Is your Chromebook frozen? Here’s how you can try to fix it

The core promise of Chromebooks is that they’re easier than a Mac or a Home windows PC, and for essentially the most half, that’s true. However they’re nonetheless liable to fundamental pc issues generally, and that features freezes. In case your Chromebook is frozen for no matter motive, right here’s how one can attempt to repair it.

Simply to be clear, we’re going to outline “frozen” as which means there’s content material onscreen, however your Chromebook isn’t doing something additional, and it gained’t reply to mouse, keyboard, or trackpad enter. There could or might not be an error message, however we’re particularly skipping the “ChromeOS is lacking or broken” message, which tells you what to do to unravel it.

For all different freezes, observe these troubleshooting steps:

• Strive rebooting your Chromebook. In some circumstances, this can be all it is advisable to get again on monitor. No matter glitch triggered the freeze may solely be non permanent, and laborious if not inconceivable to repeat. Reboots can generally resolve cache- or process-related issues.
• Shut pointless apps, tabs, and home windows. Assuming you’re in a position to boot to a usable desktop, attempt instantly closing something you may afford to. This accomplishes two issues, the primary being that it reduces the demand in your Chromebook’s RAM and processor. Low accessible reminiscence can generally result in freezes (see under). It additionally helps gauge potential causes — if you happen to solely encounter one other freeze after opening one thing particular, or a sure amount of issues, you may keep away from that sooner or later.
• Should you’re seeing the “He’s Useless, Jim!” error message, that particularly signifies low reminiscence. You’ll need to reboot your Chromebook and shut all non-essential apps, tabs, and home windows. Be considered about opening new ones.
• Should you’re listening to unusually loud fan exercise, that would imply your Chromebook is locking up as a result of it’s too scorching. Energy it down, unplug it, and use a compressed air can (or a minimum of an air bulb) to wash mud and particles out of its vents. Should you’re utilizing a can, goal at an angle to keep away from spraying stray liquid inside. While you begin again up, keep away from utilizing your Chromebook in scorching ambient situations, resembling direct daylight throughout summer season warmth.
• Uninstall something you added simply earlier than the freeze. If nothing has helped to date, it’s potential {that a} bug in a selected app or extension you put in is accountable, assuming the freeze occurred shortly thereafter. Try our uninstall information for extra assist with this process, together with eradicating Android apps.
• Reset your Chromebook. This must be your next-to-last resort, for the reason that course of will naturally take some time, and isn’t even a assured repair — all you’re doing is returning your Chromebook to an uncomplicated “virgin” state. You’ll need to set your pc up once more as if it have been new, and also you’ll lose any downloaded recordsdata. While you’re prepared, again up any recordsdata you need to preserve (if potential) and observe our reset information.
• Recuperate your Chromebook. This step is much more excessive than a reset, because it fully wipes a Chromebook’s laborious drive and reinstalls ChromeOS. The method can also be extra time-consuming than a reset, and a few older Chromebooks can solely be recovered utilizing a USB drive or SD card ready on one other pc. Fortunately, more moderen fashions can join on to the web throughout restoration. Maintain down the Esc and Refresh keys (or in some circumstances Esc and Maximize), then whereas nonetheless holding them, press Energy. A message ought to seem onscreen, at which level you may let go of all keys and choose Recuperate utilizing web connection. Observe directions to finish the restoration cycle.