How to fix File Explorer crashes and freezes in Windows 10?

Question

Problem: How to fix File Explorer crashes and freezes in Windows 10?

My PC has been running Windows 10 for a couple of months now and I haven’t had any complaints so far. I haven’t made any changes to the system or noticed anything in performance except having installed a couple of apps. However, for some reason, every time I try to rename a folder or add a new one, File Explorer freezes as soon as I press a key. Although not the worst of errors, having an infinite number of New Folders makes me feel frustrated. I would appreciate any help!

Resolved answer

File Explorer, formally known as Windows Explorer, is a main component of the Windows operating system. Although it has been around since the beginning of Windows Operating System, it has been gradually revised and massively improved on Windows 10 system.

Fundamentally, File Explorer is not an essential component of Windows, and the operating system could function without it. However, the graphical user interface makes the data accessible and the operation of other functions much more comfortable. Therefore, when it malfunctions and File Explorer freezes or closes, users may have a worse user experience on their PCs.

Unfortunately, people run into File Explorer related problems in Windows 10. For example, when they right-click on the desktop, the PC freezes, and the context menu appears after 10-15 seconds.

Also, Windows 10 users frequently experience File Explorer freezes, unexpected shutdowns, slowness, and similar problems. The inability to rename folders is also counted as one of File Explorer’s bad features. After doing some research, a variety of reasons have been detected that may be causing File Explorer to freeze or close unexpectedly, such as a registry crash, corrupted system files, crashing software, etc.

According to user reports, WinRAR files often seem to be at the core of these problems. Unfortunately, this issue doesn’t seem to be among the most common, which may be why Microsoft hasn’t released any patches yet. Still, here are several tips that can help you troubleshoot unexpected File Explorer closures.

Before you start using the manual solutions described below, we would like to recommend that you try ReimageMac Washing Machine X9. In cases where File Explorer freezes or closes due to corrupted system files, faulty installed programs, or malware infection, the application will be able to get rid of these problems automatically, and all you have to do is sit back. and wait a few minutes. Keep in mind that some of the solutions below can be a bit difficult for novice users to understand, so the automatic solution is perfect in these cases.

Solution 1. Clear File Explorer history

• Enter the File Explorer Options through Cortana’s search bar and hit Enter.
• In the General tab, click on Clean up under Clear File Explorer history.
• Click on To accept and see if this has helped you fix unexpected closings and File Explorer freezes.

Solution 2. Uninstall failed programs

In some cases, improperly installed or problematic programs can result in unexpected File Explorer freezes and closings. Therefore, you should execute the following steps:

• Write See everything in Cortana’s search bar and tap Enter.
• In the Report Problem Window, find something that is connected to the File Browser.
• Right click in the error and select See technical details.
• From there, you will be able to determine which application is causing File Explorer to close.
• Uninstall the committed program and reinstall it.

Solution 3. Restart the network adapter via Command Prompt

• Write Symbol of the system or cmd in the search box.
• Right click between the search results and select Execute as an administrator.
• When the Command Prompt window opens, type the following:

• netsh winsock reset

• Press Enter.
• You should see the message from Winsock restart completed successfully.
• Close the Command Prompt and reboot your pc.

Solution 4. Run the System File Checker

The System File Checker is a convenient tool that can automatically detect and provide a solution for the problem of File Explorer closing unexpectedly or freezing. In some cases, running this scanner multiple times is necessary:

• Open the Symbol of the system with administrator privileges.
• Write sfc / scannow and press Enter.
• Wait for Windows to complete the check.

Solution 5. Backup and then delete the registry keys from your graphics card

Note: modifying the Windows Registry can be dangerous, as it can result in poor system functionality. Therefore, perform these registry changes at your own risk. To avoid the risk, we recommend that you check your computer with ReimageMac Washing Machine X9 – it will take care of various Windows problems automatically, including fixing the Windows Registry.

• Click on the keys Windows + R, write regedit in the dialog box and hit Enter.
• When the Registry Editor opens, navigate to the location HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ background \ shellex \ ContextMenuHandlers using the left panel.
• Click on the drop down arrow and find NVidia or another graphics controller that is running on your system (for NVidia, the folder is called NvCplDesktopContext).
• After this, click on File / Export to create a registry backup.
• Once the file is created, go back to the NVidia folder and delete it.
• Then close the Registry Editor and reboot your pc.

Solution 6. Fix Windows 10 File Explorer closing problem by modifying the Windows Registry

• Open the Windows Registry again.
• Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Classes \ Local Settings \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Shell.
• Right click on BagMRU and select Get rid of.
• Confirm by clicking on Yes.
• Now repeat the process with the key Bags.

Solution 7. Optimize Advanced system settings

• Write Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows in the search bar and press Enter.
• Go to the tab Advanced.
• Make sure the Best Performance Setting is set to Programs.
• Under Virtual memory, choose Change.
• Make sure the box Automatically manage the paging file for all controllers it’s activated.
• Tap on To accept.
• Ends with Apply Y To accept.

Solution 8. Run the Windows troubleshooter

• Write Control Panel in the Windows search bar and press Enter.
• Under See for:, Choose Small icons from the drop-down menu.
• Swipe until you see Problem solver.
• On the left, select See everything.
• Click on System maintenance.
• In the next window, select Next and wait for the check to complete
• Reboot your pc.

Solution 9. Reset Windows

If none of the previous solutions have helped you solve the problem, you can reset Windows. Do not worry, as this will not impact your personal files, although you may need to reinstall some programs that you had installed on your computer.

• Right click on Start and select Setting.
• Go to Updates and Security and select Recovery.
• Under Restart this PC, click the button Begin.
• Choose Keep my files.
• Choose Download from the Cloud if you want to download Windows from the Internet, or your local files with Local Reinstallation.
• Proceed with on-screen instructions.

Fix your Errors automatically

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