6 Ways to Fix Windows PC Stuck on Please Wait for GPSVC Screen

Quick Tips

• The Group Policy Client Service (GPSVC) is a crucial system service that applies different group policy settings on your computer.
• In most cases, restarting the gpsvc service or replacing the gpsvc.dll file should fix this problem.
• Consider performing a system restore if nothing else works.

Fix 1: Restart Your PC

Sometimes, temporary glitches with your system can cause Windows to become stuck on the “Please wait for the gpsvc” screen. In most cases, you can resolve such issues by restarting your PC. Press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keyboard shortcut, click the power icon at the bottom-right corner, and select Restart.

Alternatively, press and hold the physical power button on your PC until it shuts down. Then, turn your PC back on and see if it boots normally.

Fix 2: Restart the GPSVC Service

Another way to get past the “Please wait for the gpsvc” screen is to restart the gpsvc service using Task Manager.

Step 1: Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager from the list.

Step 2: Switch to the Services tab and locate the gpsvc service on the list. Right-click on it and select Restart.

Try signing out and back into your account and see if you get any errors.

Fix 3: Replace the GPSVC DLL File

Issues with the gpsvc.dll file on your PC can also cause such anomalies. To fix this, manually replace the problematic DLL file.

If you have access to another computer running the same version of Windows as yours, copy the gpsvc.dll file from it. Go to the C:\Windows\System32 on that PC and copy the gpsvc.dll file.

After you get the gpsvc.dll file, paste it into the C:\Windows\System32 folder on your PC.

Fix 4: Run SFC and DISM Scans

If the error persists after replacing the gpsvc.dll file, some other system files on your PC may be corrupt. To repair them, run the SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scans on your PC.

Step 1: Press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keyboard shortcut and select Task Manager.

Step 2: Click the Run new task button.

Step 3: Type cmd in the box and check the box for Create this task with administrator privileges. Then, click OK.

Step 4: In the console, type the following command and press Enter.

SFC /scannow

Step 5: Run the following commands one by one and press Enter after each to run the DISM scan.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Fix 5: Edit Registry Files

If some of the registry files associated with GPSVC are not configured correctly, your Windows PC could get stuck on the “Please wait for the gpsvc” screen. If that’s the case, you could also come across the “Group Policy Client Service failed the logon” or “the gpsvc service failed the sign-in” error. Here’s what you can do to fix it.

Step 1: Press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keyboard shortcut and select Task Manager.

Step 2: Click on Run new task. Type regedit in the box and check the box for Create this task with administrator privileges. Then, click OK.

Step 3: Paste the following path in the address bar at the top and press Enter.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Svchost

Step 4: Right-click on the Svchost key, go to New, and select Key. Name it GPSvcGroup.

Step 5: Right-click on the GPSvcGroup key, go to New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it AuthenticationCapabilities. Similarly, create another DWORD and name it CoInitializeSecurityParam.

Step 6: Double-click the AuthenticationCapabilities DWORD, enter 12320 in the value data field, and hit OK.

Step 7: Double-click the CoInitializeSecurityParam DWORD, enter 1 in the value data field, and hit OK.

Fix 6: Perform a System Restore

System Restore is a useful utility that periodically takes a snapshot of your entire system, allowing you to revert your PC to a previous state and undo changes made since that point. If none of the above tips help, perform a system restore to move back to a point before the issue first occurred.

Step 1: Press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keyboard shortcut and click the power icon at the bottom-right corner. Press and hold the shift key and select Restart.

Step 2: Wait for your PC to restart and select Troubleshoot.

Step 3: Click Advanced options.

Step 4: Select the System Restore option.

Step 5: Select your preferred restore point and click Next.

Step 6: Review all the details and click Finish.