One of the frequent problems you could run into while using your Windows computer is the Unresponsive Windows Taskbar Issue. You’ll notice that your taskbar just stops responding to your actions when it happens. Sometimes it also frees, making it impossible for you to move your cursor there.
There are a variety of causes for the Windows 10 Taskbar not working issue, including faulty graphics drivers, auto-hide problems, program conflicts, etc. To fix the non-responsive taskbar, try each solution mentioned below in this article.
Contents show
1 Methods And Fixes For Unresponsive Windows Taskbar In Windows 10 and 11
2 How to Fix Frozen Or Unresponsive Windows Taskbar?
3 Conclusion
Methods And Fixes For Unresponsive Windows Taskbar In Windows 10 and 11
- Enable User Manager Re-register your Taskbar via PowerShell Create a New User Account Restart Windows Explorer Perform a Clean Boot Disable Recently Opened Items Perform System Restore Check Your Antivirus Run DISM Run System File Checker (SFC) scan Check For Missing Updates Turn Off Fast Startup Run Windows Security Scan Uninstall a Faulty Windows Update
How to Fix Frozen Or Unresponsive Windows Taskbar?
1. Enable User Manager
The User Manager provides the runtime elements necessary for multi-user interaction. It’s possible that some programs won’t function properly if this service is terminated. A deactivated User Manager may be the root of a frozen Windows 10 taskbar.
Create a new task in Task Manager by typing service.msc, then select OK.
2. Re-register your Taskbar via PowerShell
The taskbar in Windows 10 or 11 might need to be fixed because it was de-registered due to some problem. You must use Windows PowerShell to re-register the taskbar to fix the frozen or unresponsive windows taskbar issue.
Select “File > Run” in Task Manager to create a new task. To launch Windows PowerShell, enter “PowerShell” in the “Create new task” pop-up box. Click “OK” after selecting “Create this task with administrative privileges” from the drop-down menu.
- Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}
After the command has been properly executed, open Explorer and go to the following directory. Make sure that Explorer is set to display hidden things.
C:/Users/name/AppData/Local/ Scroll down to find the TileDataLayer folder, then delete it. If you cannot remove this folder, launch the Services Manager by typing services.msc. To stop the Tile Data model server service, scroll down and choose the stop option.
3. Create a New User Account
The corrupt user account or improperly created user account settings are the root causes of the problem with the frozen or Unresponsive Windows Taskbar Issue. On your computer, try to make a new user account and import the data from the old version.
Press Win + I to launch the Windows Settings application. You can also start a new task, enter ms-settings, and click OK. Go to Accounts > Family & Others from the menu.
4. Restart Windows Explorer
You can get your taskbar functional again by doing this. This solution should work if the taskbar issue is manageable. You won’t have to experiment or change any other system settings.
Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run prompt. To open Task Manager, type taskmgr.exe and press Enter.
5. Perform a Clean Boot
When third-party software and Windows fail, the Taskbar may occasionally become frozen or unresponsive. You can attempt a clean boot to resolve the Taskbar problem.
Enter MSConfig into the Run window after it has opened. Alternatively, you can type the command into a new Task Manager task, then click OK. Check to Hide all Microsoft services under the Services panel, then click Disable all.
6. Disable Recently Opened Items
Try deactivating the recently opened items to hasten the list launch if a right-click on the frozen Taskbar does not bring up the context menu.
Right-click a blank space on your computer’s desktop in Windows 10 and select Personalize. The Show Recently Opened Items in Jump Lists on Start or the Taskbar option can be disabled by clicking Start in the left pane and scrolling down. If the Windows 10 Taskbar continues to freeze, try restarting the computer.
7. Perform System Restore
Performing a system restore helps to fix this Unresponsive Windows Taskbar Issue in windows 10 and 11.
Create a restore point by pressing Windows Key + S and entering. From the menu, select Create a restore point.
8. Check Your Antivirus
Although using an antivirus is crucial, third-party antivirus programs may interact with your system and result in an Unresponsive Windows Taskbar Issue.
Your antivirus program may temporarily cause your Taskbar to become sluggish. You need to turn off some antivirus features to see if that solves the issue. The next thing you should do if it doesn’t fix the Taskbar’s responsiveness issue is to turn off your antivirus. If that doesn’t work, your only option is to uninstall your antivirus program. Remember that other antivirus programs may also contribute to this issue, so you may need to delete them.
9. Run DISM
You can identify any corruptions within the local Windows 11 image using the DISM tool’s CheckHealth option. To resolve the problem of the Windows 10 Taskbar being frozen, you can use DISM to repair faulty system files.
Launch the Start menu. Enter “Command Prompt” into the search box, right-click the first result and choose “Run as administrator.” To do a fast check, type the following command and hit Enter.
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /restorehealth
10. Run System File Checker (SFC) scan
By performing a right-click on the start menu icon, open the elevated Command Prompt window. From the selection, choose Command Prompt (Admin). Alternatively, you can get the command prompt by pressing Win + X, then choosing it.
- SFC /scannow
11. Check For Missing Updates
Taskbar icon issues that aren’t responding could be caused by outdated software that isn’t installed. Installing the updates can resolve any issues that occasionally arise with your machine.
Windows will automatically download any updates that are available in the background. When you restart your PC after downloading the updates, they will be installed immediately.
Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows Key + I. Go to the section for updates and security.
12. Turn Off Fast Startup
Turning off Fast startup has shown to be helpful if the Windows 11 taskbar starts up without any Taskbar icons.
Use the keyboard shortcut and press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager. Go to “File -> Run new task” first. In the “Create new task” window, type “Control panel.” If the view is set to icons, choose “Power Options.” Go to “Hardware and Sound Power choices” as an alternative.
13. Run Windows Security Scan
Corrupted or harmful files may have infected your Windows 11 computer. It might be contributing to problems with the taskbar icons. A simple workaround is to utilize the Windows Security Scan to find and cure such issues, as illustrated below, even if deleting recently installed apps or files is one way to resolve the problem:
Open your PC’s settings menu (Windows + I). Click “Windows Security” under “Privacy & security.” Select “Virus and threat prevention” and “Quick scan on the following screen.”
14. Uninstall a Faulty Windows Update
The taskbar has problems because of a lousy security update loaded on the PC. KB5006674 is one of the security patches causing chaos on the toolbar.
Start your computer’s Control Panel from the start menu. Then select “Programs and Features.” The right panel’s “View installed updates” link should be clicked.
Conclusion
One of the crucial components of a Windows computer is the taskbar. Follow all the solutions to fix this Unresponsive Windows Taskbar Issue in windows 10 and 11. If the tutorial helped fix the frozen or unresponsive taskbar issue, let us know which solutions helped you.