What to Do if Windows 8 Menu App is Completely Unresponsive

Hi Windows fanatics! I’m sure this scenario is not new to you, there are actually many reasons why Windows 8 Menu app becomes unresponsive or the computer just gets stuck. Most common reasons are:

• There are a lot of programs running in the background, thus your CPU usage rises as far as 98% to 100%, causing the computer to halt.

• Playing heavy games in the computer causing it to run slow and eventually freezes the computer.

• A driver related issue. Make sure there’s no “Other Devices” listed and no device has any exclamation mark or Red X under Device Manager.  Using the hardware with driver issues can cause computers to freeze.

• An operating System related issue. Outdated OS can make it unresponsive; make sure all latest updates of the OS are installed.

• Heat related issue. Make sure the fan is working fine on the computer, if the computer is too hot, it will affect its performance and eventually locks up.

The above instances are applicable if the computer has completely hanged or all of the Windows Menu apps are affected.

To fix the issue, just go to the Task Manager and check if there are any programs that are not responding, in which case you have to end their task to close them. Then try to check if you can now use the Menu Apps.

However, if the problem persists, try to reboot the computer to refresh it and then try to open the Menu Apps later.

If the computer cannot be rebooted with the usual reboot option, just forced shutdown the computer, then try it again later. To force it to shutdown, all you have to do is to press and hold the computer’s power button until it turns off. Then wait for a half minute before you turn it back on.

Doing the force shutdown will end the computer’s previous tasks, thus, clearing its RAM. It’s also important to configure the computer’s start up items to allow only those significant programs to run in the background during reboot like the Antivirus software used by the computer and the synaptic application if it’s a laptop for the touchpad functionality.

After a successful reboot, you should be able to access and use the computer normally again. But if the problem happens only to one particular app, then you might need to consider the following:

Make sure Windows Firewall is not blocking the app.

By default, Windows Firewall blocks some of the apps of the computer to provide more security. You need to configure the firewall first to allow the app to work.

Make sure your Apps are up to date.

Keeping your apps up to date will ensure that they will work smoothly. Just make sure that Automatic App Updates is turned on in the Windows Store.

Sync your app licenses.

The app might stop working if its license is out of sync with the license installed on the computer.

a.) To sync your app licenses, follow these steps:

b.) On the Start screen, tap or click Store to open the Windows Store.

c.) Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Settings.)

d.) Tap or click App updates.

c.) Tap or click Sync licenses.

Reinstall the App.

If your apps are already up to date and the licenses are synced, you can reinstall the app to try to resolve the problem.

To reinstall an app, follow these steps:

a.) On the Start screen, swipe down or right-click the app you want to uninstall, tap or click Uninstall, and then tap or click Uninstall.

b.) Tap or click Store to open the Windows Store.

c.) Swipe down from the top edge of the screen, and then tap Your Apps. (If you're using a mouse, right-click, and then click Your Apps)

d.) Tap or click the app you want to install, and then tap or click Install.

Consult your System Administrator.

If your computer is part of a network like in the office, at school, or business, your system administrator might have turned off the use of certain apps using Group Policy, in which case, contact your system administrator for further assistance.

Make sure your PC is up to date.

Make sure the latest updates are installed on your computer and that your antivirus program isn't preventing the app from running.

Contact the App publisher.

If you’re still experiencing problems with an app, use the support info listed on the app’s description page to contact the app publisher for help.

To view the publisher’s app support info, follow these steps:

On the Start screen, tap or click Store to open the Windows Store.

Search or browse for the app, and then tap or click it.

Scroll to the Details section of the app's description page, and then tap or click the support link for the app under Learn more. The link will open an email message for you to contact support or will take you to a support website.

I hope that this article was able to serve its purpose of making you aware of the possible reasons why a Windows 8 Menu App is unresponsive and what to do to resolve this.

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Written By: Rique Hebia - SUPPORTrix Tech Engineer and blog contributor