Windows computer stuck or frozen on Screensaver

Some users are reporting that their computer is stuck or frozen on the screensaver. In this guide, we have a few solutions to resolve the issue. Screensavers were created to save our CRT, Plasma, and OLED monitors from phosphor burn-in while the computer is idle. The name itself suggests saving the screen. Now, the entire motto behind setting a screensaver has changed due to the change in technologies of monitors. Screensavers are now adopted to password protect our PC after some idle time. There are a few instances where users are reporting that their computer is freezing or stuck on the screensaver. Let’s see how we can fix the issue.

Why does my computer freeze on screensaver?

The computer might have frozen or stuck due to many reasons which include background processes using more CPU resources, corrupted file systems, redundant graphic drivers, etc. We need to resolve the issue by adopting methods that eliminate all the possibilities that cause the issue.

Since your computer is currently, stuck, you need to get out of it. Press Win+Ctrl+Shift+B and see if that helps you. If not you need to restart your system.

Windows computer stuck or frozen on Screensaver

The following are the methods that can fix the causes that result in the computer being stuck or frozen on the screensaver and let the screensaver play normally:

1. Check the processes running in the background
2. Update the graphic drivers
3. Disable antivirus and see
4. Run SFC Scan
5. Perform System Restore

Let’s get into the details of each method.

1] Check the processes running in the background

The processes that are running in the background might be using the resources of the computer’s CPU. You need to make sure that those processes do not run and result in screensaver freezing your system. Adjust the programs and background processes in a way that results in better performance of your PC.

2] Update the graphic drivers

The graphic drivers on your PC might be redundant, out of date, or corrupted which is not supporting the display capabilities of your PC. Check for the updates of graphic drivers and install them. They might fix the issue and help the screensaver run normally.

3] Temporarily disable antivirus

Some antiviruses like McAfee have the features to scan the screen. The scans might be the reason for the frozen computer. Disable the antivirus and see if it helps to fix the issue.

NOTE: If you are using third-party screensavers on your PC, check if you haven’t installed any bundleware with it. Uninstall them and scan your PC with antivirus.

4] Run SFC Scan

If the screensaver is making your computer stuck or froze due to corrupted or missing files, it can be fixed with System File Checker (SFC) scan. The in-built tool when run scans for the problems in System files and fix them automatically. Run an SFC scan and check if the problem is resolved.

5] Perform System Restore

If none of the above methods work, you have to restore your PC to the point where everything was fine with your PC and screensaver. If there is no System Restore points created, you have to reset the PC to factory settings. You should only follow this when you don’t have any other option to fix the issue.

How do I get the screensaver off my computer?

You can easily get the screensaver off your computer by disabling it in Personalization settings. Search for Screensaver in the Start menu and open the Change screen saver you see in the results. Then, click on the drop-down button on the Screen Saver Settings window and set it to None. Then, click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.

This is how you can turn off the screensaver on your PC.

If your PC has any third-party screensavers, uninstall them as they overwrite the system settings to run the screensaver.

Related Read: How to prevent Users from changing the Screensaver.