Windows File Explorer is an integral part of Windows. With this explorer you can view all your files and folders, perform simple operations like copy and paste, check file sizes and manage files. However, sometimes Windows File Explorer tends to hang and slow down.
While a simple restart of the PC or laptop usually fixes the problem, it’s not a guaranteed fix. However, if you’re having trouble with the file explorer on your Windows 10 PC being unresponsive, we’ve compiled some fixes to fix the problem.
Let’s get started, shall we?
1. Restart Windows Explorer
One of the first things you can do is restart Explorer. If it’s just a simple problem of corrupt cache files, chances are high that it will solve your problem.
To restart File Explorer, open Task Manager and you should see Windows Explorer in Processes.
Right click on it and select Restart from the menu.
2. Check for updates
Windows Updates are a necessary part of the system because they bring essential security updates. But if you have pending updates for a long time, you may find your system slows down or behaves abnormally. This is especially true if Windows is performing memory-intensive tasks.
These days, it’s pretty easy to spot a pending update. If you see a small orange dot on the system taskbar, you know what to do.
Alternatively, you can search for ‘Check for updates’ on the Start menu to see pending updates.
3. Clear File Explorer History
Explorer’s search comes in handy many times over. It saves every detail like the name of the file you searched for, the path you searched for, etc. These search files can accumulate over time and make Windows File Explorer slow to respond. Fortunately, deleting history is as easy as 1-2-3.
To get started, search for anything on Explorer’s search box. When the search is complete, click on the small arrow icon as shown below to expand the ribbon.
Next, click the Search tab and select Recent Search > Clear search history.
The above will only work when your system’s Explorer is working to some extent. However, if it crashes, you’ll have to go through Settings.
Open Settings (Win key + I) and search for ‘File Explorer Options’. This will open a small window.
Now click the Clear button under Privacy to clear the Windows Explorer history.
4. Run Disk Clean-up
If the above fixes don’t work for Windows Explorer, you may want to run Disk Clean-up. As its name suggests, it removes temporary files and folders as junk on your PC.
To reclaim space, search for Disk Clean-up. Select drive C: from the menu.
When the Disk Clean-up window opens, check the options for Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Internet Files, and Thumbnails from the list and click Ok.
5. Rebuild the index
Another possible reason why Explorer is unresponsive or slow could be the slow indexing service. If File Explorer loads results slowly (or crashes unexpectedly), it’s time to rebuild the index.
To do so, search for Indexing Options on the Search menu.
Once you locate it, click the Advanced button at the bottom. Now, under Troubleshoot, click the Rebuild button.
If the File Explorer unresponsive issue is related to file indexing, the above should fix your problem. Then restart your PC.
6. Launch in a separate process
Even if you’ve fixed the problem with Windows Explorer, there’s still a chance it could happen again. Therefore, it is best to force the File Explorer window to run in a separate process.
Although Windows claims that it is set by default on most Windows 10 systems, it doesn’t hurt to take a second look, however.
To get started, search for File Explorer Options. After you locate it, select View. Next, tick the option Launch folder windows in a separate process.
If it is not checked, check it and save your changes.
7. Check for corrupted files
The veteran Windows user in you must know how corrupt files can ruin the system. If some core Windows files failed to update in previous updates, it could cause Explorer to malfunction.
Again, there is a way to fix some corrupted files by running the built-in System File Checker (SFC). As you might have guessed, SFC checks the system for corrupted or missing files and restores them automatically.
Note: However, running SFC should only be considered as one of the last remaining solutions as it can be risky. We recommend backing up your PC before proceeding.
Launch the Start menu and search for Command Prompt. Right-click and select Run as Administrator.
When the Command Prompt window opens, enter the following command.
sfc /scan now
Of course, this will take some time. Once the command finishes executing, you’ll do something along the lines of ‘…corrupted files were found and successfully repaired them…’.
Restart your PC and the good old Windows File Explorer should work again.
Explore like a pro
At the end of the day, if your system needs enough disk space and RAM to run all processes seamlessly, especially Windows Explorer. If that’s the case, the above may only temporarily fix the problem.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
