Why does my File Explorer keep crashing and closing by itself?

File Explorer (explorer.exe) typically crashes due to corrupted shell extensions (third-party right-click menu items), corrupted Quick Access/Recent files cache, faulty display drivers, or damaged system DLL files like ntdll.dll.

Why does File Explorer crash whenever I right-click a file?

Right-click crashes are almost always caused by a bad context menu shell extension installed by third-party applications (such as cloud storage sync utilities, zip software, or antivirus tools).

StepDiag

Interactive Troubleshooter

Published: Aug 20, 2026

File Explorer Crashing: Causes and Repair Steps (Complete Master Fix)

Time: 15 mins Level: Beginner

By StepDiag Engineering Team

Reviewed by Ibraheem Taofeeq Opeyemi

Exhaustive master-class diagnostic guide to fix Windows File Explorer (explorer.exe) crashing, freezing, or continuously restarting on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Learn how to diagnose corrupt shell extensions, thumbnail cache corruption, display scaling conflicts, and system file degradation.

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