How to Fix Explorer.exe Errors and Restore Windows Explorer in Windows 10

If you’re experiencing issues with Windows Explorer, such as crashes, freezes, or the explorer.exe application error, it can be frustrating and disrupt your workflow. Fortunately, there are several methods you can try to repair Explorer.exe and restore Windows Explorer functionality in Windows 10.

Restart the Explorer Process

One of the simplest ways to fix explorer.exe issues is to restart the Explorer process:

1. Press Ctrl Shift Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. In the Task Manager, click on the Processes tab.
3. Find the Windows Explorer process, right-click on it, and select Restart.

This will terminate and restart the Explorer process, which may resolve any temporary issues.

Run a System Repair

If restarting the Explorer process doesn’t fix the issue, you can try running a system repair:

1. Press Windows key I to open the Settings app.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Select Recovery from the left-hand menu.
4. Under “Advanced startup,” click on Restart now.
5. On the “Choose an option” screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the system repair process.

The Startup Repair tool will scan your system for any issues and attempt to fix them automatically.

Increase Virtual Memory

If your system is low on memory, increasing the virtual memory may help resolve explorer.exe issues:

1. Press Windows key R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type control sysdm.cpl and press Enter to open the System Properties window.
3. Click on the Advanced tab and then click on Settings under the “Performance” section.
4. In the Performance Options window, click on the Advanced tab.
5. Under “Virtual memory,” click on Change.
6. Uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option.
7. Select the drive where you want to increase the virtual memory, then select Custom size.
8. Enter the desired initial size (in MB) in the “Initial size (MB)” field.
9. Enter a larger value (in MB) in the “Maximum size (MB)” field.
10. Click Set, then click OK to save the changes.
11. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Increasing the virtual memory can provide more resources for Windows Explorer to function properly.

Run Windows Memory Diagnostic

If you suspect that memory issues are causing explorer.exe problems, you can run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool:

1. Press Windows key R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type mdsched.exe and press Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool.
3. Select Restart now and check for problems (recommended) or Check for problems the next time I start my computer, depending on your preference.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the memory diagnostic process.

If the tool detects any memory issues, you may need to replace the faulty RAM modules.

Disable Taskbar Auto-Hide

In some cases, the explorer.exe error may be caused by the Taskbar auto-hide feature. To disable it:

1. Right-click on the Taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
2. Toggle off the “Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode” option.
3. Close the Settings app and check if the explorer.exe error persists.

Disabling the Taskbar auto-hide feature may prevent conflicts that lead to explorer.exe issues.

Update Graphics Drivers

Outdated or faulty graphics drivers can sometimes cause explorer.exe problems. To update your graphics drivers:

1. Press Windows key X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Display adapters category.
3. Right-click on your graphics card and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest driver version.

Updating your graphics drivers to the latest version may resolve any compatibility issues that lead to explorer.exe errors.

Try a System Restore

If the explorer.exe error started occurring after a specific event, such as installing a new program or updating Windows, you can try reverting your system to a previous restore point:

1. Press Windows key R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type rstrui.exe and press Enter to open the System Restore utility.
3. Click Next and select the desired restore point from the list.
4. Click Next again and then Finish to confirm the restore process.
5. Your computer will restart and revert to the selected restore point.

Keep in mind that System Restore will revert your system settings and installed programs to the state they were in at the time of the selected restore point.

If none of the above methods resolve the explorer.exe error, you may need to consider a clean reinstallation of Windows 10. However, before taking this drastic step, it’s recommended to seek further assistance from Microsoft Support or explore other troubleshooting options specific to your system configuration.