Windows doesn't respond or stops working on Surface

If Windows starts up slowly, runs slowly, or stops responding (freezes) on your Surface, here's info to help you get it working again.

If Windows is frozen

Force a shut down and restart

Press and hold down the power button until your Surface shuts down and restarts and you see the Windows logo screen again (about 20 seconds), then release the power button.

See Force a shut down and restart your Surface for more info.

More solutions

If Windows stops responding more than once or the problem appears to be related to a particular app, here are a few solutions to try:

If Windows stops responding more than once

If Windows stops responding more than once and the problem doesn’t appear to be related to a particular app, here are a few solutions to try.

Get the latest updates

You can quickly check the health of your Surface drivers and firmware using the Surface app.

1. In the Surface app, expand Help & support to check the update status.

2. If there are updates available, select the Check for updates button to open Windows Update and install the available updates.

   Note

   If you don't have the Surface app installed, you can download the Surface app from the Microsoft Store. When it has downloaded, select Start, search for Surface, then select the app from the list of results.

Scan Surface with Windows Security

For info about using Windows Security on your Surface, see Microsoft security help & learning

For info about how to run a scan in Windows Security, see Stay Protected With the Windows Security App.

Disable unnecessary startup applications

When you turn on your Surface, some programs start automatically and run in the background. You can disable these programs at startup to improve Windows startup time and overall system performance.

To see how, go to Configure Startup Applications in Windows.

Free up drive space in Windows

You can reduce the number of unnecessary files on your drive, which can help your Surface run faster. You can delete temporary and system files, empty the Recycle bin, and remove other items you might no longer need.

For more info, see Free up drive space in Windows.

Optimize (defragment) your hard drive

For the most part, Windows handles the optimization of your data drives automatically. However, if you are concerned about their performance, you can manually check. To see how, visit Defragment / optimize your data drives in Windows.

Identify hardware issues

To help identify specific hardware-related problems on your Surface, try running the following diagnostic tools that are built into Windows.

• Windows Memory Diagnostic tool: Run this tool to determine whether your Surface memory is working properly.

  1. Select the search box in the taskbar, enter memory, and in the search results, select Windows Memory Diagnostic.
  2. Select Restart now and check for problems (recommended).
  3. When your Surface restarts, the diagnostic tool will run and display the test status on the screen. Although the test may appear inactive, it’s still running. Windows will restart automatically after the test is complete.

• Error Checking tool: Run this tool to scan for errors on your hard drive.

  1. Open File Explorer in the taskbar and select This PC.
  2. Press and hold (or right-click) Windows (C:) and select Properties.
  3. Select the Tools tab, and under Error checking, select Check and follow the on-screen instructions.

Restore or reset your Surface

If you're still having problems, try restoring or resetting your Surface. To find out how, see Restore or reset Surface for Windows.

Need more help?

If these solutions didn't help resolve the problem, then self-repair, service order or in-person support may be available to help you. If your Surface is a business device (owned by an organization), see Surface service options for Business and Education.

Options
	Self-repair Technically experienced and have the right tools? Microsoft has a range of replaceable components and service guides that enable you to carry out some repairs yourself.
	Send to Microsoft To send your device in for repair, you'll need to create a service order and print a shipping label. Learn more about how to check your warranty and prepare your device for shipping to Microsoft.
	Get in-person support In some countries or regions, Microsoft has partnered with Authorized Service Providers offering in-person support and repair. Options may include professional hardware inspection, troubleshooting, and system recovery.

If Windows stops responding when you use a certain app

If Windows stops responding when you’re using a certain app, try these solutions:

Get the latest updates

You can quickly check the health of your Surface drivers and firmware using the Surface app.

1. In the Surface app, expand Help & support to check the update status.

2. If there are updates available, select the Check for updates button to open Windows Update and install the available updates.

   Note

   If you don't have the Surface app installed, you can download the Surface app from the Microsoft Store. When it has downloaded, select Start, search for Surface, then select the app from the list of results.

Update or reinstall the app

Check for app updates and, if necessary, uninstall and reinstall the app.

For help with apps from the Microsoft Store, see Fix problems with apps from Microsoft Store

Contact the app's publisher

To contact the publisher of your app:

1. Select Start, and select Microsoft Store.
2. Search or browse for the app and select it.
3. Scroll to the Additional information section of the app's description page, and under Learn more, select the support link for the app. The link will open an email message for you to contact support or will take you to a support website.

Related topics

• What to do if Surface is running slower
• Surface won’t turn on or start
• Fix problems with apps from Microsoft Store

Need more help?