- 12 Fixes for Windows File Explorer Crashing on Right-Click in Windows 10
- 1. Restart Windows Explorer
- 2. Run the System File Checker
- How to open a folder in Windows 10?
- How do I fix explorer not opening a folder?
- 3. Clear the File Explorer History
- 4. Perform a Clean Boot
- 5. Disable Third-Party Shell Extensions
- Why does Explorer have too many files open at once?
- Why is File Explorer not showing on my Desktop?
- Why is my Windows 10 system file not working?
- 6. Enable “Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process”
- 7. Update or Uninstall Problematic Software
- 8. Scan for Malware
- 9. Reset File Explorer Settings
- How to fix Windows Explorer not responding?
- How to fix file explorer problems in Windows 10?
- Why is my quick access folder not working?
- How do I fix a corrupted file in Windows 10?
- 10. Create a New Windows User Profile
- 11. Update or Roll Back Windows
- 12. Repair or Reset Windows 10
- How do I Open Explorer without closing?
- Why does Windows Explorer keep a log?
- References
12 Fixes for Windows File Explorer Crashing on Right-Click in Windows 10
Having Windows File Explorer crash whenever you right-click a file can be extremely disruptive. Luckily, with the right troubleshooting techniques, we can get to the bottom of this issue. In this post, we’ll walk through 12 potential fixes to resolve File Explorer crashes when attempting to right-click files in Windows 10.
1. Restart Windows Explorer
One quick fix is to restart the Windows Explorer process, which you can do from Task Manager. Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Task Manager, then select the Processes tab. Locate and right-click the process called "Windows Explorer", then select Restart. This restarts the process and can clear up any temporary glitches causing the crashes.
2. Run the System File Checker
Corrupted Windows system files are a common source of Windows Explorer crashes and issues. To scan for and replace corrupted files, open an elevated Command Prompt and typesfc /scannow. This runs the System File Checker, scanning system files and replacing any damaged or missing ones.
How to open a folder in Windows 10?
1.Open File Explorer then click View and then click on Options. Note: If you can’t access File Explorer then open Control Panel and search for File Explorer Options. 2.Switch to the View tab and then check mark “ Launch folder windows in a separate process. “ 3.Click Apply followed by OK. 4.Reboot PC to save changes.
How do I fix explorer not opening a folder?
Open the run dialog and enter: eventvwr.msc Then, go through your Administrative Events and look for related errors. If the folder is deleted or moved explorer windows will close themselves. Are these folders being manipulated in anyway? The other possibility is explorer having too many files open at once.
3. Clear the File Explorer History
An overburdened history can sometimes cause File Explorer crashes in Windows 10. To clear it out, open File Explorer, click the View tab, and select Options. Switch to the General tab and under Privacy, click the Clear button to erase all File Explorer history and recent searches.
4. Perform a Clean Boot
Performing a clean boot starts Windows 10 with only the bare minimum processes and services running. This isolates whether any third-party startup items are responsible for the crashing. To clean boot in Windows 10, open msconfig, switch to the Services tab, check "Hide All Microsoft Services", then disable all remaining services. Next, switch to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager. Disable any remaining startup items here. Now reboot and test if the crashes persist.
5. Disable Third-Party Shell Extensions
As expert forum contributors mentioned, faulty third-party shell extensions are the most common trigger for File Explorer crashes on right-click. To identify the problematic extension, use a utility like ShellExView from NirSoft. Disable all third-party extensions, then re-enable them one by one until the crashes return. Disable the extension causing the issue.
Why does Explorer have too many files open at once?
The other possibility is explorer having too many files open at once. A good fix for this is to enable “Launch folder Windows in a separate Process”. It’s a little know feature of windows that allows the machine to separate file/folder access from the Explorer GUI process (been around since XP).
Why is File Explorer not showing on my Desktop?
Replied on August 30, 2017 Hi John, There are several possible reasons why File Explorer is not showing on your desktop. One of these possible reasons is that your user profile may have been corrupted. For us to resolve this, we suggest that youcreate a new local userand see if File Explorer shows.
Why is my Windows 10 system file not working?
This issue could be due to the system file is corrupt. I recommend you to perform SFC scan, System File Checker is a utility in Windows that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore corrupted files. Follow the below link on how to run SFC scan.
6. Enable “Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process”
Another setting that can resolve Explorer crashes is enabling the option to launch folder windows in separate processes. To do this, open File Explorer, select the View tab, and click Options. Go to the View section and check the box for "Launch folder windows in a separate process". Click OK and this may prevent crashes.
7. Update or Uninstall Problematic Software
If a specific application is installing a buggy shell extension causing crashes, updating or uninstalling it may help. Check for any available updates to software you have installed recently. Failing that, uninstalling the application completely can remove the problematic extension as well.
8. Scan for Malware
While less common, malware or viruses can sometimes inject malicious shell extensions that lead to instability. Run a full system scan with updated antivirus software to detect and remove any potential infections. After cleaning any malware found, test if the crashes persist.
9. Reset File Explorer Settings
Resetting all File Explorer settings to their defaults can eliminate any corrupted preferences. To do this, open the Registry Editor and navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer. Delete the entire Explorer key by right-clicking it and selecting Delete. Reboot to reset Explorer.
How to fix Windows Explorer not responding?
The most effective method to fix Windows Explorer not responding is to clear file explorer history. You can open on Control Panel, set view by large icons and click File Explorer Options from the interface. Then click Clear button and OK to clear Windows Explorer history. Then try opening Windows Explorer again.
How to fix file explorer problems in Windows 10?
If you’re having File Explorer problems, you might be able to fix them simply by changing a few settings. According to users, you have to disable Quick Access and File Preview features. 1. Open File Explorer Options. 2. In the General tab, set Open File Explorer to This PC.
Why is my quick access folder not working?
Most likely there is a corrupt entry in your Quick Access folder. Open File Explorer. Restart (not shut down) your PC. Power to the Developer! Was this reply helpful? 2 days ago my laptop did a Windows update. The current version in Windows 10 Pro, Version 10.0.19041, Build 19041. Now, File Explorer no longer works.
How do I fix a corrupted file in Windows 10?
At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER: The sfc /scannow command will scan all protected system files, and replace corrupted files with a cached copy that is located in a compressed folder at %WinDir% \System32\dllcache. The %WinDir% placeholder represents the Windows operating system folder.
10. Create a New Windows User Profile
If the issue only appears for one Windows user account, it may be related to a corrupted user profile. Test by creating a brand new user account and checking if File Explorer crashes occur there. If the new profile works fine, the original profile may need to be rebuilt.
11. Update or Roll Back Windows
Windows 10 updates themselves can sometimes introduce bugs leading to instability. If the crashes started after a recent update, try rolling back to a previous restore point pre-update. Alternatively, install all the latest Windows updates in case a fix was released.
12. Repair or Reset Windows 10
For persistent Explorer crashing not fixed by other methods, repairing or resetting Windows 10 itself may be necessary. The in-place upgrade can repair corrupt OS files by reinstalling Windows while retaining your data and apps. Or the full factory reset will reimage Windows 10 altogether.
How do I Open Explorer without closing?
I was able to access explorer without closing by either opening a run prompt or directly typing into the cortana/search box “C:\” and pressing enter. Explorer now opens with it’s focus on the C: drive instead of the quick access listing in the folder tree. Open folder options, and change the ” Open File Explorer to: ” option to [This PC].
Why does Windows Explorer keep a log?
The Windows File Explorer keeps a log of all previous actions and activities—recently accessed files and folders, searches, address bar entries, etc. The Windows File Explorer may respond slowly or crash when the utility’s history accumulates to a certain point. Try clearing the File Explorer history and check if that fixes the problem. 1.
In summary, Windows 10 File Explorer crashes on right-click can stem from shell extensions, software conflicts, corrupted files or profiles, or Windows updates. Following the solutions above can help isolate and eliminate the problem driver. Let us know if any of these tips resolved your Explorer crashing issues!
