Laptops are an essential part of our lives. They allow us to work from anywhere, and keep in touch with friends and family on Skype. Unfortunately, they also have a tendency to freeze up occasionally.
Whether you’re working on a project, watching a video, or just browsing the internet for fun, nothing is more frustrating than when your laptop freezes.
This can happen for many reasons and you’ll want to troubleshoot as soon as possible so that it doesn’t happen again.
If your laptop is freezing up often, there may be a problem that needs fixing. In this blog post, we will discuss some possible reasons for the issue as well as tips on how you can solve it.
The Brief Answer: Why Does My Laptop Keep Freezing?
There are many different reasons why your laptop might be freezing.
The first step to addressing this issue is identifying the problem and then determining how best to solve it. Some of the most common ones are:
>A software issue
>A hardware issue
>Low memory or storage space
>An overheating computer
>Malware or a virus infection
>Driver issues
Let’s take a closer look at each one of these potential problems.
The Causes and How to fix freezing laptop
There are lots of causes but we have listed below the most common causes that make a laptop freeze and also we will guide you on how to fix freezing laptop.
Therefore stay focused as we take you through this topic in question.
1. Software Issues
A software issue could be the reason why your laptop is freezing up. This might include problems with the Operating System (OS), corrupted files, or an application that isn’t working properly.
If you think a software issue might be causing your laptop to freeze, there are a few things you can try:
- Restart your computer – this is always a good first step to try when you’re having any kind of issue
- Update your software – make sure all of your applications and the OS are up-to-date
- Reinstall the software – if restarting and updating doesn’t work, try uninstalling and reinstalling the problematic application or OS
If you’re still having problems after trying these steps, it might be time to take your laptop in for repair.
2. Hardware Issues
A hardware issue is another possible reason why your laptop is freezing up. This could include a problem with the motherboard, the hard drive, or the RAM.
If you think there might be a hardware issue causing your laptop to freeze, there are a few things you can try:
- Check for updates – many hardware companies release updates that can fix problems with their products
- Restart your computer – as we said before, this is always a good first step
- Remove any recently installed software or hardware – if you’ve added anything new to your computer recently, try uninstalling it to see if this solves the problem
- Replace your hardware – sometimes hardware can simply stop working. If you’ve tried all of the other steps and still aren’t having any luck, it might be time for a new (or at least updated) piece of equipment!
3. Low Memory Or Storage Space
Having low memory or storage space on your laptop can cause it to freeze up. This is because the computer isn’t able to process all of the information that’s being thrown at it and gets overwhelmed.
If you think this might be an issue for you, there are a few things you can try:
- Closeout unneeded applications – if your computer is running slow, try closing out some of the applications you’re not using
- Free up storage space – delete old files, uninstall programs you don’t need, and move files to an external hard drive
- Upgrade your RAM – this is a more expensive solution, but if you’re having problems with low memory it might be worth considering
4. Overheating Computer
If your laptop is constantly overheating, it can cause the computer to freeze. This is because when the system gets too hot, it can’t function properly and causes lock-ups.
There are a few things you can do to try and prevent this from happening:
- Keep your laptop in a cool place – don’t put it on your bed or beside a heater.
- Use compressed air to clean out the vents – this way, hot air can escape and prevent overheating
- Elevate the back of the laptop slightly – if you use something like a phone book under one side of your computer, you’ll create more room for airflow between the two sides. Make sure to do this with caution, as it could lead to the computer tipping over.
Related article: How To Fix An Overheating Laptop
5. Malware Or Virus Infection
If your laptop has been infected with malware or a virus, it can cause the system to freeze. This is because these programs try to take over the computer and can slow it down or even stop it from working altogether.
There are a few things you can do to try and protect your computer from malware or viruses:
- Install an antivirus program – this will help to protect your system from any infections
- Update your software regularly – many antiviruses require updates in order to stay effective. Make sure to install these as soon as they’re available
Be careful what you download, only install software from trusted sources. If you’re using torrents or file-sharing programs, be careful not to download anything that might contain malware.
6. Driver issues
If you’re having problems with your laptop freezing, it’s possible that there’s a problem with the drivers.
This means that the software that controls different parts of your computer isn’t working properly, which can cause lockups and other issues.
There are a few things you can do to try and fix driver issues:
- Update your drivers – this is fairly simple to do, you can often find drivers by searching your laptop manufacturer’s website.
- Restart the computer. Sometimes driver issues only appear when there are multiple programs running at once (drivers included). If that’s the issue, restarting will clear everything up and allow for smooth operation again!
- Download a program like Driver Booster – programs like this can help you to update your drivers automatically, protecting against future problems.
Their couple of sites that have also elaborated well about this topic to start with PCMag has discussed what to do if your laptop freezes. CCleaner also talks about the same. Fee free to read their guides
Our Conclusion: Why Does My Laptop Keep Freezing and how to fix freezing laptop
Why does my laptop keep freezing? There are a number of reasons why your laptop might be slowing down.
If you’re experiencing frequent freezes, it’s likely that there is an issue with the hardware or software on your machine.
You can use our freeze fix checklist to identify what may be causing these issues and how to resolve them.
Preventative measures include regular backups of data and ensuring that the battery isn’t going dead during use so as not to harm the hard drive from lack of power supply.
Other steps for prevention includes updating all drivers regularly, using a cooling pad if necessary, and minimizing background activity when working on projects requiring intensive computing power such as photo editing programs like Adobe Photoshop CC 2018.
And don’t forget about anti-virus and anti-malware programs.
