How to Restart Windows Explorer in Windows 11: Comprehensive Effects and Procedure Explained
Key Notes
- Multiple methods are available to restart Windows Explorer, including Task Manager and Command Prompt.
- Restarting Explorer can resolve minor interface issues and unresponsive components.
- Creating a batch script can simplify the restart process to just one click.
Mastering the Restart of Windows Explorer on Windows 11: A Comprehensive Guide
Windows Explorer is the central hub for navigating your system in Windows 11. This guide outlines effective methods to restart it, troubleshoot issues, and enhance your user experience.
What to Expect After Restarting Windows Explorer (and When to Do It)
Restarting Windows Explorer acts like rebooting any other application; it effectively resets the graphical shell. This ensures that any unresponsive elements like the desktop, taskbar, and Start Menu function properly again. If you encounter lags or freezes, this quick fix can help restore normal operation.
It’s essential to know how to restart Explorer whenever you modify the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry settings, as changes may not take effect until a restart occurs.
You can also close Windows Explorer, but it will leave you without access to vital components until you reopen it.
How to Restart Windows Explorer on Windows 11
Explore the following methods for restarting Windows Explorer. These methods are applicable to both Windows 11 and Windows 10 users.
Step 1: Utilize Task Manager for a Quick Restart
Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc or by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Task Manager.
Pro Tip: If the Task Manager is minimized, click on More details to expand it.
Find Windows Explorer in the processes list, select it, and click on Restart in the bottom right corner. This action will cause the visual elements of Explorer to disappear momentarily before reappearing.
Step 2: Restart Using Command-Line Tools
You can also restart Windows Explorer via the Command Prompt, Windows Terminal, or PowerShell. To begin:
- Press the Start button, type cmd (or PowerShell), and click on Run as administrator.
- Type the command:
taskkill /f /im explorer.exeand hit Enter to terminate Windows Explorer. - To restart it, enter:
start explorer.exeand press Enter again.
This will refresh the Windows interface effectively.
Step 3: Simplify the Process with a Batch Script
For convenience, create a batch script that allows you to restart Explorer with just a double-click:
- Right-click on your desktop and select New > Text Document.
- Open the text file and input the following commands:
- Save it as a.bat file by selecting File > Save As and set the type to All Files.
- Now, you can double-click this file whenever you need to restart Windows Explorer.
@echo off taskkill /f /im explorer.exe start explorer.exe
Summary
This guide provided several effective methods for restarting Windows Explorer in Windows 11, from using Task Manager to creating batch scripts. Understanding how and when to restart Explorer can significantly improve your user experience and resolve common issues.
Conclusion
With the knowledge of various techniques to restart Windows Explorer, you can manage your Windows 11 experience more efficiently. Feel empowered to tackle interface problems swiftly, ensuring a seamless workflow on your system.
Related posts:
- 4 Effective Methods to Restart File Explorer on Windows
- Fix for Windows 11 KBYou’re not alone if you have issues with the Windows 11 KB5034765. February 2024 security update for Windows 11 causes File Explorer to crash when rebooting the system, and some have found it’s causing the taskbar to disappear. Additionally, many users are having problems installing the Windows 11 February 2024 update.Windows Updates are designed to automatically install without affecting productivity, but that doesn’t appear to be the case with the February 2024 update. In our tests, we observed that the Windows 11 KB5034765 update repeatedly fails to install with 0x800f0922, 0x800f0982, and 0x80070002.Multiple users told me that when they tried to install the security patch, everything seemed fine at first. The update downloads and asks for a restart. But during the installation, Windows Update stopped and confirmed there was a problem. It tries a few more times and then goes back to the desktop without updating.KB5034765 is not installing, but there’s a fixWindows 11 January 2024 Update fails with 0x80070002 | Image Courtesy: WindowsLatest.comOur device also attempted the “rollback” after successfully downloading the February 2024 cumulative update, but the process was stuck on the following screen for ten minutes: Something didn’t go as planned. No need to worry—undoing changes. Please keep your computer on. I tried tried a few things to fix it. For example, I removed programs that didn’t come with Windows, cleared the Windows Update cache and used the Windows Update troubleshooter. None of these solutions have worked.However, there’s some good news. It looks like we can successfully install KB5034765 by deleting a hidden folder named $WinREAgent. There are multiple ways to locate and delete this folder from Windows 11 installation, and you choose your preferred one: Method 1: Run Disk Cleanup as an administrator, select the system drive, and check the boxes for “Temporary files” and other relevant options. Finally, click “OK” to remove the system files, including Windows Update files. This will delete unnecessary files within $WinREAgent. Method 2: Open File Explorer and open the system drive, but make sure you’ve turned on view hidden items from folder settings. Locate $WinREAgent and remove it from the system. Method 3: Open Command Prompt as Administrator, and run the following command: rmdir /S /Q C:\$WinREAgent Windows Update causes File Explorer to crash on rebootSome PC owners are also running into another problem that causes the File Explorer to crash when rebooting or shutting down the system.This issue was previously observed in Windows 11’s January 2024 optional update, and it seems to have slipped into the mandatory security patch.The error message indicates an application error with explorer.exe, mentioning a specific memory address and stating, “The memory could not be written” .“The instruction at 0x00007FFB20563ACa referenced memory at 0x0000000000000024. The memory could not be written. Click on OK to terminate the program,” the error message titled “explorer.exe – Application Error” reads.explorer.exe crashes with a referenced memory error when rebootingThis issue seems to persist regardless of various troubleshooting efforts. Users have tried numerous fixes, including running the System File Checker tool (sfc /scannow), testing their RAM with Windows’ built-in tool and memtest86+, and even performing a clean installation of the latest Windows 11 version.Despite these efforts, the error remains.Interestingly, a common factor among affected users is the presence of a controller accessory, such as an Xbox 360 controller for Windows, connected to the PC. This connection has been observed, but it’s unclear if it directly contributes to the problem.Microsoft’s release notes for the KB5034765 update mentioned a fix for an issue where explorer.exe could stop responding when a PC with a controller accessory attached is restarted or shut down.However, despite this so-called official fix, users are reporting that the problem still occurs.Source&Images
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Alex Ruben
My goal is to make complex technical topics simple and accessible. On this site, I gather unique and useful content that not only solves users problems but also helps them better understand the capabilities of Windows.