Tip: File Explorer gained Tabs in Windows 11 22H2. Give it a try!
Why Do These Errors Happen?
It’s not possible to pinpoint a specific cause for File Explorer issues. As the problem’s origin could lie with a variety of causes, resolving it is also a challenging task. Generally, a software bug, driver incompatibility, malware infection, system file corruption, and other factors may be to blame.
How to Fix Most Common File Explorer Errors in Windows
Listed below are some fixes that may help you solve the File Explorer issues you may be encountering while using your PC.
1. Restart Your Computer
Restarting your PC will force it to boot from scratch and eliminate any bugs in the software.
2. Check for Malware
In some cases, malware is to blame. To fix this issue, run a virus scan. When malware is found, Windows Security will attempt to delete or quarantine it.
3. Clear the File Explorer Cache
When using Windows File Explorer for a long time, it will gather a large number of files, which may cause the executable module (explorer.exe) to crash. Clearing the File Explorer cache can fix the issue.
4. Make File Explorer Open to This PC
File Explorer in Windows opens to Quick Access by default, displaying your frequent folders and recent files. However, sometimes Quick Access may be the cause behind your File Explorer crashing. Here’s how to change the default option so that File Explorer opens This PC rather than Quick Access.
5. Disable Quick Access Privacy Options
Occasionally, File Explorer will crash or stop when it is trying to parse recently used files and display frequently used folders. Follow the steps below to fix the issue: Tip: go in-depth with SFC by checking out this tutorial dedicated to this often-used command line utility.
6. Run Chkdsk, SFC, and DISM Scans
In some cases, missing system files are the reason for File Explorer’s common issues. To fix this kind of problem, Windows is equipped with several essential system utilities. Chkdsk, SFC, and DISM scans are Windows’s most effective repair tools and and should be executed in that order.
7. Extend System Partition
A reason File Explorer does not respond to commands is that your system partition might be full or close to full. If that’s the case, you’ll need to extend the size of this partition.
8. Optimize Advanced System Settings
The paging file is a section of your hard drive that Windows uses as memory. Windows includes a feature that automatically adjusts page file size, which might improve PC performance and ultimately solve your File Explorer problems.
9. Check Account Permission
File Explorer can also crash if your account is not granted full access to the contents of a folder. Make this happen by following these instructions. Good to know: having problems using Microsoft’s cloud service? Here’s how you can troubleshoot OneDrive sync issues.
10. Unlink OneDrive
File Explorer may occasionally crash due to OneDrive. To avoid this, unlink your OneDrive account from your PC.
11. Check for Memory Problems
If you’re looking to fix a File Explorer error, you can also try to test your PC’s memory using Memory Diagnostic tool.
12. Launch File Explorer Windows as Separate Processes
Every new instance of File Explorer that is launched is considered a child process of the main File Explorer process. You may be able to fix File Explorer issues by enabling the “Launch folder windows in a separate process” option.
13. Reinstall Graphics Card Driver
Windows File Explorer may also be potentially crashing due to an outdated or corrupted graphics driver. Try reinstalling your graphics driver to see if that helps.
14. Perform Search and Indexing Troubleshooter
Your computer automatically indexes content to provide faster search results, but problems with this service may conflict with File Explorer processes. In an attempt to fix it, you may want to perform a Search and Indexing troubleshooter. If your issues lie with the Settings app in Windows, follow this guide to bring things back to normal. Image credit: Pexels. All screenshots by Farhad Pashaei.
