How to restart Explorer.exe in Windows?

The Windows file explorer is called explorer.exe, by having it activated you can open and navigate through personal or system folders, but it is very common for errors such as viruses to appear, or for an open window to freeze.

For what it will be necessary to restart the explorer.exe function , there are several methods to do it, either from the task manager, which is the most common, and through the CMD or PowerShell. Also, when a virus strikes and it becomes commonplace to restart explorer.exe, many users choose to create a shortcut on the desktop menu.

Index( )

1. What ways are there to restart Explorer.exe in Windows?
   1. With task manager
   2. Through the CMD
   3. With the Command Console or PowerShell
   4. Adding an option in the Desktop menu
2. How to exit Explorer.exe in Windows?
   1. On Windows 10 and 8
   2. With Windows 7

What ways are there to restart Explorer.exe in Windows?

By restarting explorer.exe we can solve the error that some function got stuck. For example, many people decide to make the taskbar transparent in Windows , but if the PC does not meet these requirements, the bar will remain frozen, but by restarting explorer.exe we can solve it. Learn how to reset it as follows:

With task manager

1. Open the task manager, you can press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete key combination or right click on the taskbar.
2. In the processes tab locate the file explorer.
3. Right-click on the file explorer to display the options menu.
4. Click ‘restart’ and you’re done.

One tip that you should know is that it is recommended to use the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys in case the taskbar hangs , since it is very common for folders and the taskbar to stop working at the same time.

Through the CMD

It is only necessary to execute a command in the CMD or command prompts to restart the explorer.exe process . Granting admin permissions is of course mandatory, otherwise it won’t be possible. To do it from the command prompts you just need:

1. Open command prompts with administrator permissions.
2. Type the command ‘taskkill /f /im explorer.exe’.
3. You press enter and you’re done.

With the Command Console or PowerShell

To restart explorer.exe from PowerShell we must follow the same steps as the command prompts or CMD, since the command is the same. That is, you just have to:

1. Open PowerShell with administrator privileges.
2. Type the command ‘taskkill /f /im explorer.exe’.
3. You press enter and you’re done.

Adding an option in the Desktop menu

If you get the explorer.exe error when shutting down or restarting Windows , even if it freezes several times frequently, you can create a shortcut that will restart it with just a double click. For this you must create an executable .bat file . And the first thing you need to do is open the Windows notepad application and type:

• taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe
• start explorer.exe
• exit

Close the created document so that the ‘Save as’ window appears or click on File and then on ‘Save as’ and it is very important that you write .bat after the name you want. For example, ‘RestartExplorer.bat’. When saving your document you will be able to verify that everything went well if the icon is a gear, and not the typical icon of the notepad files.

In this way you can double click on your created .bat file and the file explorer restarts immediately, you have the advantage of locating it where you want. Of course, the desktop is recommended.

How to exit Explorer.exe in Windows?

In addition to restarting the function of explorer.exe, you can also exit it. That is, you can close it temporarily, in order to solve some kind of error. Of course, you must go through the resume process manually. Also, to exit the file explorer you must:

On Windows 10 and 8

1. Hold down Ctrl + Shit.
2. Without releasing the keys, right-click on the taskbar to reveal the hidden options.
3. Click on ‘Exit explorer’ and that’s it.

With Windows 7

1. Press the start button or click on the start icon.
2. Hold down Ctrl + Shit.
3. Without releasing the keys press the right mouse click on a place in the start menu, of course it must be blank. It means an empty space.
4. Click on ‘Exit Explorer’ and that’s it.