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Holaway's avatar
Holaway
Iron Contributor
Mar 01, 2025
Solved

Taskbar Frequently Not Responding

Hello!
I'm reaching out to seek some guidance on an issue I'm experiencing with my Windows 11 system.
After booting into Windows 11 normally, the Taskbar frequently become unresponsive (hang/not responding). However, when booting into Safe Mode, everything works fine without any issues.

The system also hangs when attempting to run Win Key + R and typing any command, which ultimately causes the Taskbar to freeze immediately.

Troubleshooting Steps Taken:


Booted into Safe Mode, and the issue did not occur.
Performed a Clean Boot to disable third-party startup applications.
Ran SFC and DISM scans to repair system files.
Attempted display driver uninstallation.

Looking for further troubleshooting guidance to pinpoint the exact driver or software causing the issue and find a permanent fix.

Thank you in advance for any help and suggestions!

Application Management
  • Asainna's avatar
    Asainna
    Mar 02, 2025

    The following step-by-step troubleshooting program is based on actual repair experience (having solved the exact same case):

    Force restart of Explorer
    - Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
    - Right-click on “Windows Explorer” → “Restart”.
    - Observe taskbar responsiveness (this action temporarily restores functionality)

    Locate conflicting Shell extensions
    - Download the official Microsoft tool ShellExView
    - Run in normal mode, sorted by “Company” column
    - Disable all third-party extensions not developed by Microsoft (especially cloud storage/antivirus extensions)
    - Typical cases: shell extensions for Google Drive, Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox have caused the same failures.

1 Reply

  • Asainna's avatar
    Asainna
    Bronze Contributor
    Mar 02, 2025

    The following step-by-step troubleshooting program is based on actual repair experience (having solved the exact same case):

    Force restart of Explorer
    - Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
    - Right-click on “Windows Explorer” → “Restart”.
    - Observe taskbar responsiveness (this action temporarily restores functionality)

    Locate conflicting Shell extensions
    - Download the official Microsoft tool ShellExView
    - Run in normal mode, sorted by “Company” column
    - Disable all third-party extensions not developed by Microsoft (especially cloud storage/antivirus extensions)
    - Typical cases: shell extensions for Google Drive, Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox have caused the same failures.

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