solution 3: Troubleshoot in Safe Mode

By starting in Safe Mode on Windows, you'll boot Windows with only the most basic drivers and services. This helps rule out issues with default and core drivers. Here are the steps to start in Safe Mode on Windows 11:

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open Settings.

Step 2. In the Windows Settings, go to System and open Recovery.

Step 3: Click the “Restart now” button next to “Advanced startup” in the Recovery options.

4. This will turn your screen blue. Click on “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Startup Settings.” Click on “Restart” to restart your computer and access the Startup Settings menu.

Step 5. Finally, press F4 to boot into Safe Mode.

If your computer starts up fine in Safe Mode, you know that your default drivers, settings, and peripherals aren't causing the issue. If you recently installed an app or driver, try uninstalling it to fix the startup problem. If Safe Mode isn't working on your Windows computer, try the methods in this article to fix the issue.

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Fix 4: Disable Windows Fast Startup

Quick Start is a feature in Windows that reduces the time it takes to start up your computer by not fully shutting down the system when you turn it off, but instead closing applications and resuming from a hibernated state. Due to its complexity, this feature can sometimes cause freezing during startup on certain computers. Here's how to disable Quick Start in Windows:

Step 1: Open the Control Panel by searching for it in the Start menu. In the top-right corner, change the view to "Small icons."

Step 2: Now open Power Options. Within Power Options, click on “Change what the power buttons do.”

3. Click on “Change settings that are currently unavailable.”

Step 4: Now uncheck the “Fast Startup” option and save your changes.

If you want to learn more about disabling Fast Startup on Windows, check out this article:

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Fix 5: Run the DISM command to repair Windows 11 Running the Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management (DISM) command in Command Prompt can help fix issues with your Windows 11 system image. Follow these steps: 1. Press `Win + X`, then choose "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "PowerShell (Admin)." 2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: ``` DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ``` 3. Wait for the process to complete, which might take some time. 4. After it's done, enter the following command and press Enter to check the integrity of the Windows Component Store: ``` sfc /scannow ``` 5. Wait for the scan to finish, which may also take some time. 6. Once the scan is complete, restart your computer and see if the issue has been resolved. These commands will check and repair system files, potentially resolving the problem you're encountering with Windows 11. If the issue persists, you may need to explore other solutions or contact Microsoft Support.

If there is an issue with the Windows image, you might experience problems while booting into Windows. You can use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool from the Command Prompt to fix issues with the Windows image. Here's how:

Step 1: Open the Windows Start menu, search for Command Prompt. Right-click on it and select "Run as administrator."

Step 2: Type the command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth, and then press Enter.

Step 3: At this point, DISM will run automatically and try to diagnose problems with the Windows image. If it detects issues, it will attempt to replace corrupt disk image files with good copies.

Step 4. Try restarting your computer to see if that fixes the issue.

Solution 6: Update the Device Drivers in Windows 11

As mentioned earlier, outdated or incompatible drivers (such as GPU) can cause a computer to freeze during startup. You can use Device Manager to update outdated drivers. Here's how: 1. Press the `Windows` key + `X` on your keyboard and select "Device Manager" from the menu. 2. In the Device Manager window, find and expand the category that corresponds to the suspected problematic driver (e.g., "Display adapters" for GPU issues). 3. Right-click on the device and choose "Update driver." 4. Select "Search automatically for updated driver software." Windows will now search for and install any available updates. 5. If an update is found, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 6. Restart your computer to apply the changes. If Windows doesn't find any updates, you can also visit the manufacturer's website to download and install the latest drivers manually. Make sure to choose the correct driver version compatible with your operating system.

Step 1. Right-click the Start button on the taskbar, and select Device Manager from the context menu.

Step 2: In Device Manager, find the component for which you want to update the driver. Expand the list of devices under that component.

Update device drivers using Device Manager

Step 3: Right-click on the device and select "Update Driver." A new window will pop up. You can have Windows search for and install the most up-to-date compatible driver, or you can choose to use one that you've already downloaded.

Once the driver update is finished, restart your computer and check if the issue has been resolved. You can find more information about updating drivers in Windows 11 in the following paragraph:

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Fix 7: Check for Available Windows 11 Updates Make sure your Windows 11 operating system is up to date, as some issues might have been resolved through system updates. Follow these steps to check and install any available updates: 1. Click the "Start" button in the bottom left corner. 2. Type "Settings" in the search box, then select the "Settings" app. 3. In the "Settings" window, click on "Update & Security." 4. On the left menu, click "Windows Update." 5. On the right side, click the "Check for updates" button. Your system will automatically search for and offer any available updates. 6. If updates are found, follow the on-screen instructions to download and install them. After completing these steps, restart your computer and see if the issue has been resolved.

Microsoft frequently releases updates for Windows that may include bug fixes, performance improvements, and many other features. Updating your Windows 11 to the latest version can help resolve freezing on startup issues. Here's how:

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open Settings.

Step 2. In the left pane of the Settings window, go to the "Windows Update" section.

Step 3: Next, click on the "Check for Updates" button to see if any updates are available. If there are, make sure to download and install them.

That's it! If you've managed to fix the issue, share this article with your friends and colleagues to save them some time and effort.

Solution 8: Resolve freezing issues by performing a System Restore If none of the above solutions work, you can attempt to perform a System Restore. This will revert your computer to a previous point in time when it was functioning properly, potentially fixing the issue causing programs or the operating system to freeze. Here's how: 1. Click the "Start" button and type "Create a restore point" in the search box. 2. In the search results, click on "Create a restore point" (on Windows 10, this might show as "System Properties"). 3. In the "System Properties" window, switch to the "System Protection" tab, and then click the "System Restore…" button. 4. In the "System Restore Wizard," click "Next." 5. If there are available restore points, select a date and time when your computer was working fine, and then click "Next." 6. Finally, confirm your choice and click "Finish." Your computer will prompt you to restart for the restoration process to complete. Please note that performing a System Restore may remove recently installed updates and programs but typically does not affect personal files. If the problem persists, you may need to consider more extensive troubleshooting, such as reinstalling the operating system or seeking professional assistance.

System Restore is a Windows feature that lets you revert Windows to a previous state before software or important drivers were updated. Windows creates System Restore points automatically, which you can use to return your machine to a previous state. If you've run into problems after recently installing software or updating drivers, you can use System Restore to undo the changes:

Step 1: Search for "Recovery" in the Start menu. Then, open the Recovery option in Control Panel.

Step 2: Open System Restore from the Control Panel.

Step 3: The System Restore wizard will open. You can choose to restore to a recommended restore point, or select one from the list.

After the System Restore is complete, check to see if the issue has been fixed for you.

Recover Data After Windows 11 Freezes on Startup

A freeze during system startup can result in data loss for the Windows operating system. If your system has recently experienced freezes or crashes, you might have lost some critical data. This loss could hinder your workflow and be of significant importance to you. When you accidentally delete files on Windows, you need to find a tool to recover deleted files from Windows 11.

While there is no shortage of data recovery software out there, one developed by one of the most trusted developers consistently delivers reliable results. With a high success rate, Data Recovery Wizard Pro is one of the most trusted tools for data retrieval. It flawlessly recovers your data from your computer in any situation.

Let's see how to use a data recovery tool to get your files off a laptop that won't boot:

Step 1: Create a Bootable Disk

Run the Data Recovery Wizard and select “Crashed PC Recovery,” then click “Go to Recover.”

Select "Crashed PC Recovery"

Select an empty USB drive to create the bootable drive, then click “Create.”

Caution: The Data Recovery Wizard will delete all data on the USB drive when creating the bootable disk. Back up important data in advance.

Create a bootable USB

Step 2: Boot your computer from the USB drive

Attach the bootable disk to the non-booting computer, and change the computer's boot order in BIOS. For most users, this will work if you restart your computer and press F2 to enter BIOS as it's rebooting.

Set the boot order so that “Removable Devices” (your bootable USB drive) is before the hard disk. Press “F10” to save and exit.

Step 3: Recover data from a crashed system/computer

After launching the utility Data Recovery Wizard from a bootable disk, select the drive you wish to scan for all lost files. Preview and recover the desired files to a secure location.

Abstract

Issues like insufficient RAM, hardware malfunction, corrupted system files, outdated GPU drivers, and more can lead to Windows 11 freezing during startup. This article presents eight effective solutions to fix the freezing problem, including running Startup Repair, performing a clean boot, starting in Safe Mode, disabling Fast Startup, using the DISM command, updating drivers, checking for Windows updates, and executing a System Restore.

To prevent possible data loss after a system crash, it is recommended that users download a Data Recovery Wizard tool, which can reliably restore lost data in any situation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Windows 11 Freezing at Startup

While we strive to address your concerns, there may still be some questions left unanswered. You can find the answers to these questions here.

Why does my Windows 11 always freeze at startup?

Windows 11 freezing at startup is typically caused by insufficient RAM, malfunctioning peripherals, corrupted system files, outdated graphics card drivers, or bugs in recent software/driver updates. These issues prevent critical components from loading correctly during startup, leading to the system freezing.

How to Fix Windows 11 Boot Issues?

To address startup issues with Windows 11, such as freezing, you can utilize the built-in "Startup Repair" tool, perform a clean boot to isolate conflicts, update drivers, check for Windows updates, or execute a System Restore. You can also start in Safe Mode or disable Fast Startup for troubleshooting. Running the DISM command can repair corrupted system files causing startup failures. If all else fails, a clean reinstallation of Windows might be necessary.

Will I lose data if Windows 11 freezes on startup and I fix it?

Fixing the Windows 11 freezing on startup issue itself shouldn't directly cause data loss. However, to safeguard against potential data loss due to system crashes, it's recommended to download a data recovery tool like Data Recovery Wizard. This software has a 99.7% success rate in recovering lost data reliably after fixing boot issues.

What is the most effective way to fix freezing issues on Windows 11?

The built-in Startup Repair tool is the most effective way to fix freezing issues in Windows 11. It automatically diagnoses problems and repairs corrupted files that often lead to system freezes. Running Startup Repair from the Advanced Options menu usually resolves startup and freezing issues in Windows 11 without the need for more complex troubleshooting.