Fix: ‘Opera not Responding’ in Windows 10, 8.1 or 7

If you are having problems with your web browsing program in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 then you should follow the guidelines from below in order to troubleshoot your issues. In particular, the following steps will address the Opera problems reported by Windows 8 users, so don’t hesitate and take a look over the same.

Opera is a great web browser as the program runs fast and usually without bugs or lags. But in rare cases, users reported Opera not responding problems on Windows 8 or even on Windows 8.1 systems.

Anyway, if you are dealing with such problems, don’t worry as you can anytime apply a few troubleshooting solutions in order to resolve the bugs or the issues. In that matter, I have detailed this step by step guide, which will easily show you how to fix Opera not responding errors on Windows 8 based devices.

• READ ALSO: How to Fix Bad Sectors in Windows 8

Opera not responding in Windows 8: How to fix

Opera not responding error message can cause many problems on your PC, and in this article we’re going to cover the following topics:

• Opera not working on Windows 10 – According to users, their Opera browser isn’t working properly on Windows 10. This can be a big problem, but hopefully this article will help you fix it.
• Opera not loading pages – According to users, sometimes you might not be able to load pages in Opera due to this error. Users reported this error message while trying to visit certain websites, but you should be able to fix it using our solutions.
• Opera keeps crashing, freezing – Issues such as crashing and freezing can appear in Opera, and if you have these problems, we advise you to try some of our solutions.

Solution 1 – Install the latest version of Opera

First of all, when noticing that Opera isn’t responding, try to check if all the Opera updates are being installed. In order to do so, you can check Opera.com from where you can anytime download the latest features and system releases for your web browsing app. Don’t worry, the updates will be installed automatically and after an system restart you will be able to test if the errors has been resolved or not.

You can also check for updates right from Opera browser by doing the following:

1. Open Opera and click the Menu button in the top left corner. Choose About Opera from the menu.
   
2. About tab will now appear and Opera will check for available updates. If updates are available, Opera will download and install them automatically.
   

Also, you should update the plugins used by Opera – this process will also be performed automatically as you will be prompted when a new update is being available for your system. So, just agree with the prompt and flash all the official updates.

Many users reported that the issue was resolved after upgrading to the latest version of Opera, so be sure to do that.

Solution 2 – Disable your antivirus software and restart Windows Explorer

Sometimes Opera not responding message can appear due to your antivirus software. If you have this problem, it’s advised to disable your third-party antivirus software as well as Windows Defender. After doing that, restart Opera and check if the issue reappears.

If you still have the problem, don’t enable your antivirus yet. Few users reported that restarting Windows Explorer can fix this problem, so you might want to try that as well. To restart Windows Explorer, you need to do the following:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. List of available processes will now appear. Locate Windows Explorer, right click it and choose Restart from the menu.
   

After doing that, you can enable your antivirus and you won’t have any problems with Opera.

Another cause for this issue might be your antivirus software, and if you’re having problems with your current antivirus, you might have to uninstall it and switch to a different antivirus software. Currently the best antivirus tools on the market are Bullguard (free) and Bitdefender, so we highly recommend to try them out.

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 Solution 3 – Disable the problematic plugins

Since we mentioned the Opera plugins, the Opera not responding issues might occur due to same small though essential programs. Some plugins like Flash, Java, or multimedia plugins might be the cause of your problem. To fix the problem, you need to disable the plugins by doing the following:

1. Open Opera and in the top right corner click on Menu. Now choose Extensions > Extensions from the menu.
   
2. List of all available extensions will now appear. Disable all extensions.

After doing that, check if the problem still appears. If not, you need to enable extensions one by one until you find the extension that is causing this problem. Once you find the problematic extension you can remove it, update it or keep it disabled.

Solution 4 – Reinstall Opera

If you’re still getting Opera not responding message, you might be able to fix the problem simply by reinstalling Opera. To do that, you need to uninstall it by following these steps:

1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
2. When the Settings app opens, go to Apps section.
   
3. List of installed applications will now appear. Select Opera and click on Uninstall button.
   
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to uninstall Opera.

You can also uninstall Opera by following these steps:

1. Press Windows Key + S and enter control. Select Control Panel from the list.
   
2. When Control Panel opens, select Programs and Features from the list.
   
3. List of all applications will now appear. Locate Opera on the list and double click it to remove it.
   
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to uninstall Opera.

After you uninstall Opera, be sure to download and install the latest version and check if that solves the issue.

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Solution 5 – Use –no-sandbox parameter

According to users, if you’re getting Opera not responding message frequently, you might be able to solve the problem simply by adding –no-sandbox parameter. By using this parameter you’ll disable certain security features of Opera, so don’t use this parameter as a long-term solution. To use this parameter, do the following:

1. Locate the Opera shortcut, right click it and choose Properties from the menu.
   
2. Now you need to locate Target field and add –no-sandbox after the quotes. Click on Apply and OK to save changes.
   

After making these changes, simply double click on Opera’s shortcut and the problem should be gone. Keep in mind that using –no-sandbox parameter can be a security risk, so be sure not to use it as a permanent solution.

Solution 6 – Disable Adblock features

Unlike other web browsers, Opera has a built-in feature that allows you to block ads. This is a useful feature, but according to users, sometimes it can cause Opera not responding error to appear. To fix this issue, it’s advised to disable the Adblock feature. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Click the Menu icon in the top left corner and choose Settings from the menu. You can also open the Settings tab quickly by pressing Alt + P shortcut.
   
2. Now click on Basic in the menu on the left and in Block ads section uncheck Block ads option.
   

After doing that, the built-in Adblock feature should be disabled and the problem with Opera not responding message should be completely resolved.

Well, that’s how you can try to troubleshoot your Opera not responding problems in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. If you know other solutions than the ones explained above, don’t hesitate and share your thoughts with us by using the comments area from below – of course we will update this tutorial accordingly.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in May 2014 and has been since completely revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

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