Explorer.exe Crashing Continuously Windows 11 Fix [2026]

Quick Answer: Explorer crashes due to corrupted thumbnail cache or incompatible shell extensions. Clear %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_* files and run sfc /scannow to fix system file corruption.

Symptoms

File Explorer opens then closes
Desktop icons disappear and reappear
Right-click crashes Explorer
"Windows Explorer has stopped working"

Root Cause

Corrupted thumbnails, shell extension conflicts, or broken system files.

Fix

Method 1: Clear Thumbnail Cache

Remove-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db" -Force
Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force; Start-Process explorer

Method 2: Run System File Checker

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Method 3: Clean Boot

msconfig → Services → Hide Microsoft services → Disable all
Startup tab → Open Task Manager → Disable all startup items
Restart

Method 4: Check Event Viewer

Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Application'; ID='1000'; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddDays(-1)} | Where-Object {$_.Message -like "*explorer*"} | Select-Object TimeCreated, Message

How Againly Helps

Againly runs check_explorer_stability to detect shell extension conflicts and thumbnail corruption.

[CTA: Try free diagnosis]

FAQ

Q: Will I lose files? A: No, thumbnail cache only stores previews, not actual files.

Q: What are shell extensions? A: Right-click menu items added by third-party apps.

Instant Resolution

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Works on Windows 10 & 11 • No credit card required