Fix the "Windows Explorer Has Stopped Working" Issue in Windows 11/10/8/7

Windows Explorer, later referred to as File Explorer in Windows 10, is the file management application within the Windows operating system. When you encounter the "Windows Explorer has stopped working" error on Windows 7/8/10/11 (32-bit or 64-bit), stay calm. Here are 8 solutions to help you resolve this issue and get your File Explorer functioning normally again:

Please provide the English content you want to translate, and I'll do my best to translate it into Chinese.

Error message regarding "Windows Explorer has stopped working"

The File Explorer helps you navigate your hard drive and view the contents of folders. In the Windows operating system, the File Explorer (or “File Manager”) opens automatically whenever you open a folder. However, most of the time, we prefer to launch it from shortcuts like the Start menu, Taskbar, My Computer (called “This PC” in Windows 10), or the Windows folder.

If you encounter the "Windows Explorer has stopped working" error while using File Explorer on Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 (32-bit or 64-bit), you won't be able to perform regular folder operations. Actually, aside from this message, there are two more notifications that indicate that Windows Explorer has stopped functioning. These are:

• The Windows Installer has stopped working
• Windows Explorer/File Explorer is not responding

Issues like “Windows 10 File Explorer not responding,” “File Explorer won't open,” or “File Explorer opens and closes immediately” indicate that the app has crashed. Why does File Explorer stop working on Windows? Usually, the culprits can be:

• Your video driver is outdated or corrupted
• You're missing or have corrupted system files on your computer
• A running application or startup service is conflicting with Windows Explorer
• The file you're trying to open or manage is damaged
• Your computer is under attack by a virus or malware

You have five corresponding solutions to fix the "Windows Explorer has stopped working" issue based on the possible causes. Additionally, there are other effective methods to address this problem.

8 Ways to Fix "Windows Explorer Has Stopped Working" on Windows 11/10/8/7

Most of the time, users (possibly including you) who encounter the “Windows Explorer has stopped working” issue are unaware of the specific cause. Hence, work your way through the following solutions one by one to identify and fix the problem effortlessly.

Method 1: Update your video driver

Corrupted or outdated video drivers have been known to cause issues with Windows Explorer. To check if the problematic driver is the cause, you'll need to update the video driver on your computer.

Step 1: Right-click on "This PC," and then select "Manage" > "Device Manager."

Step 2: Expand the "Display adapters" entry, right-click on your graphics card driver, and select "Update Driver".

Step 3: Click on "Search automatically for updated driver software" in the new window to proceed.

Method 2: Run the System File Checker utility

Since the "Windows Explorer has stopped working" error can be caused by missing or corrupted system files, you can run the System File Checker tool, which helps scan and repair problematic system files to resolve this issue.

Step 1: Click the "Start" button, then type cmd.

Step 2: Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step 3. Type the commands in order. (Use the DISM command to create a Windows image to protect your data.)

These two commands translate to: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth - Use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool online to repair the system image to a healthy state. sfc /scannow - Run the System File Checker (SFC) scan to examine and fix any issues with system files.

Step 4: Restart your computer and check if the issue persists.

Method 3: Boot Your Computer into Safe Mode to Check for Startup Issues

Safe Mode starts your computer using only the necessary drivers and services, which limits what Windows can do. This helps troubleshoot problems by allowing it to run with just the basics. There are several ways you can boot into Safe Mode, but this will show you how to get there from Settings. (You'll need to restart your computer for these steps, so open this article on another device so you can reference it and complete the process.)

Step 1: Click the Start button, then go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.

Step 2. Under Advanced startup, click Restart now.

Step 3: Your PC will restart to the Choose an option screen. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

Step 4: After the restart, you can choose the Safe Mode option you want to start with.

If File Explorer works fine in Safe Mode, it's likely that a startup item or a third-party application is causing File Explorer to stop working. To troubleshoot the issue, you can follow these steps to uninstall recently installed apps or disable startup services:

Step 1: Press the "Windows + R" keys, then type msconfig.

Step 2. In the System Configuration window, switch to the Services tab.

Step 3: Check “Hide all Microsoft services,” then click “Disable all,” followed by “OK” and “Apply.”

After trying each method, check if the "Windows Explorer has stopped working" issue still persists. By doing so, you can identify the cause and apply the corresponding solution to resolve the problem.

Method 4: Enable “Always show icons, never thumbnails”

Windows Explorer might stop working because the file you're trying to open might be corrupted. This usually happens when you attempt to open an image file on your computer. To fix this issue, you can enable the "Always show icons, never thumbnails" option.

On Windows 10 and Windows 8:

Step 1: Open File Explorer and switch to the "View" tab.

Step 2: Click "Tools," and then click the "View" tab.

Step 3: Check the box that says “Always show icons, never thumbnails” and then click “Apply” and then “OK.”

On Windows 7:

Step 1: Open "My Computer" and then click "Organize" followed by "Folder and Search Options."

Step 2: Go to the View tab and check the box that says Always show icons, never thumbnails.

Step 3: Click Apply > OK.

Method 5: Remove Virus or Malware Infection

Aside from the usual suspects, a virus or malware infection can also cause Explorer to stop working. To rule out any possible virus or malware, run an antivirus software on your computer.

Step 1: Install and run antivirus software on your computer.

Step 2: Clean the entire hard drive of the computer for viruses or unknown malware.

Step 3: Recover Lost Files Removed by Antivirus Software

Antivirus software may delete some important files on your computer. If so, you can use free data recovery software – Data Recovery Wizard Free to recover deleted files immediately.

If none of the above five methods resolve the “Windows Explorer has stopped working” issue on your Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 PC, don't despair. There are other viable options for you to try.

Method 6: Clear Login Events in the Event Viewer

Many users reported that clearing the Event Viewer logs was helpful. If you're still having issues with Windows Explorer not working properly, give it a try. (These steps were performed on Windows 10.)

Step 1: Click on the "Start" menu, and type in Event Viewer.

Step 2: Right-click Event Viewer and select Run as administrator.

Step 3: Expand Windows Logs, and then choose Applications.

Step 3: In the Actions pane, select Clear Logs… and then click Clear to confirm.

Method 7: Test your system's RAM

A corrupted RAW file could also be the reason for the “Windows Explorer has stopped working” error. Use the Windows Memory Diagnostics tool to check your computer's RAM.

Step 1: Open the Start menu, type Memory, and then select Windows Memory Diagnostic.

Step 2: Choose whether to restart the computer immediately and run the tool, or run the tool on the next restart.

Step 3: After your PC restarts, Windows Memory Diagnostic runs automatically and performs a standard memory check. To choose fewer or more checks, press F1, use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to set Test Mix to Basic, Standard, or Extended, and then press F10 to apply your choice and resume the check.

4. When the test is done, your computer will restart automatically. The results will be displayed after you log back in.

Method 8: Perform a System Restore

The last resort always solves the “Windows Explorer has stopped working” issue, but there's a catch. Restoring your previous version of Windows will get you back to a state where everything was working fine before the problem occurred, but anything new that you've added or installed after that point will be completely removed. That's why it's always advisable to back up your important computer data to avoid massive data loss.

Bottom line

"Windows Explorer has stopped working" is one of the most common issues users encounter in the Windows system. If the solutions presented in this article have been helpful to you, please don't hesitate to share it with others to assist them with the same problem.