Windows 11 is currently in the development and testing phase. While the final version for consumers is expected to be released around mid-2022, millions of devices across the world have been using the Insider Preview.
The Windows Insider Preview program enables developers, technological enthusiasts, home users, magazine editors, and other users to install and run Windows 11 before its official public release. Users can experience all-new Windows 11 features, technological advancements, and UI changes, as soon as they are deployed. They can share their feedback with the techno-giant and help improve the quality and reliability of the product.
While the Insider Preview offers many great features, it has some drawbacks too. Internet forums have been flooded with many people wondering why their Windows 11 Insider Preview crashes too often. Such unexpected crashes could occur due to a variety of reasons which we will cover in this article.
Downgrade your Insider Preview Channel
Ever since the release of Windows 11, three Insider Preview channels have been made available for users. Each of these channels has its pros and cons.
- Dev Channel: With this channel, you can test all the latest Windows 11 features as soon as they are released to the community. This channel is more prone to instability, crashes, errors and performance issues.
- Beta Channel: If you’ve joined the Beta channel, you may continue to enjoy Windows 11 before its public release. However, you may receive the new features a bit later than the Dev Channel community. This channel is less prone to instability, crashes, errors and performance issues.
If you’ve opted in for the Dev Channel, consider downgrading to the Beta Channel. Windows 11 might crash too often if you’ve subscribed to the Dev Channel which offers new features and updates without extensive testing and compatibility checks. Some buggy features and updates can cause your computer to become unstable and run terribly slower. Beta channel is recommended for better stability.
To downgrade your channel, follow the given procedure:
- Click on Start, and then Settings.
- Click on Windows Update.
- Click on Windows Insider Program.
- Select Choose your Insider settings.
- Select the Beta channel and then restart your computer.
Try Running Programs in Compatibility Mode
Since Windows 11 is not launched for the end-user, some programs may not support it. You will experience compatibility issues that could degrade the experience. You might want to visit the website of the application that crashes too often and check out the minimum system requirements. You may also try running the application into Compatibility Mode.
- Right-click the faulty application.
- Select Properties.
- Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Select an earlier Windows version that supported the application.
- Click on OK and re-launch your program.
Free-Up Your Storage
A large chunk of people experiences Windows 11 Insider Preview crashes because of low storage. Windows 11 requires a total of 64 GBs of free storage. If your computer is running low on memory, free up your storage.
Method 1: Delete Duplicate Files
- Download and install Clone Files Checker.
- Use the Add button on the left and select a target partition/ folder that contains duplicates.
- Click on Start Search.
- Once the results are displayed, use the Select Duplicates button > Oldest files in each group.
- Click on Select Action > Delete permanently.
Method 2: Use Disk Cleanup
- Open This PC.
- Right-click your system drive, select Properties.
- Click on Disk CleanUp.
- Check the boxes in front of the files you want to clean-up.
- Click on OK.
Optimize your Drives
As you download new files or move and copy files from one location to another, data gets scattered all over the hard disk. Such multiple inline blocks of storage cause Windows to take more time to retrieve data from your files than usual. The process of defragmentation lines up these memory slots to make the file read/ write process much faster. Even though Windows automatically defrags your hard disk periodically, it’s a good idea to defrag it yourself after a while.
- Click on the Start button at the center of the taskbar and select Settings.
- Click on the System tab.
- Click on Storage at the right-hand side of your screen.
- Scroll down a bit and look for Advanced Storage Settings.
- Click on Drive Optimization to launch the in-house defrag program in Windows.
- Once the Optimize Drives window pops up, you’ll see the status of defragmentation (such as last defrag time) and current status (level of fragmentation), etc.
- Click on Optimize to start defragmenting your HDD.