Microsoft released Windows 11 as a free upgrade for all compatible devices. And for Tech-savvy enthusiasts, the company has provided direct download links on their official website. The latest Windows 11 comes with a number of new features and changes and it looks neat and promising. But still, glitches are present there, where users report Windows 11 unresponsive or Windows 11 screen freezes, but the mouse works. So, here in this article, get to know what is causing the problem and follow the given solutions to fix the Windows 11 Freezes or Crashes Randomly issue.

Why does Windows 11 randomly freeze?

Usually, there are many reasons for Windows 11 screen freezes, but the mouse works. limited system RAM, Incompatible GPU drivers, program conflicts, corrupted system files, and unsustainable resolution are some common. Apply the following solutions to fix the “Windows 11 screen freezes but mouse works” issue.

Change the screen resolution

Your screen resolution may be too high for your GPU to process at times, leading to crashes in Windows 11.

Follow the steps below to change your screen resolution:

  • Press the Windows key + X and select settings,
  • Go to System then Display,
  • Click the Display resolution drop-down menu to select a slightly lower resolution setting.

windows 11 screen resolution

Note: If you are unable to adjust your screen resolution, your system drivers may be out of date. If you’re having trouble changing your screen resolution, try installing your drivers in compatibility mode.

Install the latest device drivers

As stated above, Windows 11 freezes at odd times, usually due to outdated drivers. In this scenario, updating all drivers at once can be beneficial in resolving the issue.

Follow the instructions below to update your device drivers:

  • Right-click on the Start menu to bring up the context menu.
  • Select settings from there, and Go to the Windows Update.
  • Select Advanced Options > Optional Updates > Driver Updates from the menu
  • Select the updates you want to install from Driver Updates then click Download and install.

Your system will now automatically check for updates. If updates are available, your machine will automatically download and install them. You need to restart your PC to apply them.

Download optional updates

Update dedicated GPU drivers

Note that these types of crashes in Windows 11 can also be caused by an outdated GPU driver. If you recently upgraded to Windows 11 from a previous version of Windows and are still using the old GPU disks that we’ve ported over to the new OS, you’ll almost run into this issue.

Fortunately, both Nvidia and AMD have started to distribute updated drivers created exclusively for Windows 11.

You can possibly use Device Manager to force them to install if your machine doesn’t already use them. If this fails, you can install the latest available driver using Nvidia or AMD’s proprietary software.

To make sure you are using dedicated GPU drivers that are fully compatible with Windows 11, follow the steps below:

  • Press Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc and click ok to open the device manager,
  • When prompted by User Account Control, select Yes to grant administrator privileges.
  • When you are in Device Manager, scroll down the list of installed devices and expand the Display Adapters dropdown option.
  • Right-click your dedicated GPU in the Display adapters dropdown menu and select Update driver from the context menu that appears.

Update display driver

  • When you get to the next screen, select Search automatically for updated driver software and wait for the initial scan to finish.
  • If a new version of the driver is found, install it on your Windows 11 machine by following the on-screen instructions.

Note: If the wizard does not find a new driver version, go to Windows Update and check for updated drivers to see if the WU component can find a newer version.

If a new GPU driver was just installed, reboot your Windows 11 machine to see if the freezing issues are fixed.

If this scan does not reveal a newer version of the driver, you should use the proprietary driver update tools produced by Nvidia and AMD to determine if you are running the newer Windows 11 compatible drivers:

Besides, you can also update your device driver automatically using the dedicated driver update tool. This scans your system and updates drivers automatically.

Change the virtual memory settings

When your applications start to slow down before stopping and becoming unresponsive completely, it’s usually because your Windows has run out of RAM.

To increase VRAM in Windows 11, follow the steps below:

  • Open the Settings app from the Start menu and search for Performance settings.
  • Now click on Adjust and Appearance and Performance of Windows from the available menu.
  • Next, in the Performance Option tab, select Advanced.
  • After that, select the Change (under Virtual Memory) option.
  • Uncheck the Automatically manage paging file size for all drivers and select the custom size.
  • Now enter the recommended value of memory in the initial size box and enter the higher value in the maximum size box.
  • Then click on Ok to apply the changes and restart your system and check the issue is resolved or not.

Then restart your computer to see if the random hangs and crashes are gone or not.

Delete temporary files

Whenever you uninstall any application or game, some files are left in the application folder, which will hamper the system file. Therefore, we recommend you delete these temporary files.

  • The simple and easy way to delete these files is Press the Windows key + R, type %temp% and hit the Enter key,
  • This will display all temp files and folders present there, Press Ctrl + A to select all and hit the Del key.

Run the SFC command

When you upgrade to Windows 11, your PC may stop at weird intervals because you may have missed or lost some files. You may also have installed some bad files that are causing your Windows to suddenly freeze but the mouse works. Under such circumstances, running an SFC scan can help repair the corrupted Windows system files and resolve the issue.

Follow the instructions below to run an SFC command scan:

  • Press Windows key + S, type cmd, right-click on the command prompt, select run as administrator,
  • First run DISM command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  • Next, run the system file checker utility command sfc /scannow

Your PC will now automatically start searching for and repairing any missing, skipped or corrupted files on the system. After the scan is complete, restart your computer.

Windows Memory Test

Again, according to some Windows users, performing a Windows memory test helps them fix the Windows 11 freezes randomly issue on their PC.

  • Press Win + R, type mdsched.exe and click OK.
  • Choose the first option – Restart now and check for problems (recommended) in the pop-up window.
  • Windows 11 will reboot and perform the check task. If you cannot find some errors, it is not the RAM issue.

Memory diagnostic tool windows

Perform a disk check (run the Chkdsk command)

Chkdsk is another command that is entirely dedicated to discovering and fixing any hard drive problems.

  • Again open the command prompt as administrator,
  • Run command chkdsk C: /f /r 
  • Press Y when it ask for schedule the scan on next start and restart your PC

Your system will now do a check for disk problems. Repeat this method until you have verified all purposes on your system. A notification will appear on your screen confirming that your drive was successfully scanned and no issues were discovered. If you see errors, those errors are most likely the source of the problem.

Reset Windows 11

If you are facing the ” Windows 11 freezes but the mouse works” issue and none of the above mentioned methods work for you, the issue may be related to the entire installed operating system. Under such circumstances, the only way to fix the problem is to reset Windows 11.

  • Press Windows key + I to open settings then go to System
  • Now select Recovery and then click on Reset PC.
  • In the next window, it will ask you to keep your files or Remove everything.
  • After that, click on the reset PC and then follow the screen instructions.
  • Now login with your credentials and check the issue is resolved or not.

Did the above solutions help fix Windows 11 screen freezes, but the mouse works issue? Let us know on the comments below.

Robeg
Robeg
I am Robeg founder of this blog. My qualification. completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). With a strong background in computer applications love write articles on Microsoft Windows (11, 10, etc.) Cybersecurity, WordPress and more.

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