Windows 10 File Explorer Not Working ? How To Fix

Windows 10 file explorer or Windows Explorer is an easy way to access your files, folders and perform drive management. This in-built manager application, which shows user items like Desktop, Downloads, Documents, Pictures, etc. at one single place and allows you to make the best use of the available files on the PC. Yet sometimes, users say that their File Explorer is not responding. Well, this is why we are here and tell you how to fix File Explorer not responding issue.

NOTE: File Explorer on Windows 7 is called as Windows Explorer and all the solutions mentioned below for Windows 10 file explorer not working applies to Windows 7 as well.

How to Fix Windows 10 File Explorer Not Working

Solution 1: Restart File Explorer

Follow the steps mentioned below, if your File explorer is not responding.

Step 1: Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc.

Step 2: Locate Windows Explorer from the left bar and right-click on it. Choose ‘End Task’.

Step 3: Click File from the top, and choose ‘Run New Task’.3

Step 4: In the next window, type explorer.exe, and click OK.

Check if it has started working now.

Solution 2: Clear File Explorer History

When Windows 10 file explorer is not responding, try out themethod mentioned below.

Step 1: In Windows 10 Cortana search box, type Control, and open Control Panel.

Step 2: Locate File Explorer Options here and click on it.

Step 3: Open it and click Clear and then OK.

It has most probably started working again. Try and open File Explorer once again.

Method 3: Try Changing Display Settings

You might be thinking what has display settings to do when File Explorer is not responding, but it does have an impact on the issue. It is possible that unexpected sizes of screen and text are reason behind file explorer crashing.Well, you can reset the settings using the following steps.

Step 1: Type Settings in Windows 10 Search box.

Step 2: Click on System from the display panel.

Step 3: Here, change the size of the text to 100%, which is recommended as well.

Once again, check out if your File Explorer is working now.

Method 4: Disable Windows Search

For this case, follow the steps.

Step 1: Start with typing cmd.exe in the search box. Locate Command Prompt, right-click on it, and click Run Administrator.

Step 2: Now at the next prompt, click Yes.

Step 3: In the next command prompt window, type net.exe stop “Windows search”. Hit enter.

NOTE that if you want to stop search permanently, you shall make the following steps.

Start with pressing Windows key + R > type service.msc >  locate Windows search > double click on it > Get into Properties window > change Startup type and select Disabled > OK.

Method 5: Run System File Checker Scan

When file explorer is not working, this file checker scan will help you with finding corruption in the system files. For this,

Step 1: Write cmd in Windows 10 search bar. In the command prompt, right-click on it and choose Run as administrator.

Step 2: Type sfc/scannow and press Enter.

Step 3: Restart the computer after the scanning is done. Now check if the issue has been solved or not.

Probably the issue of windows 10 file explorer not responding is sorted by then.

Conclusion

If your File Explorer is not working, you can surely try out the methods mentioned above and File explorer will surely work in no time. Usually, resetting the File explorer as well as disabling the Windows search work for many users. In the meanwhile, if you have any other issues apart from Windows 10 file exploring not working, check out them below.

• How to fix Start Menu search not working on Windows 10?
• How to fix Windows 10 Start menu not working?
• How to fix Wi-fi not working issue?
• How to fix brightness not working on Windows 10?
• How to fix webcam not working on Windows?

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