Solved: Windows 11 File Explorer Crashing (7 Ways)

Why does File Explorer crash on Windows 11?

File Explorer is one of the most common tools that can help you access and manage files and other content stored on a computer or mobile device. However, many Windows 11 users complain about File Explorer crashing randomly, maybe you are one of them.

There are many reasons that lead to Windows 11 File Explorer crashing or Explorer slow on Windows 11, like:

✿Corrupted system files
✿Improper system settings
✿A large number of files in history
✿Accumulated cache
✿conflicted by third-party app
✿virus or malware infected

Frequent Windows 11 Explorer crashes disrupt your workflow and leave you frustrated. Then I will show you how to solve the problem in the next part.

Always Backup Windows 11 to Prevent Data Loss

To protect your Windows 11 files during the fixes or provide continuous protection for your data, it's important to back them up for disaster recovery. More »

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How do you fix File Explorer problems in Windows 11?

This section discusses the reasons behind File Explorer crashing on Windows 11 constantly and puts forward corresponding methods to troubleshoot the crashing issue.

👉 Method 1. Restart File Explorer from Task Manager🔥
👉 Method 2. Clear File Explorer cache🔥
👉 Method 3. Run CHKDSK and SFC Scan🔥
👉 Method 4. Disable your antivirus program
👉 Method 5. Run the Windows memory diagnostic tool
👉 Method 6. Change File Explorer options
👉 Method 7. Uninstall an update

Method 1. Restart File Explorer from Task Manager🔥

When a process stops responding, restarting it is usually a simple and effective way to get it back to normal. So, if you are experiencing problems with File Explorer in Windows 11 not responding, you can try restarting it in Task Manager. This is done as follows:

Step 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on the keyboard to enter Task Manager.

Step 2.  Right-click on Windows Explorer and choose Restart.

Wait for a while and see if your File Explorer restarts.

Method 2. Clear File Explorer cache🔥

File Explorer like other programs accumulates cache data to improve its performance. Sometimes, some corrupted File Explorer caches cause hindrance to File Explorer’s smooth running, File Explorer crashed unexpectedly or keeps crashing. Thus, you can clear the File Explorer cache to solve this problem.

Step 1. Open Start menu, and search for File Explorer options.

Step 2. Under the General tab, click on Clear tab next to Clear File Explorer history. Don’t forget to click Apply and then click OK to confirm the changes.

Method 3. Run CHKDSK and SFC Scan🔥

Windows Explorer keeps crashing or becoming unresponsive could be a case of corrupted or missing system files. In this case, you can run SFC or CHKDSK to check, repair, or replace corrupted system files.

Step 1. Press Win + Q to type in Command Prompt in the search box.

Step 2. Right-click it in the search result and choose Run as administrator.

Step 3. Type in the below command and press Enter button.

chkdsk C：/f  /r

Step 4. Press Y to confirm that you want to run a hard disk check when the system starts the next time and press Enter.

Now restart your computer to make Windows perform the hard disk check. After that, check if the Windows 11 Explorer crash loop issue has been fixed. If not, you can turn to System File Check (SFC scan) to check.

Step 1. Do the same above to open Command Prompt.

Step 2. Type in the following command and press Enter to run.  

sfc /scannow

Now you need to wait for the scanning process to finish. Please do not close the command prompt or shut down your computer during the process. It will automatically fix all the detected errors on your PC. After that, restart your PC and check if the issue has been fixed.

Method 4. Disable your antivirus program

Antivirus programs are good ways to protect your PC from viruses or malware software attacks. However, not all antivirus programs are equally reliable. It's possible that your third-party antivirus program is conflicting with File Explorer processes, resulting in abrupt crashes in Windows 11 Explorer on the right click or when opening folder.

Thus, to check for this possibility, you can temporarily disable your antivirus program by clicking its icon on the taskbar and selecting Disable and then Disable until the next restart.

Method 5. Run the Windows memory diagnostic tool

If you have too many folders open at the same time or are working with a large number of files, it may cause File Explorer keeps crashing Windows 10/11. The reasons account for it goes: insufficient system resources or low memory. The built-in utility of Windows like the Memory diagnostic tool can examine your RAM for any potential errors.

Step 1. Press Win+R to open the Run dialog box. Type command mdsched in the box and press Enter. Click Restart now and check for problems (recommended) in the Windows Memory Diagnostic window.

Step 2. Wait for the Windows Memory Diagnostic to scan your PC’s RAM for errors. If any issues appear, you can take appropriate methods to solve them.

Method 6. Change File Explorer options

Sometimes, Windows Explorer keeps crashing on Windows 11 may be caused by misconfigured settings. Then you can open File Explorer to open on this PC instead of quick access and clear File Explorer cache to drive your File Explorer to work normally.

Step 1. Press WIN + S, search and open Control Panel.

Step 2. Under the list of Control Panel, click on File Explorer Options.

Step 3. In the pop-up window, click on the General tab.

Step 4. Click on the drop-down list next to Open File Explorer to and select This PC option.

Step 5. Click Apply and confirm by clicking on OK.

Method 7. Uninstall an update

If you find Window 11 File Explorer not responding after the system update, like version 22H2 or 23H2 update, you can try to uninstall the recent Windows update to check if the problems can be solved. I will show you how to do it now:

Step 1. Open Settings in the start menu.

Step 2. Scroll down to open Update and Security. And then, click Windows Update > View Update history > Uninstall updates.

Step 3. Double-click on the latest update and choose Yes to uninstall the update.

Supplement: backup important data before errors occur

It takes time to solve Windows 11 Explorer keeps crashing. Even worse, you are unable to recover the data without backup once Explorer crashes. For computer users, keeping backup data is a good habit. AOMEI Bakcupper Standard offers professional backup and restore methods for you.

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Here is a detailed tutorial to execute the backup task. Please download AOMEI Backupper and launch it on your computer.

Step 1. Select Backup and then choose File Backup.

Step 2. Click Add File or Add Folder to browse the files or folders you want to back up.

Step 3. Then you need to select a destination path to store the backup image. You can save it on a local disk, network share or NAS, etc.

Step 4. Confirm your settings and select Start Backup.

In the end

Windows 11 File Explorer crashing can be really infuriating. However, there are many methods to troubleshoot the issue. What’s more, make a scheduled backup plan via the best backup and restore tool----AOMEI Backupper is recommended because it prevents data loss or leak, therefore protecting your economic and intellectual properties safely.