Read a Not responding message
What to do when a program stops answering, and what to leave alone.
Not responding means a program has stopped answering while it works on something. It is usually thinking rather than broken.
Waiting a minute mends it more often than anything else you could press.
Key points
- Not responding means a program is busy, not broken
- A minute of waiting mends it more often than forcing it shut
What to remember
- Waiting costs nothing. Forcing a program shut costs whatever was unsaved.
- Not responding usually means busy. Waiting is a real repair.
Try this
Next time a window goes pale, look at the clock and give it a full minute.
Practice: Read a Not responding message. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.