Laptop Stuck on Loading Screen

Errors occur when something in the system doesn’t work as expected—whether it’s a misconfiguration, a software bug, or a hardware issue. At first, they may seem confusing, but every error has a clear cause.

Here are the main reasons behind the problem along with practical solutions to fix it and prevent your laptop from running into the same issue again.

Reasons Why Laptops Get Stuck on the Loading Screen

Here are the reasons why the Laptop gets stuck on the loading screen.

• Incorrect Configuration

Misconfigured settings, such as wrong parameters, paths, or permissions, can lead to system failures.

• Software Bugs

Coding errors, unhandled exceptions, or outdated libraries often trigger unexpected behavior.

• Hardware Limitations

Insufficient memory, storage, or processing power can cause performance issues and crashes.

• Network Issues

Connectivity problems, unstable bandwidth, or server downtime may interrupt processes.

• User Mistakes

Typographical errors, improper inputs, or lack of adherence to instructions can generate errors.

• Compatibility Problems

Conflicts between operating systems, drivers, or third-party applications may result in malfunctions.

• Security Restrictions

Firewalls, antivirus programs, or access controls sometimes block legitimate operations.

• External Dependencies

Reliance on APIs, plugins, or external services can cause errors if those services fail or change unexpectedly.

What To Do When Laptop is Stuck on the Loading Screen

Follow the step-by-step guide when laptop is stuck on the loading screen.

1. Reconnect The Wi-Fi

When stuck on loading screen, temporarily disconnect your device from Wi-Fi and then try to boot into Windows.

Sometimes disabling the Wi-Fi connection and reconnecting can fix the problem.

In case you are not using any Wi-Fi connection, disconnect the Ethernet cable and see if this fixes the problem. If not, then unplug the USB devices from your laptop.

2. Disconnect The USB Devices

Sometimes the USB devices attached to your PC, like the Bluetooth, Mouse, and Wi-Fi adapters, can conflict with your system and cause your Windows to get stuck on the loading screen.

So, disconnect any USB device attached to your laptop.

After disconnecting them try to boot to your PC. If you still cannot boot into your PC properly, go to the next step.

3. Check Your Laptop Battery

The next thing you can do is remove the laptop battery then wait for a while and then put it back.

You can also replace the old battery with a new one and try to boot it into your Windows.

If this time also, Windows gets stuck on the welcome screen, perform an automatic repair.

4. Perform An Automatic Repair

The Automatic repair can troubleshoot issues when you cannot boot into Windows.

Boot your Computer using bootable media. When you see Windows Logo, click Repair your computer option.

This will lead to the Advanced Startup Recovery menu.

• If you don’t have a bootable device, restart the Computer 3 times, pressing the power button consecutively, and you should boot into the Advanced Startup Recovery menu.
• Enter the Advanced Startup Recovery menu and click on Troubleshoot option.

• Select Advanced Options then Automatic Repair.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the Automatic repair process.
• You can also use Startup repair from Advanced Options instead of Automatic Repair.

• After running the repair process, if the problem still persists, enter into the Safe Mode and perform other solutions.

5. Enter Safe Mode

Safe Mode offers minimal functionalities. Entering the safe Mode with minimal services is a safe way to identify the problem that is causing your Windows to load correctly.

• By entering Safe Mode, you can perform the other solutions provided below to fix the problem when you are stuck on the loading screen.
• Boot into the Advanced Startup Recovery menu, following the previous solution.
• Select Troubleshoot then Advanced options.
• Select Startup Settings and click Restart.
• Press F5 key from your keyboard to enter Safe Mode with the networking option.

• After entering into the Safe Mode, you are ready to perform the other solutions.

6. Perform A System Restore

If your system has a restore point before having this issue, revert to it.

In case you have not created any restore point for your PC, skip this solution and go to the next one.

• Go to the Start menu and enter Control Panel. Select the top option. From the Control Panel window, click Recovery.
• Select the Open System Restore then Next.
• Select a restore point and click Next then Finish.

7. Disable Fast Startup source

The Fast Startup Windows feature helps you to boot faster but sometimes it can interfere with the restart & shutdown processes. So, turn off this startup feature when you cannot boot into Windows normally.

• Press Win + R keys to launch the Run utility.
• Enter powercfg.cpl in the Run command box & press Enter.
• From the next window that opens, click Choose what power buttons do option.
• Next, uncheck the checkbox for Turn on the Fast Startup (Recommended) option.

• Save the changes made and exit. Restart your PC and if this time also you cannot boot into Windows, disable Credential Manager Service.

8. Disable Credential Manager Service

Credential Manager allows you to view and delete all the saved credentials while logging into websites, networks or connected applications.

When you cannot log into Windows normally, disable this Credential manager service as any corruption in the stored data can prevent Windows from booting normally.

• Open Run utility and enter services.msc in the Run command box.
• Click OK or press Enter.
• From the Services window, find Credential Manager Service and double-click on it.
• This will expand its properties. Set the Startup type to Disabled and click Apply then OK.
• Restart your Computer and see if the problem is fix, or else run an SFC scan.

9. Run SFC Scan

Corrupted system files can also be the reason why laptop is stuck on the loading screen.

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator using Windows search.
• Run these commands in the elevated Command Prompt window:

sfc /scannow

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

10. Run Check Disk Utility

Chkdsk utility can fix problems related to memory corruption. If this Windows problem is due to memory corruption, then follow these steps to run the chkdsk command:

• Enter cmd in the Windows Search menu and right-click on Command Prompt option.
• Choose Run as administrator option.
• In the elevated Command Prompt window, enter the following command and press Enter:

chkdsk C: /f /r /x

• Here ‘C’ represents my system drive letter. So, make sure to replace it accordingly.

11. Reset & Reboot The Boot Manager Service

If the Boot sector of your system partition is damaged, then also Windows laptop may get stuck on the loading screen.

• To troubleshoot the problem, reset & repair the Boot Manager Service.
• Open an elevated Command Propmt window and enter these commands one by one and press Enter after each command:

bootrec.exe /FixMbr

bootrec.exe /FixBoot

bootrec.exe /ScanOS

bootrec /RebuildBcd

• After successfully running all the commands, exit Command Prompt and restart your PC.
• If you still cannot boot into Windows normally, run these commands in the elevated Command Prompt window:

bcdedit /export C:BCD_Backup

C:

cd boot

attrib bcd -s -h -r

ren c:bootbcd bcd.old

bootrec /RebuildBcd

If this does not fix the problem, uninstall third-party applications.

12. Uninstall Third Party Applications

Some third-party applications like SmartPass can interfere with your OS and cause Windows to hang in the loading screen.

To fix the problem, uninstall the application:

• Open Windows Control Panel and click on Programs and Features.
• From the list of all the installed apps, locate SmartPass and right-click on it.
• Click Uninstall and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.
• Restart your Computer and check if you can load into Windows normally. If not, reset Windows.

13. Reset Windows  source

If nothing helps you to fix the problem, reset Windows. But before you do so, make sure to back up all your important files.

• Press Windows + I keys to open Settings. Click on System.
• Select the Recovery option.
• Click on Reset PC next to Reset this PC option.
• Select Remove Everything then Only the drive where Windows is installed option.

• Go Additional Settings then Next.
• From the next window, select Just remove My files option and follow the instructions given on-screen to fix the issue.
• After finishing the process, reinstall the applications you need and restore all your backups.

Wrapping Up

Errors are rarely caused by a single factor; they usually stem from a mix of technical and human elements. By systematically analyzing configuration, software, hardware, and external dependencies, we can pinpoint the root cause and implement preventive strategies.

This proactive approach not only resolves the immediate issue but also strengthens long-term reliability. For any further doubts, feel free to comment in the section provided below.