This issue has not root cause as it’s very common on Windows. Some, however, have linked it to Dropbox and a couple of malfunctioning applications. In this article, we’ll explore the various options by which we can solve this problem. This includes running an SFC scan, uninstalling certain applications, starting explorer, among others.
Method 1: Restarting Windows Explorer
Alternatively, you can:
Method 2: Running an SFC Scan
Method 3: Powershell Fix
Use this Powershell command to unfreeze the frozen taskbar using these steps.
Method 4: Enable the User Manager
A disabled User Manager may result in a frozen Windows 10 taskbar. Try re-enabling the User Manager with these steps.
Method 5: Uninstall Applications
Certain applications have been identified by some users which caused the taskbar from functioning properly. These applications are Dropbox and Classic Shell. If you suspect there are any applications causing this, you can remove it as well.
Method 6: Disabling Recently Opened Items
Recently opened items can slow down the list launch. Disabling them makes it faster and prevents any freezing. Follow these instructions to disable recently opened items.
Method 7: Reset Default Windows 10 Services
If at this point none of the above methods have worked, try running this script as an administrator by right-clicking on it and selecting Run as administrator. If for some reason your WiFi doesn’t work anymore, follow the steps here (at Method 3 – Step 2: Option 2) to fix the WiFi issue.
Method 8: Create a new User Account
In some situations, the error might be triggered if your user account settings or configurations have not been properly set and also if there is any corruption in this configuration data. Therefore, as an alternative, you can try to create a new user account on your Windows 10 machine and then import the data from the older account later if it fixes the issue. In order to do so: If doing so fixes the issue on your computer, make sure to import the user account data from the previous account onto this new one and continue to use it normally.
Method 9: Diagnosing in Safe Mode
Sometimes, you might have installed some third-party applications on your computer that might be preventing you from being able to properly run the taskbar or its associated services. In addition to that, it is possible that even a Windows’ or Microsoft’s service is preventing the proper functioning of the computer. Therefore, in this step, we will be diagnosing this issue in the safe mode and then we will check to see if it can be fixed. For that:
Method 10: Performing System Restore
Some users found that performing a simple restore to an earlier working date fixed their issue but you will have to carefully select the restore point to which you will be restoring. It is recommended that you manually go through this process instead of using the automatic restore. In order to perform this step, follow the guide below.
Method 11: Toggle System Icons
It is possible in some cases that the system icon setting might be glitched on your computer due to which this issue is being triggered. Therefore, in this step, we will be toggling these icons and then we will check to see if doing so fixes the issue. For that:
Method 12: Run Windows Maintenance Troubleshooter
It is possible that there might be some leftover files on your computer due to which there is a shortage of system paging memory or if there are leftover shortcuts from certain applications, that can also prevent the taskbar from functioning correctly. Therefore, in this step, we will be running the Windows Maintenance Troubleshooter and then check to see if doing so fixes this issue. For that:
Method 13: Use DDU to Perform a Clean Install
In some cases, it is possible that the Graphics Card installed on the system might have a faulty driver installed due to which this issue is being triggered. Therefore, in this step, we will be performing a Clean install of the Graphics Driver by uninstalling the Driver using DDU and then we will check to see if doing so has fixed the issue with the Taskbar. For that:
Method 14: Stopping Windows Service
In some situations, it is possible that a certain Windows service might need to be stopped from the task manager. Therefore, in this step, we will be preventing it from running in the background as it has likely hanged due to which the taskbar is being frozen. In order to stop this service:
Method 15: Stop Microsoft Edge and Remove it from Taskbar
In some situations, the default browser that comes installed with Microsoft Windows might just be the culprit behind this whole issue. If you are using another browser as your go-to default browser, you might see that using the Microsoft Edge browser causes issues with the taskbar. Therefore, in this step, we will be stopping Microsoft Edge from the Task Manager and then we will remove it from the taskbar. For that:
Method 16: Remove Outdated References
It is possible that your Registry might be plagued with outdated references to an old operating system that you might’ve upgraded from. Even if you have removed the Windows.old folder from your computer, some driver and registry files might still be associated with the “Windows.old” folder which practically doesn’t exist on your computer and this misconfiguration might prevent your computer from working properly. Therefore, in this step, we will be removing it from the registry editor. For that:
Method 17: Rollback Updates
In some situations, Windows might’ve acquired some updates that are preventing your computer from functioning properly and due to this, the taskbar feature has been broken. Therefore, in this step, we will be rolling back some recently installed updates and then we will check to see if doing so fixes the frozen taskbar issue. In order to do that:
Method 18: Signing out of Account
It is possible that the Windows Taskbar is getting frozen due to a glitch during the account login. Therefore, we can test this out by simply signing out of our account and then signing back in to ensure that the account is logged in properly and that it is properly registered with the Microsoft Servers. In order to do so:
Method 19: Creating Batch File
Most people found that restarting the Windows Explorer fixed their issue but for some of them, it kept coming back after a while. Therefore, in this step, we figured out a way for the people that can solve it by restarting but all they will have to do is click on a batch file present on their desktops. For that:
Method 20: Perform an Update
The frozen taskbar issue was a very famous topic on most Microsoft forums and apparently a lot of Microsoft officials took note of it. Therefore, it is possible that this issue might’ve been fixed for some people in recent updates released by Microsoft. Therefore, in this step, we will be checking for any available updates from Microsoft and installing them on our devices. For that:
Method 21: Unpinning Items from Start Menu
Some people like to pin important items to the start menu for ease of access and increased productivity. However, as it stands, some Windows users have been facing the frozen taskbar issue due to these pinned items. Therefore, in this step, we will be unpinning some items from the start menu and the taskbar and then we will check to see if doing so fixes the frozen taskbar bug.
Method 22: Disable Items from Bios
It is possible in some cases that the computer’s Bios has been improperly configured due to which the Windows Taskbar is getting frozen time and time again. Therefore, in this step, we will first be booting inside the Bios from which we will disable an option that should get rid of this problem if it was based around the Bios. In order to do so:
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