Unlocking the Power of Windows 10- A Step-by-Step Guide to Enabling Explorer.exe

How to Enable explorer.exe in Windows 10

In Windows 10, the explorer.exe process is responsible for managing the user interface and file management system. Sometimes, this process may encounter issues, causing the explorer.exe to stop working. If you’re experiencing problems with your file explorer and want to enable it again, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do so.

Step 1: Restart Your Computer

The first thing you should try when your explorer.exe stops working is to restart your computer. This can help resolve temporary issues that may be causing the problem. Simply press the power button to shut down your computer, wait a few seconds, and then turn it back on.

Step 2: Open Task Manager

If restarting your computer doesn’t fix the issue, you can try opening the Task Manager. To do this, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, or right-click on the taskbar and select “Task Manager.”

Step 3: End explorer.exe Process

Once the Task Manager is open, navigate to the “Processes” tab. Look for the “explorer.exe” process and select it. Then, click on the “End Task” button at the bottom of the window. Be aware that this will close all open windows and applications, so save any work you have in progress before proceeding.

Step 4: Restart explorer.exe

After ending the explorer.exe process, you need to restart it. To do this, go back to the “File” menu in the Task Manager and select “New Task (Run…).” In the “Create New Task” window, type “explorer.exe” in the “Open” field and click “OK.” This will restart the explorer.exe process and open the file explorer.

Step 5: Check for System File Corruption

If the above steps don’t work, there might be a problem with the system files. You can use the “System File Checker” tool to scan and repair corrupted system files. To do this, open the Command Prompt as an administrator by searching for “cmd” in the Start menu, right-clicking on “Command Prompt,” and selecting “Run as administrator.” Then, type “sfc /scannow” and press Enter. This process may take some time to complete, but it will help fix any corrupted system files that might be causing the issue.

Step 6: Perform a System Restore

If none of the above steps work, you can try performing a system restore to a previous point when the explorer.exe was functioning correctly. To do this, type “System Restore” in the Start menu and select the “Create a restore point” option. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose a restore point and initiate the process. Once the restore is complete, the explorer.exe should be enabled again.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to enable the explorer.exe process in Windows 10 and resolve any issues you might be facing with your file explorer. Remember to back up important data before attempting any system restore or repair, and always ensure that you have the necessary permissions to perform these actions.