File explorer not responding: Windows 10 users face a problem related to file explorer and say that it does not react and refuse to open and sometimes even crash when they tap to open file explorer.
Here in the article, we have assembled all the methods with which you can determine the problem.
Fix 1 – Clear Quick access History
- Most people have interpreted the file explorer, not the opening problem, by applying this method.
- Search file explorer option in Windows 10 search box.
- Under General Tab, in the privacy segment, tap on clear.
Fix 2 – Open File explorer to This PC
- Although clearing quick access History will instantly resolve the problem, make sure that it does not return and make default file explorer opening preference to This PC.
- Search file explorer option in windows 10 search box.
- Under General Tab, select This PC from Open File explorer to option.
- Click on OK.
Fix 3 – Disable Details and Preview Pane
- Proceed to File Explorer.
- Tap on View.
- Ensure that the specifications and preview option is not permitted. If it is approved, tap on it to disable it.
Fix 4 – Restart File explorer
- Hold CTRL + Shift + Esc key concurrently at once to open task manager.
- Right tap on Windows explorer and select restart.
Fix 5 – Restart File explorer through command prompt
- Locate cmd in windows 10 search box.
- Tap on cmd icon just appeared to start Command prompt window.
- Write the command provided below to kill task manager procedure.
- taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
- Cmd Task Kill Explorer Min
- Commence file explorer again.
Fix 5 – Change size of Text and Apps to 100%
- Hold Windows key + I concurrently to open settings.
- Proceed to the system.
- Tap Display in the left menu.
- Ensure that the text’s size, apps and additional details option is set to 100% recommended.
Fix-6 Restore defaults of File Explorer Options-
- Hold Windows key+R to launch Run. Type “control.exe folders” and tap Enter. File Explorer Options will be opened.
- Go to the “General” tab and click on the “Restore Defaults” to restore the File Explorer’s defaults settings.
- Restart the computer. After rebooting, File Explorer should be working every day.
Fix-7 Uninstall and reinstall the display drivers-
- Uninstalling and reinstalling the display driver may solve the problem for you.
- Press Windows key+X and click on “Device Manager” in the elevated window. Device Manager will be opened.
- In the Device Manager window, search “Display adapters” from the list, click on it to expand it. From the drop-down right, tap on the graphics driver you are using, tap on “Uninstall device“.
- After the uninstallation process is finished, close the Device Manager window.
- Reboot your device to save the changes. As your computer is rebooting, a display driver will be installed. Check if File Explorer is customarily working or not.
Fix- 8 Clean boot your computer-
- When you are clean booting the computer, your computer boots up only with the essential drivers. Follow the steps to clean boot the computer-
- Press Windows Key+R to launch Run. Type “msconfig” in Run and click on “OK“. The system configuration window will be opened.
- Proceed to the “General” tab and then uncheck the box alongside the “Load startup items“. Now, make sure the “Load system services” option is checked.
- Go to the “Services” tab. Check the “Hide all Microsoft services” option. Then, check the “Disable all” option in the bottom left corner. Tap on “Apply” and “OK” to keep the changes on your computer.
- Please reboot the computer, and it will be booted in clean mode.
- In clean boot mode, File Explorer should work fine.
Fix-9 Run SFC scan on your computer-
- Tap on the search box alongside the Windows icon, and type “cmd”, and then right-click on “Command Prompt”, and tap on “Run as administrator“. Press on “Yes” to grant admittance to the User Account Control (UAC). Command Prompt window will be initiated with Administrative rights.
- Copy-paste or type the command in Command Prompt window and press Enter to execute it.
- sfc /scannow
- If the command is not working on your computer, copy and paste this command in Command Prompt and hit Enter to execute it.
- sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows
- Wait for a few moments, as the SFC scan may take a while.
- Once the SFC scan has concluded, restart your computer.
- After rebooting, press Windows key+R to launch Run, and then type “cmd” and then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Click on “Yes” to permit the User Account Control (UAC) to open Command Prompt window with Administrative rights.
- In Command Prompt window, copy-paste or type these commands one by one in Command Prompt and then hit Enter after they execute them.
- Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
- Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
- Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for a while as the DISM process may take some time.
- Reboot the computer to finish the process. After rebooting, verify whether the problem is still bothering you or not.
Fix-10 Restart Windows Search – File Explorer Not Responding
- Restarting Windows Search may fix this issue.
- Tap on the search box alongside the Windows icon, and type “cmd”, and then right-click on “Command Prompt”, and tap on “Run as administrator“. Tap on “Yes” to grant admittance to the User Account Control (UAC). Command Prompt window will be presented with Administrative rights.
- Copy-paste or type command in Command Prompt window, and then hit Enter to execute it.
- net.exe stop “Windows search.”
- Close Command Prompt window.
- Press Windows key+R to launch Run. Type “services.msc” and hit Enter. The Services window will be opened.
- In Services, scroll below to find “Windows Search“. Right-click on the service and then click on “Restart“. Windows Search will be restarted.
- Close Services window.
- Reboot your computer. After rebooting, check if you can use File Explorer or not.
Fix-11 Find the root cause of the problem with Event Viewer-
- You can identify the application which is creating this obstacle with Event Viewer and uninstall it. Follow steps minutely-
- Hold Windows key+R to launch Run and type “eventvwr.msc” and press Enter. The Event Viewer window will be opened.
- In the Event Viewer interface, click on “Windows Logs” on the left pane to expand it and tap on “System “. In the right pane, scroll down and search for “Error” in the events list. You will notice the cause of the error in the “General” section just in the lower portion of the Event Viewer window.
- Repeat checking method to distinguish the reason behind the crashing File Explorer for every “Error” in that list. The application following the error is hindering the File Explorer process from running smoothly on the computer.
- Check the error has occurred due to any third-party application. If the reason is a third party application, then uninstalling it from your system will solve this issue for you-
- Press Windows key+R to open Run, type “appwiz.cpl” and hit Enter. Programs and Features window will be opened.
- Scroll down through the list of the programs and applications to find out the culprit. Right-click on it and then click on “Uninstall” to start the uninstallation process.
- Track the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
- Restart your computer. After rebooting, File Explorer should perform typically. If you are still incapable of locating the error’s root cause, go for the next fix.
Fix-12 Find the cause of error with Reliability history-
- Observing the Reliability History may encourage you to identify the cause of the failure.
- Tap on the Search box and write “View Reliability History“. Tap on “View reliability history” in the high search result.
- You have to pause for a while as the Reliability Monitor will require a few moments to create the report.
Click on the most advanced date slot when the error has occurred, and review the ‘Reliability details’ in that period. Check which application is creating the issue on your computer.
Reboot the computer. The above steps should solve the issue with File Explorer.