How to Fix “Program not Responding” on Windows 11 (9 Fix)

Do you want to open a program on your Windows 11 computer? But every time you click on the program, you encounter the “Program not responding” error message.

Well, there’s no need to panic. Unfortunately, it is a pretty common Windows error that almost every user has faced at least once. Due to faulty system settings, malware or virus attacks, outdated operating systems, and applications, this issue often appears on Windows 11 and its other predecessors.

Fortunately, it is easy to fix the program not responding problem on Windows 11. This post will walk you through all the possible solutions to fix the issue.

Here’s How to Fix Program not Responding on Windows

Are you stuck at the ‘this app can’t open’ or ‘program not responding’ screen? Then, simply follow these fixes now:

Fix 1. Restart your PC

The most obvious solution to fix any Windows error is restarting your computer. However, in case the program is not responding, you can also try to restart your device.

To do so, simply press Alt and F4 keys together to launch the Shutdown Windows box. Next, select Restart and click on OK. Alternatively, go to the Start bar > Power button > Restart. This solution will fix the program’s not working issue in most situations.

Fix 2. Update the app

Another obvious fix is updating a certain program. If you haven’t updated the app in the long run, there’s a possibility that it has become obsolete or bugs have corrupted it. Additionally, if you have recently updated your Windows OS, the old app version might not support the new OS.

Therefore, in both cases, updating the app will quickly fix the problem:

Step 1. Go to the Windows Search tab and type for Microsoft Store.

Step 2. Click on the Library icon from the bottom left corner and then on the Update button next to the problematic app. You can also click on the Update all button to update all the outdated apps in one go.

Step 3. Restart your computer and check if the app is responding now.

Fix 3. Update your Windows OS

Like outdated applications, outdated Windows operating systems can make some applications unresponsive for you. So, you can update your Windows OS as follows to fix the program not responding on Windows 11:

Step 1. Go to Settings from the Search tab.

Step 2. Click on the Windows Update and if there’s any update available for your system, click on the Update button to install it.

Fix 4. Reinstall the system

If updating the system didn’t work for you, reinstalling might help. This is a preferred fix when your Windows 11 system files are damaged or corrupted. To reinstall the system:

Step 1. Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security.

Step 2. Select the Recovery from the left pane and click on the Started located under the Reset this PC.

Step 3. On the next screen, select the Keep my file option. After that, install the said program again on your computer.

Fix 5. Run SFC and DISM scans

In many cases, registry errors can also cause the program not responding on Windows 11. This happens because everything your program does goes into the registry. So, to find and fix disruptions in the registry, you should run SFC and DISM scans.

Here’s how to run an SFC scan:

Step 1. Press Windows + R keys to open the Run command box, type cmd in it, and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.

Step 2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Step 3. It will take a few minutes to scan and repair your system.

To run a DISM scan, paste this command on the Command Prompt screen DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.

Make sure to not disturb your computer unless both scans are completed.

Fix 6. Run virus scans

The virus and malware attacks can corrupt your program files or registry files to make the program not respond on your computer. Luckily, Windows Defender can fully scan your system for any malicious software or activities. For this:

Step 1. Open the Search tab and type Windows Security.

Step 2. Choose the Virus & threat protection.

Step 3. Click on the Full scan now to allow Windows Defender to find and remove viruses.

If you have third-party antivirus programs like Systweak or Norton installed on your computer, you can also use them to scan your system for viruses.

Fix 7. Turn off antivirus software

Yes, you heard it right. In many cases, some third-party antivirus software or even Windows Defender can block certain programs from opening. Therefore, you should turn off the antivirus software for a few minutes to check if the antivirus program is creating conflicts. To do so:

Step 1. Launch Windows Security from the search and select the Virus & threat protection.

Step 2. You can turn off the protection toggle if you don’t have third-party antivirus. If you do have a third-party antivirus program, click on the Open app to go to your antivirus and disable it.

Fix 8. End task the program

When you simply close the app, some of its operations still keep on running in the background. Thus, you can fully close the program from the Task Manager to end all its operations. This can fix the temporary bugs and issues in the program. To end the program:

Step 1. Right-click on the Start button and choose the Task Manager from the list.

Step 2. You can right-click on the app that’s not responding and choose End task from the popup menu. Alternatively, just click on the program and press the End task button.

Fix 9. Reinstall the program

If the end task fix didn’t work, you are left with the only option – uninstall and reinstall the program. This option might delete data stored on the app, but there’s a high chance it will fix the program not responding.

Simply go to Settings > Apps > Uninstall the problematic app. After that, open the Microsoft Store, search for the app, and install it. Now you can easily launch the app.

In the worst-case scenario, if multiple apps are not responding on your device. And updating Windows operating system or apps has not fixed the problem; reinstalling Windows 11 is your only option.

But we suggest saving it for the last resort. Then, if possible, use the alternative program instead of the problematic one. So, now we leave you to fix the program not responding on Windows 11. And don’t forget to share your program-fixing experience with us.