Last updated on March 21st, 2023 at 02:42 am

Many users report Windows 11 is freezing at startup, and this is quite annoying; it halts the login process and causes many glitches when using the PC. There are a few hardware-related solutions and some checkup utilities that you can use to solve this problem. In this guide, we’ll narrow down the fixes step-by-step, so follow them accordingly, and you’ll be free of this issue in no time.

Table Of Contents
  1. Windows 11 Startup Freeze Fixes You Can Try

Windows 11 Startup Freeze Fixes You Can Try

There are multiple reasons why Windows 11 is freezing when it boots like third-party peripherals or their driver interfering with the OS, corrupt system files, and more. The following are the fixes that will resolve the freezing issue.

Fix 1: Detach Any USB Peripheral

Usually, drivers for hardware components can get corrupted over time resulting in Windows 11 freezing at startup. Since they don’t have a definite symptom, all you can do is try to remove the problem and check if it works out. In this case, we’ll look at USB peripheral devices to disconnect from the computer. So, if you have a keyboard, mouse, speaker, etc., devices connected via a USB cable, we suggest you remove them and restart your computer. Then, see if the problem goes away. If the problem goes away, we suggest you connect the devices individually to see which faulty device is causing Windows 11 to freeze at startup. Then, when the faulty device is found, either replace it or send it for repair to a nearby IT support service in your area.

Fix 2: Run SFC and DISM Scan

Microsoft has devised solutions for system issues such as Win 11 freezing at startup. Several utilities with dedicated functions allow you to troubleshoot the issue at its heart. So, using them first is a must whenever solving an issue.

The two most efficient tools by Windows are the SFC and DISM Scans. These are capable of detecting any file corruption. Not only that, but they can also eradicate the issue by deleting these harmful components and replacing them with fresh ones. So, using them to solve the freezing issue at startup is relevant.

Open CMD as administrator and type the following command and press enter.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Once the scan is complete, type the following command and press enter.

sfc /scannow

Let the scan complete and once the process completes, which might take up upto 5 to 10 minutes, restart your PC Windows 11 won’t freeze at startup again.

  • Run CMD as an administrator.
  • Type the DISM Scan command and press enter.
  • type the SFC Scan command and press enter.

Fix 3: Update Drivers

Drivers responsible for handling the affairs of hardware and software interconnection commonly cause problems such as the freezing issue in Windows 11. Hence, updating them to the latest version can solve this issue.

Open Windows Settings > Windows Settings > Advanced Options > Optional updates > install the updates available.

  • Open Windows settings and go to Windows Updates.
  • Go to optional updates and install all driver updates available.

Another way to update drivers is through Device Manager but that is a manual process. Open the Device Manager > right-click the peripheral and select Update Driver. A series of prompt questions will appear; click on “Search Automatically for drivers”, and if a new driver is available, it’ll be downloaded and installed. Do this for all devices connected to your PC. Once done, restart your PC, and Windows 11 won’t freeze at startup again.

  • Open Device Manager.
  • Right-click the device and select Update driver.
  • Click “Search Automatically for drivers”.

Fix 4:Turn Off Fast Startup

Open Windows power plan options, as shown in the images below, > click “Choose what the power buttons do” from the left pane > uncheck “Turn on Fast Startup”. Save changes and Windows 11 won’t freeze at startup again.

  • Open Windows power options.
  • click the highlighted option.
  • uncheck the highlighted option.

Fix 5:Update/Reinstall GPU Driver

Outdated GPU drivers can cause Windows 11 to freeze. If not, over time some driver files get corrupt and cause the OS to freeze at startup. Updating the GPU driver and going through a clean installation fixes the issue. Download the latest GPU driver and install it.

  • Download the driver and launch the setup.
  • Agree to terms of and conditions.
  • Select custom and click next.
  • Check ‘Perform a clean installation’ and click next to install.

Fix 6:Perform A Clean Boot

A clean boot is a process in which Windows launches with no third-party software or drivers launching at startup. This process can give us an idea about which third-party app is causing the Windows 11 freezing issue. Open System Configuration through Windows search > Services tab > check “Hide all Microsoft services” and click the “Disable all” button. Go to the Startup tab > click on “Open Task Manager” > Task manager window will open listing all the apps that launch at startup. Right-click each app and select Disable. Restart your PC and it won’t freeze at startup. This means one of the third-party apps is causing the freezing issue. Enable them one by one and see which one is causing the freezing issue. Once identified, uninstall the app.

  • Open System Configuration.
  • In the Services tab uncheck the highlighted option and click Disable all button.
  • Open Task Manager through Startup tab.
  • Right-click and disable all apps.

If you are facing errors and issues with other PC games or your PC, then also see our hub for commonly occurring PC errors and their fixes.

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