Windows Explorer Not Responding or Stopped Working? 13 Ways to Fix

Plus several advanced things to try

Windows Explorer has a long history of stability issues, and the “File Explorer” rebranding in recent Windows iterations did little to improve things. So, it’s not uncommon to encounter random freezes and crashes with accompanying error messages such as “Windows Explorer is not responding” and “Windows Explorer has stopped working” when interacting with the file system on a PC.

Most complications with Windows Explorer or File Explorer are one-off instances that only show up while the operating system is under stress. But if you experience the same problem repeatedly, the troubleshooting tips below should allow you to sort it out.

Restart File Explorer

Restarting Windows Explorer (which continues to be the underlying process behind File Explorer) is a quick fix for minor system-related glitches that cause it to freeze or crash.

  1. Right-click the taskbar and select the option labeledTask Manager. If the taskbar appears unresponsive, use theShift+Ctrl+Esckeystroke to launch Task Manager.

  2. SelectMore detailsto expand the default Task Manager view.

  3. Under theProcessestab, locate and right-clickWindows Explorer. Then, selectRestart.

Reopen File Explorer

File management aside, File Explorer also powers the user interfaces behind elements such as the taskbar and desktop. So if it crashes completely (as in, you don’t see the taskbar and desktop), you must re-open it manually.

  1. PressShift+Ctrl+Escto open Task Manager.

  2. Open theFilemenu and select theRun new taskoption.

  3. Typeexplorer.exeand selectOK.

Disable Details and Preview Panes

If you only encounter the “Windows Explorer is not responding” or “Windows Explorer has stopped working” errors while selecting files and folders in File Explorer, try turning off theDetailsandPreviewpanes.

  1. Open a new File Explorer window.

  2. Select theViewtab.

  3. Inside thePanesgroup, deactivate both thePreview paneandDetails pane.

  4. Restart theWindows Explorerprocess via Task Manager.

  5. Relaunch File Explorer and check if the issue persists. If so, move on with the rest of the fixes.

Change Default File Explorer View

If File Explorer freezes or crashes as soon as you open it, changing the default view fromQuick accesstoThis PCcould prevent that. You won’t see a list of your recent files and folders anymore, but it does allow you to rule out issues caused by obsolete or broken entries within the File Explorer history.

  1. PressWindows+Rto open the Run box. Then, typecontrol foldersand selectOK. The File Explorer Options dialog should show up on the screen.

  2. Under theGeneraltab, open the pull-down menu next toOpen File Explorer toand selectThis PC.

  3. SelectApply>OKto save the changes.

If that helped, re-open the File Explorer Options dialog and selectClearto delete the File Explorer history. Then, change back the default view toQuick access. After that, the problem should not occur again.

Clear Thumbnail Cache

File Explorer displays thumbnail previews of files and folders. But an outdated thumbnail cache is another possible reason for freezes and crashes, so clearing it can help.

  1. PressWindows+R, typecleanmgrinto the Run box, and selectOK.

  2. Check the box next toThumbnails.

  3. SelectOK.

Disable Thumbnail Previews

If clearing the thumbnail cache didn’t help, try turning off all thumbnail previews in File Explorer.

  1. Open the File Explorer Options dialog and switch to theViewtab.

  2. UnderAdvanced settings, check the box next toAlways show icons, never thumbnails.

  3. SelectApply>OK.

Set Display Scale and Layout to Defaults

Using a larger display size for text and apps can also trigger the “Windows Explorer is not responding” and “Windows Explorer has stopped working” errors. It’s best to revert that to the default recommended setting.

  1. Open theStartmenu and go toSettings>System>Display.

  2. Scroll down to theScale and layoutsection.

  3. SetChange the size of text, apps, and other itemsto100% (Recommended).

Update or Roll Back Display Driver

An outdated display driver can result in all sorts of File Explorer-related issues. You can download and install the latest version of the driver by heading over to the video card manufacturer’s website –NVIDIA,AMD, orIntel.

However, if the issue occurred right after a recent display driver update, you must roll it back.

  1. PressWindows+Xand selectDevice Manager.

  2. ExpandDisplay adapters.

  3. Right-click the video card driver that you want to roll back and selectProperties.

  4. Switch to theDriverstab.

  5. SelectRoll Back Driver.

Update Windows 10

Display drivers aside, File Explorer can also fail to respond or stop working due to an outdated version of Windows 10. If you haven’t updated the operating system recently, try doing that as soon as possible.

  1. Go toStart>Settings>Update & Security>Windows Update.

  2. SelectCheck for updatesto scan for new updates.

  3. SelectDownload and installto apply pending updates.

Additionally, check for and install any display-related drivers underView optional updates(if you see the option).

Run Malware Scan

Malicious programs can induce all sorts of issues and prevent critical Windows components such as File Explorer from working correctly. If you don’t have a third-party antivirus solution on your computer, you canuse Windows Security to remove malwareinstead.

  1. SelectWindows Securityon the system tray.

  2. Go toVirus & threat protection>Check for updatesto install the latest antimalware definitions.

  3. SelectQuick scan.

If Windows Security fails to detect malware, selectScan optionsand follow up with aFull scanor aMicrosoft Defender Offline scan.

Disable Third-Party Shell Extensions

Does File Explorer freeze or crash only when right-clicking items? Conflicting contextual menu entries from third-party programs usually cause that. Use a program such as ShellExView to disable them.

  1. Download and openShellExViewon your computer.

  2. Open theOptionsmenu and selectHide All Microsoft Extensions.

  3. Select all third-party extensions and selectDisable Selected Items.

If File Explorer begins to work correctly, re-activate each deactivated shell extension until you come across the problematic item. Then, update the related program (which could fix the issue), keep the extension disabled, or remove it from your computer.

Reset File Associations

Incorrect, conflicting, or brokenfile associations in Windows 10are another reason that results in File Explorer-related freezes and crashes. Try resetting them.

  1. Open theStartmenu and selectSettings.

  2. Go toApps>Default Apps.

  3. SelectReset.

Resetting file associations also revert default programs (such as the web browser) to Microsoft’s stock apps, so you may have to reconfigure your preferences.

Run SFC Scan and DISM Tool

If the “Windows Explorer is not responding” and “Windows Explorer has stopped working” errors continue to show up, it’s a good idea torun the System File Checkerand the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tool. That should fix File Explorer-related issues caused by corrupted system files.

  1. PressWindows+Xto open the Power User Menu. Then, selectWindows PowerShell (Admin).

  2. Type the following command:

sfc /scannow

  1. PressEnterto run the System File Checker.

For best results, repeat the SFC scan a total of three times.

  1. Open an elevated Windows PowerShell console.

  2. Run the following command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

  1. If the DISM tool detects any issues, execute the two commands below:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Windows Explorer Still Not Working: What Else?

The fixes above should’ve helped you resolve issues with File Explorer not responding. If not, here are several advanced fixes that you can try:

Going forward, keeping the operating system updated is the best way to minimize potential File Explorer-related issues.

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn’t hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube.Read Dilum’s Full Bio

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