Forum Discussion
Windows 11 File Explorer frequently freezes
When opening folders containing a large number of media files, the address bar and taskbar often become unresponsive, causing File Explorer to restart automatically.
If the above steps didn't solve the problem, the issue is most likely a buggy third-party shell extension. These are add-ons installed by other software (like cloud storage clients, compression tools, or media players) that run inside File Explorer. When they try to read your media files, they can crash Explorer itself.