How to fix a frozen Lenovo laptop

Whether you’re working on a project, enjoying a video, or simply browsing the web, a sudden freeze can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve this issue.

At Asurion, we have the know-how to answer any tech question. Whether you want to know how much memory your laptop needs or you’re trying to fix a laptop that’s stuck restarting, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about fixing a frozen Lenovo® laptop screen..

Try a hard restart

A hard restart, or a forced restart, is often the quickest way to resolve a frozen Lenovo laptop. This step is useful when the laptop is completely unresponsive.

1. Press and hold the Power button until the laptop shuts down.
2. Wait a few seconds, then press the Power button again to turn the laptop back on.

Check for hardware issues

Sometimes, hardware problems can lead to a frozen laptop. Inspect your laptop for any visible damage. Physical external damage could indicate possible internal damage.

If you can’t find any external hardware damage, try running the Lenovo diagnostic tool to see if it can detect any internal hardware failures.

1. Turn off the laptop completely.
2. Turn the laptop back on and immediately press the F2 or F12 keys repeatedly until the boot menu appears.
3. Choose Diagnostics, and run a full hardware scan to identify any potential issues.
4. Follow any on-screen prompts to address the detected problems.

Restart your laptop in safe mode

Restarting in safe mode can help you determine whether the issue is related to your operating system or a recently downloaded program.

1. Turn off your laptop completely.
2. Turn it back on while pressing the F8 key repeatedly to enter the basic input/output system (BIOS).
3. Use the directional keys to highlight Safe mode, then press Enter.

Delete any recently downloaded files one at a time, restarting your computer after each removal to exit safe mode and check whether the laptop is still frozen. Booting your laptop into safe mode can be useful for troubleshooting issues going forward.

Update drivers and system software

Outdated drivers and system software can lead to performance issues, but a system software update might resolve them. If updates aren't available or problems persist, manually reinstalling the drivers could help.

Perform a system restore

If none of the other solutions work, resetting to factory settings may fix persistent performance issues by restoring your laptop to its original state and eliminating any software conflicts or corrupted files. Before performing the reset, make sure to back up all your important data.

How to factory reset your Lenovo laptop

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Click Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC.
3. Select Remove everything to delete all your files, apps, and settings, or select Keep my files to reset just the apps and settings. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to complete that reset.