What to Do If Windows 10 Gets Stuck on the Welcome Screen

What to Do If Windows 10 Gets Stuck on the Welcome Screen

Getting stuck on the Welcome screen in Windows 10 can be frustrating. You start your computer, expect to jump into your work or daily tasks, and instead, you sit staring at the word “Welcome”—sometimes for minutes, or even indefinitely. This issue can be caused by software glitches, faulty updates, startup program overload, driver problems, or even corrupted user profiles.

Here’s a detailed guide to help you fix this issue using proven methods. You don’t need to be an expert—just follow the steps carefully.

Common Causes of Windows 10 Getting Stuck on the Welcome Screen

Before diving into the solutions, it’s helpful to understand what might be causing the problem:

• Corrupted user profile

• Too many startup apps

• Pending Windows updates

• Third-party software conflicts

• Faulty hardware drivers

• Corrupt system files

Solution 1: Restart Your PC Properly

Sometimes a simple restart can do the trick.

Steps:

1. Press and hold the Power button until the computer turns off.

2. Wait a few seconds, then press the Power button again to reboot.

3. If it still gets stuck, move on to the next solution.

Solution 2: Boot Into Safe Mode

Safe Mode loads Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services. If Windows starts in Safe Mode, the issue likely lies with a driver or startup program.

Steps to Enter Safe Mode:

1. Force your computer to shut down by pressing the power button.

2. Do this three times in a row to trigger Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

3. On the recovery screen, select Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

4. After restart, press F4 to boot into Safe Mode.

If Safe Mode works, proceed with disabling startup apps or uninstalling recent updates.

Solution 3: Disable Fast Startup

Fast Startup can sometimes cause problems with system boot, including getting stuck on the Welcome screen.

Steps:

1. In Safe Mode, press Windows + R, type control panel, and press Enter.

2. Go to Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.

3. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.

4. Uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended).

5. Click Save changes and restart your PC normally.

Solution 4: Disable Startup Programs

Too many programs launching during boot can slow or freeze the Welcome screen.

How to Disable:

1. In Safe Mode, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

2. Go to the Startup tab.

3. Right-click and disable unnecessary startup items, especially third-party apps.

4. Restart your PC.

Solution 5: Run System File Checker and DISM

Corrupted system files can also cause Windows to hang on boot.

Run SFC:

1. In Safe Mode, right-click Start and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).

2. Type the following and press Enter:

Then Run DISM:

After SFC finishes, type:

Wait for the process to complete, then restart your PC.

Solution 6: Remove Recent Windows Updates

A faulty Windows update might be causing the hang.

To Uninstall:

1. In Safe Mode, open Control Panel > Programs and Features.

2. Click View installed updates.

3. Sort by date and uninstall the most recent updates.

4. Reboot and see if the issue resolves.

Solution 7: Create a New User Account

If your user profile is corrupted, the system may fail to load your desktop.

Steps:

1. Boot into Safe Mode.

2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

3. Create a new user account by typing:

4. Restart your computer and try logging in with the new account.

If this works, you can transfer your files from the old profile to the new one.

Solution 8: Perform a System Restore

If the issue started recently, restoring your system to a previous state might help.

How:

1. Boot into Advanced Startup Options (use power-off method three times).

2. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.

3. Choose a restore point before the problem started.

4. Let Windows restore and reboot.

Solution 9: Check Your Hard Drive

A failing hard drive can prevent Windows from loading properly.

How to Check:

1. Boot into Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

2. Type:

3. Type Y to schedule on next restart.

4. Restart your PC and allow the scan to complete (this may take a while).

Solution 10: Reset Windows

If all else fails, you can reset Windows without losing personal files.

Steps:

1. Boot into Windows Recovery Environment.

2. Go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

3. Choose Keep my files.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

This will reinstall Windows while preserving personal data. However, you will need to reinstall your apps.

Final Thoughts

Being stuck on the Welcome screen in Windows 10 is a frustrating experience, but the good news is that it’s usually fixable. Whether it’s a startup conflict, user profile corruption, or system file issue, the methods above should help you get back into your system.

If you’ve tried all the solutions and still can’t access your desktop, it might be time to consider backing up your data and performing a clean installation of Windows.