My Computer Is Frozen and Control Alt Delete Not Working

Your computer freezing up is a frustrating experience. You try to use the tried and true method of control+alt+delete to fix the problem, but it doesn’t work! What do you do now?

If your computer is frozen and you are unable to use the control+alt+delete keyboard shortcut, don’t worry! There are a few things that you can do to fix the problem.

In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common solutions to solve the control+alt+delete keyboard shortcut issue.

Why Control Alt Delete Is Not Working

Before we begin discussing the solutions, let’s take a look at why your computer is not responding to the control+alt+delete keyboard shortcut.

There could be several reasons why this combination of keys isn’t working:

• Outdated keyboard driver: Your keyboard driver may be outdated and not compatible with the operating system.
• Overheating: Your computer could be overheating, which can cause it to freeze up.
• Software issue: A software issue could also be preventing your computer from responding to the control+alt+delete command.
• Corrupt system files: Corrupt system files can also prevent your computer from responding.
• Malware infection: A malware infection can cause your computer to freeze and become unresponsive.
• Third-party conflicts: Some third-party applications can interfere with the control+alt+delete command causing it to fail.

Restarting your computer can often fix minor software issues and allow the control+alt+delete command to work

What to Do When Control Alt Delete Is Not Working

Now that you know why the control+alt+delete command may not be working, let’s look at how to fix it.

The following solutions should help get your computer up and running again:

Restart Your Computer

Restarting the system is the simplest and quickest solution for many issues, including the control+alt+delete not working. It can often fix minor software issues and allow the control+alt+delete command to work.

Use Ctrl+Shift+ESC Key Combination

Apart from the Ctrl+Alt+Delete key combination, there is an alternative way to access the Windows Task Manager. You can use the Ctrl+Shift+ESC key combination instead.

This should open the task manager and allow you to end unresponsive programs, restart your computer, or check for viruses and other malware infections.

Update Your Keyboard Driver

If restarting your computer fails to fix the issue, you may need to update your keyboard driver. Updating your driver can often fix compatibility issues or corrupt drivers. Use the Device Manager to update your keyboard driver.

Here is how to do that:

1. Press the Windows key+X and select Device Manager from the list.
2. Expand the Keyboards section under Device Manager.
3. Under the Keyboards section, right-click on your keyboard device and select Update driver.
4. Next, click Search automatically for drivers.
5. Follow the instructions to finish updating your driver.

Perform a Clean Boot

If the above solutions do not work, you may need to perform a clean boot. This will disable all third-party applications that could be interfering with the control+alt+delete command.

To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: Press Windows Key + R   to launch the run dialog box. Type msconfig and hit ENTER

Step 2: Click the ‘General’  tab on the window and uncheck the ‘Load Startup Items‘  box.

Step 3: Click the ‘Services‘ tab on the upper window screen. Check the ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ checkbox at the bottom of the screen and thereafter, click the ‘Disable all‘ option as shown.

Step 4: Launch the Task Manager by clicking the Windows  Key + X.

Step 5: Click on the ‘Startup‘ tab at the top of the screen. Next, right-click on each startup program and select ‘Disable‘ . Finally, restart your Windows 10 PC.

Step-6: Finally, restart your PC.

Run System File Check (SFC) Command

If the issue persists after performing a clean boot, you may need to run the System File Check (SFC). This command will scan your computer for corrupt system files and replace them with fresh working copies.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. On your system, search and launch the Command Prompt with administrator rights.
2. Type this command and hit the Enter key: sfc/scannow.
3. The scanning would start, and it would take some time to complete depending on your system configuration.
4. After the scan, if it found any problem, the solution would be automatically applied.
5. Close the Command Prompt window and restart your system.

Run DISM Command

You can also try running the DISM command to fix corrupt system files. This command will scan your computer for any missing or corrupt system files and install them automatically.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt with admin rights.
2. Type the following command and press the enter key: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3. The scan would take some time to finish.
4. After the scan is completed, restart the device.

Check for Windows Update

If all else fails, you may need to update your Windows operating system. Updating your OS can fix many software issues and allow the control+alt+delete command to work.

Here is how to check for Windows updates:

1. Open Windows 11 Settings.
2. On the left pane, switch to the Windows Update tab and click on Check for updates on the right.
3. After the latest updates are finished downloading, click on Install now.
4. Restart your device.

Run Antimalware Scan

If the Control Alt Delete command is not working, a good next step would be to run an antimalware scan. Antimalware scans can detect malicious software or viruses that may have caused your computer to freeze up. After running an antimalware scan, restart your computer and try the control+alt+delete command again.

Summing Up

The Control Alt Delete key combination is an important command on Windows computers. If you find that the command is not working, restarting your computer can often do the trick. If that does not work, then you may need to use other solutions, such as updating your keyboard driver or running antimalware scans. It is also important to regularly update your Windows OS to make sure all your software is running smoothly.

If none of these solutions work, we recommend contacting an IT professional for further assistance. Good luck!

Peter Brown

Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.