Few things interrupt your day like an app that closes the moment you open it or freezes halfway through a document. One crash can be bad luck. The same app crashing again and again is a clue, and it usually points to something fixable: a corrupted cache, a broken update, a driver conflict, damaged system files, or not enough memory.
The good news is that you rarely need to reinstall Windows to solve this. Work through the fixes below in order, from the quickest checks to the deeper repairs, and test the app after each one. Most people find their answer in the first four or five steps, without losing any files or settings.
First, Work Out Whether It Is One App or Every App
Before changing anything, take two minutes to narrow the problem down. Open two or three other apps you use regularly. If everything is crashing, you are probably looking at a system-wide cause such as faulty RAM, an overheating processor, a failing drive, or corrupt Windows files. If only one app misbehaves, the problem almost certainly lives inside that app — its cache, its settings, or its last update.
Also note when the crash happens. A crash tied to one file often means that file is damaged, not the app. A crash on launch points to startup files or permissions. The pattern tells you which fix below is most likely to work.
Restart Properly and Close What You Do Not Need
It sounds obvious, but a full restart clears temporary memory, stuck background processes, and half-finished updates that a simple app relaunch cannot. Use Start > Power > Restart rather than Shut down, because Windows 11 uses Fast Startup with shutdown, which can reload the same troubled session.
Once you are back in, open only the problem app and test it on its own. If it now runs fine, something else was competing for resources. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc and check CPU and Memory on the Processes tab. A program sitting at very high usage may be starving everything else.
Update the App and Windows Together
Outdated software is the single most common cause of repeat crashes. Developers patch crash bugs constantly, and Windows updates often include the framework components those apps rely on.
Update Windows
Go to Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Install everything offered, including optional driver updates listed under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates if a graphics or chipset driver is waiting there. Restart when prompted, even if Windows does not insist on it.
Update the App
For apps from the Microsoft Store, open Microsoft Store > Library > Get updates. For traditional desktop programs, check the app’s own Help > About or Help > Check for updates menu, or download the latest version from the publisher’s official website. The official Microsoft guide to updating Windows explains each update setting if you get stuck.
Repair or Reset the App in Settings
Windows has a built-in repair tool for Store apps and many modern programs, and it should be your next stop before uninstalling anything. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find the app, click the three dots next to it, and choose Advanced options.
Try Repair first. Repair keeps your data and settings but replaces damaged app files. Test the app afterwards. If it still crashes, return to the same screen and choose Reset. Reset is stronger: it returns the app to a fresh-install state and deletes its local data and sign-in details, so use it only after Repair has failed, and make sure anything important inside the app is backed up or synced first.
Clear the App Cache and Temporary Files
Apps store temporary data to load faster, but when that cache becomes corrupted, the app can crash every time it reads it. Clearing it is safe and often surprisingly effective.
Press Windows key + R, type %temp%, and press Enter. Select the files in that folder and delete them — Windows will skip any file that is currently in use, which is normal. Then go to Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files, tick the categories you are happy to remove, and select Remove files. Browsers and creative apps also have their own cache-clearing options inside their settings menus, which are worth using if one of those is your crashing app.
Run the Program Compatibility and Store Troubleshooters
Windows includes automated troubleshooters that fix common permission and compatibility problems. For a Microsoft Store app, go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter if listed. For an older desktop program, right-click its shortcut, choose Properties > Compatibility, and select Run compatibility troubleshooter. Windows will suggest settings, such as compatibility mode for an earlier Windows version, which can stabilise older software.
Check for Corrupt System Files with SFC and DISM
If several apps are unstable, your Windows system files may be damaged. Two built-in tools can repair them. Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin), then run this command:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Let it finish — it can sit at one percentage for several minutes, which is normal. Then run:
sfc /scannow
System File Checker will scan protected files and replace corrupt copies automatically. Restart afterwards and test your apps again. Microsoft documents both tools in its guide to using System File Checker in Windows, which is worth reading if either scan reports errors it could not fix.
Test in a Clean Boot to Find Conflicts
Sometimes the crashing app is fine and a background service or startup program is interfering with it. A clean boot tests that theory. Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter. On the Services tab, tick Hide all Microsoft services, then choose Disable all. On the Startup tab, open Task Manager and disable every startup item. Restart and test the app.
If the app works in a clean boot, re-enable the items in small groups, restarting between groups, until the crashes return — the last group contains the conflict. Security software, overlay tools, and old printer software are frequent offenders.
Update Graphics Drivers and Check Your Drive and Memory
Games, video editors, browsers, and design tools lean heavily on the graphics driver, and a buggy driver can crash them all. Download the latest driver directly from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel rather than relying on generic drivers, install it, and restart.
For system-wide crashes, also check your hardware health. Go to Settings > System > Storage to confirm you have at least 10–15 GB free — a nearly full system drive causes all sorts of strange behaviour. Type Windows Memory Diagnostic in Start, run it, and let the PC restart and test the RAM. If it reports errors, a failing memory stick is likely behind your crashes.
If you want more step-by-step help with everyday Windows problems like this one, our NetworkUstad Windows and PC troubleshooting guides cover the fixes in plain language.
Reinstall the App the Clean Way
If one app still crashes, uninstall it from Settings > Apps > Installed apps, restart the PC, then reinstall a fresh copy from the Microsoft Store or the publisher’s official site. The restart matters, because it clears locked files. Open the fresh copy before restoring any old settings or plugins.
Common Mistakes and Helpful Tips
- Downloading fixes from random sites: Registry cleaners and driver updater tools advertised on pop-ups often make crashes worse. Stick to Windows tools and official publisher downloads.
- Skipping the restart: Many repairs only take effect after a restart. Test properly before moving on.
- Ignoring Event Viewer: Search Start for Event Viewer, then look in Windows Logs > Application around the time of a crash. The faulting module name shown there is the best clue you can search for or give to support.
- Resetting before repairing: Always try Repair before Reset in Advanced options, so you do not lose app data unnecessarily.
- Assuming it is the app: If crashes started right after a Windows update, check Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates as a last resort, then pause updates for a week.
Conclusion
Apps that keep crashing are frustrating, but the cause is usually ordinary: an overdue update, a corrupt cache, damaged system files, or another program getting in the way. Start simple — restart, update, repair — and only move to SFC scans, clean boots, and reinstalls if you need to. Work in order, test after each step, and you will almost always find the fix without losing your files or paying for a repair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Windows apps keep crashing after an update?
Updates sometimes change shared components or drivers that apps depend on, or install with a corrupted file. Update the affected app next, repair it in Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Advanced options, and run sfc /scannow if several apps are affected.
Will resetting an app delete my data?
Yes, Reset in Advanced options removes the app’s local data and sign-in details. Try Repair first, because Repair keeps your data. Before resetting, sync or back up anything stored only inside that app.
How do I find out exactly why an app crashed?
Open Event Viewer from Start, go to Windows Logs > Application, and find the error logged at the crash time. The faulting application and module names shown there identify whether the app, a driver, or a plugin caused it.
Can low storage really make apps crash?
Yes. Windows and apps need free space for temporary files, updates, and paging. If your system drive is nearly full, free up space through Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files and test again.
Should I reinstall Windows if apps keep crashing?
Only as a last resort. Try updates, repair, SFC and DISM, and a clean boot first. If nothing works, Settings > System > Recovery > Reset PC with the Keep my files option reinstalls Windows while preserving your personal files.
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