How to fix Windows 11 'Explorer.exe' crashing or restarting repeatedly

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix Windows 11 'Explorer.exe' crashing or restarting repeatedly. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

When Explorer.exe (the process responsible for your taskbar, Start menu, and file folders) crashes and restarts repeatedly, it can make your computer nearly impossible to use. This loop is often caused by corrupted system files, problematic third-party shell extensions, or outdated display drivers.

Quick Fix Steps

Before attempting deeper system changes, try these rapid solutions to see if the instability is temporary.

Restart Windows Explorer manually

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. If you see a simplified view, click More details.
3. Locate Windows Explorer in the list of processes.
4. Right-click it and select Restart.

Clear File Explorer History

Sometimes a corrupted "Recent Files" cache can cause the explorer to crash upon launch.

1. Press the Windows Key and type Control Panel, then press Enter.
2. Search for File Explorer Options in the top right search bar and select it.
3. In the General tab, locate the Privacy section.
4. Click the Clear button next to "Clear File Explorer history".
5. Click OK.

Detailed Instructions

If the quick fixes did not resolve the issue, follow these more comprehensive troubleshooting steps to analyse and repair the system.

Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM

Windows has built-in tools to find and replace corrupted system files that may be causing the crash loop.

1. Press the Windows Key, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
2. In the window, type the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow
3. Wait for the process to complete. If it finds errors it cannot fix, proceed to the next step.
4. Type the following command and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
5. Once finished, restart your computer.

Update Display Drivers

Outdated or incompatible graphics drivers can cause the shell to crash when rendering folder icons or thumbnails.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Display adapters section.
3. Right-click your graphics card (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and select Update driver.
4. Select Search automatically for drivers.

Disable Third-Party Shell Extensions

Many applications (like cloud storage or compression tools) add options to the right-click context menu. If one of these is buggy, it can crash Explorer.exe.

1. Download a reputable tool such as ShellExView.
2. Run the application and go to Options > Filter by Extension Type and select Context Menu.
3. Look for entries that are not highlighted in pink (these are third-party extensions).
4. Select these entries, right-click, and choose Disable Selected Items.
5. Restart your computer to see if the crashing stops. If it does, enable them one by one to identify the culprit.

Advanced Troubleshooting

Boot into Safe Mode

If the crashes are so frequent that you cannot open the Start menu, you will need to enter Safe Mode to perform repairs.

1. Hold the Shift key while clicking Restart from the power menu.
2. The computer will reboot into a blue screen. Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
3. Press 4 or F4 to start the PC in Safe Mode.

Check for Windows Updates

Microsoft frequently releases patches for known Explorer bugs.

1. Go to Settings > Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. Install all pending updates, including Optional updates, and restart your machine.

If you have followed these steps and Explorer.exe continues to restart, please Open a Ticket so our technical team can remotely analyse your system logs.

Still Having Issues?