Stuck on the maker logo forever
My computer stays on the brand logo screen and never loads Windows.
Written by The CommonFixes team · fact checked by CommonFixes review desk
Last updated
Short answer
The computer found the drive but Windows cannot finish loading, usually because of a half installed update or a damaged startup file. The quickest thing to try first: remove every usb device — Unplug flash drives, external hard drives, phones and card readers, then restart. The computer may be trying to start from the wrong device. Most people are done in about 20 minutes.
Full walkthrough below: 5 steps for Windows, rated medium.
Sounds like this
- •Logo stays for many minutes
- •Spinning dots that never finish
- •Restarts back to the logo
Why it happens
The computer found the drive but Windows cannot finish loading, usually because of a half installed update or a damaged startup file.
Work through these in order
0% done- 1
Remove every USB device
Unplug flash drives, external hard drives, phones and card readers, then restart. The computer may be trying to start from the wrong device.
- 2
Wait once, properly
If an update was installing, give it a full hour before deciding it is stuck. Interrupting an update at this point creates a much bigger problem.
- 3
Open the recovery menu
Hold the power button to switch off while the logo shows, and repeat three times. Windows then opens Automatic Repair. Choose Advanced options.
- 4
Run Startup Repair
In Advanced options choose Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Startup Repair. It rebuilds the boot files without touching your documents.
- 5
Go back to an earlier point
Still in Advanced options, pick System Restore and choose a date from before the trouble started. Your files stay, recent system changes are undone.
If none of that worked
If Startup Repair fails twice, boot from a Windows installation USB and choose Repair your computer. Copy your files off first if the drive is still readable.
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Who wrote this and how we checked it
The CommonFixes team
Writer and researcher
We are a small group of people who spend our days repairing laptops and desktops for family, friends and small offices. Every guide here starts with a problem someone actually brought to us, and we only write down the steps that put the machine right.
- Everyday repairs
- Windows and Mac
- Plain language
CommonFixes review desk
Technical editor
Before a guide goes live, a second person walks through it on a real machine and checks each instruction against the maker's own support pages. Anything we cannot confirm is removed rather than guessed at.
- Fact checking
- Safety warnings
- Source links
This guide was last updated on 10 August 2026. If a step no longer matches what you see on screen, tell us on the contact page and we will test it again.
A gentle reminder: back up anything you cannot afford to lose before major repairs. If a step ever feels risky, stop and ask a technician. There is no shame in that.