Whenever you're facing issues with the Windows user interface, for example, your taskbar isn't responding, or the file navigation seems slow, restarting the Windows Explorer process can often fix the result.

By doing this, you're basically striking the reboot button for the graphical user interface without having to shut downwardly or restart your PC. Here, we'll be taking a look at four unique ways to restart File Explorer in Windows 10.

What Is File Explorer in Windows?

File Explorer is the built-in file managing director for Windows devices. You use it to navigate through various directories and browse for files within the operating organization.

If you lot're someone who switched from a Mac, consider this Microsoft's equivalent of Finder in macOS. Y'all tin open a new File Explorer window past only clicking on the folder icon next to Windows Search.

Having said that, File Explorer starts running in the groundwork every bit shortly as your figurer boots upwardly. Autonomously from file management, it also allows yous to interact with the Start carte, desktop, and taskbar items.

If File Explorer isn't running on your computer or crashes, all y'all'll see is a black screen. Although you can control your PC with Task Manager or Command Prompt, the File Explorer makes it easy since it'due south an integral GUI component.

Earlier the release of Windows viii, information technology was referred to every bit Windows Explorer. Despite the name change, you'll withal see the older name existence referenced in some parts of the OS, as you'll run across beneath.

ane. Restart File Explorer Using the Task Manager

We'll kickoff with the near pop way to restart File Explorer.

Task Manager is basically a organisation monitor that you lot can use to kickoff or cease a process on your computer. These processes can be agile programs, services, and other tasks that run in the background while you use your PC. Additionally, y'all can apply information technology to continue an eye on hardware resource such every bit CPU usage, retentivity usage, and more than.

Since File Explorer is a process that always runs in the groundwork, using Chore Manager to restart it comes as no surprise. Here'due south what you lot need to do:

  1. Right-click anywhere on the taskbar and selectJob Director from the context menu to go started. Alternatively, you can press theCtrl + Alt + Delete keys on your keyboard.
  2. If you don't come across the post-obit window and get the uncomplicated view instead, click onMore than details. Next, you need to whorl the listing of all the active processes and observeWindows Explorer. Select it and then click onRestart at the lower-right corner of the window.
Restarting Windows Explorer from Task Manager

Your desktop will become black, and the taskbar will disappear for a split second, confirming that the Windows Explorer process has rebooted in your system. After the restart, the interface will probable feel more responsive if you were facing slowdowns.

2. Restart Explorer.exe Using Exit Explorer

Do you like to have more than control when you restart File Explorer? Perhaps you don't want to immediately restart it because you're testing something out on your computer, and you desire it to use as few resources equally possible.

In that case, you'll find the Leave Explorer method interesting. Hither, after catastrophe the Explorer.exe process, we'll manually re-run it using the Chore Manager.

Let's check out the necessary steps:

  1. Press the Ctrl + Shift keys on your keyboard and right-click anywhere on the taskbar. You'll go an boosted option in the context menu. Click Leave Explorer. Your screen will go black, and the taskbar volition disappear indefinitely, simply don't panic.
  2. Now, press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys on your keyboard and cullChore Manager from theSign out screen.
  3. When Chore Manager opens, go to File > Run new job from its menu bar.
  4. You'll now be prompted to enter the name of the process that you want to run. Typeexplorer.exe and click on OK as shown below.
Starting a new explorer process in Task Manager

The taskbar and your desktop will reappear on the screen, confirming that File Explorer is once once more actively running in the background of your system.

3. Restart Windows Explorer Using Command Prompt

Control Prompt is a programme that most Windows users are familiar with. It'due south the built-in control-line interpreter for Windows devices that lets users perform diverse tasks on their computers with lines of code.

We'll use 2 separate commands to kill the Explorer.exe process and starting time it back up in this item method. It'south a manual way to restart File Explorer, only like the previous method.

  1. Input command prompt in your Start menu search bar and select the Best match. At present, to finish File Explorer from running, type the following control and hit the Enter primal:
                  taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
  2. When you're ready to re-run it, utilise this control and pressEnter:
                  first explorer.exe
    Using CMD to restart Windows explorer

Subsequently inbound the first command, your screen will go black, just like the other method. You'll be able to reaccess your desktop once you enter the 2d command line.

4. Use a Batch File to Restart File Explorer in Windows

A batch file is simply a plainly text file containing series of commands that yous tin can execute with command-line interpreters similar CMD or PowerShell. These files utilise the .bat format, and you tin admission them using Explorer.

When you open a .bat file, all the commands stored in it will execute automatically in sequential order. Hither, nosotros'll be using the same two commands we used in the Command Prompt method, except you'll be storing information technology as a batch file on your desktop for easy access.

Follow these instructions to create the batch file:

  1. Use the Start menu search bar to find and open the Notepad application. At present, type in the following lines of lawmaking:
                  taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
    first explorer.exe
                    go out
  2. You demand to salvage the file at present. Head toFile > Salvage As in the menu bar.
  3. In this step, prepare the Save as type toAll Files and add.bat at the end of the file name. Select a location that you lot can quickly admission, preferably the Desktop binder, and click onSave. This volition save the Notepad document every bit a batch file.
Saving code to restart explorer as a batch file

All y'all need to do right at present is double-click on the file to run the commands. When File Explorer restarts, your screen will get black for a carve up second.

If you shop the batch file on your desktop or pin it to your taskbar, where it'southward easily attainable, this would ideally exist the fastest way to restart Explorer.exe on your computer.

Restarting Explorer Fabricated Easier

Now that you've learned not one but four unlike ways to restart File Explorer, information technology'south time to observe your favorite method for in one case. If you're looking for the fastest method, you have a articulate winner here. Just, if you don't want to fix a batch file for it, yous tin always become for the pop Chore Managing director technique.

And, if you desire to stop and start the Explorer.exe process manually, you can utilize the ii other options.