When your computer stops responding or freezes up, your first instinct may be to open Task Manager.

Close File Explorer in Task Manager and Manually Restart. If those first few don’t solve the problem, you’ll move onto more complicated or special case solutions. You’ll start with simple solutions like closing and manually restarting the application, clearing your File Explorer application’s search history, and adjusting your display settings. How to fix File Explorer not responding or freezingīelow are 7 solutions for you to follow to fix this annoying problem. While this feature is useful, an extensive history log can slow down or freeze the application. File Explorer history bloated – File Explorer tracks the history of files you have accessed and searched for in your Recent Searches.Changes to Display Settings – If you have changed your font size or other display settings, this may cause your File Explorer application to freeze.This is especially pronounced when accessing your file system. Hard drive is full – When your hard drive is nearing capacity (over 75% full) your computer will perceptibly slow down.Some users have reported that fully updating Windows stopped File Explorer from freezing up. Windows 10 needs an update – If Windows 10 is outdated, you are putting yourself at risk of troublesome bugs and security threats.Other users have reported issues with their File Explorer application, such as freezing or not responding, and have identified solutions that remedy the problem. What causes the Windows File Explorer not responding issue?īecause Windows is the most widely used operating system in the world, there is a large amount of user reports available in forums and other sites. There is also an excellent search function that can help you locate a specific file.

Create new folders, create a shortcut, and organize your files. Within your C: drive, you can find the Program Files folder, allowing you to search through and open programs and applications. File Explorer can also be used to navigate your storage disk or see which networks you have access to. This GUI (graphical user interface) can be used to open a document in your My Documents folder, find the latest downloaded file in your Downloads folder, search through your pictures or videos in your Pictures or Videos folder. What is Windows File Explorer?įile Explorer, known as Windows Explorer in earlier versions of Windows operating system, is used to navigate throughout your computer. Thankfully, most solutions are straightforward, and you can find step-by-step walkthroughs below. There can be multiple reasons contributing to a slow or freezing Windows File Explorer.

Is your Windows File Explorer not responding when you try to access your files, photos, or drives? When File Explorer is not working as intended, it prevents you from finding or accessing anything not on your Desktop.

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