Frozen
In computing, "frozen" refers to a state where a device or application becomes unresponsive to user input. When this happens, the screen may stop updating, the mouse cursor may not move, and keystrokes may have no effect.
Freezes typically occur due to software issues, such as:
- Program errors - bugs in software causing the operating system to hang
- Memory leaks - programs consuming excessive system resources
- Infinite loops or heavy calculations - processes that never complete
Hardware issues, such as failing memory, overheating components, or disk errors, can also cause a computer to freeze.
Modern operating systems like Windows 11 and macOS isolate applications from the kernel, reducing the chances of a system-wide freeze when a single program crashes. You can often force-quit an unresponsive app rather than restarting the whole system.
If your computer does freeze completely, a restart is usually required. On most computers (and other electronic devices), you can force a shutdown by holding the power button for several seconds.
NOTE: A freeze can be described as either a soft freeze or a hard freeze. In a soft freeze, the system is partially responsive, and you may still be able to move the cursor or force-quit the problem application. In a hard freeze, the entire computer becomes unresponsive, requiring a full restart to recover.
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