Windows 11 file explorer hangs, open

Perform the follow these steps:

• Open Edge Settings: Click the three dots (...) in the top right and select Settings.
• Privacy, Search, and Services: Click this in the left sidebar.
• Scroll to the bottom: Look for the Services section.
• Toggle OFF these specific features:
• Show opportunities to support causes and nonprofits (sometimes triggers ads).
• Save time and money with Shopping in Microsoft Edge (This is the main culprit).
• Restart Edge.

Thanks

You can try resetting File Explorer (explorer.exe) process: 

1. Press Windows Key + R and type SYSDM.CPL in Run. Click OK or press Enter key. 

2. In System Properties window, switch to Advanced tab, click Settings under Performance. 

3. Next, in Performance Options, under Processor scheduling, make sure that Adjust for best performance of: is set to Programs. 

4. Then in the same window, under Virtual memory, click Settings button. 

5. On Virtual Memory page, make sure Automatically manage paging file sizes for all drives option is checked. Click OK, then Apply, OK on rest of windows. 

6. Reboot the machine and see if issue is resolved now. 

If issue still persists, refer other suggestions in this fix:

https://www.kapilarya.com/fix-file-explorer-freezing-in-windows-11

Let us know if this helps! 

Note: Included link in this reply refers to blog by a trusted Microsoft MVP.

Clearing history did it for me.
I had created a directory with a very long hyphenated name, maybe that was it?

I have encountered this problem on almost every upgrade from Win 10 to Win 11. I first encountered this on a VM I use as a test bed for investigating anomalous behaviors of Windows (of which I find many).. After much scouring of the web, the only workaround I've found is to disable the Windows Search service. The solution was to perform a clean install. This was acceptable on the VM.

But this is unacceptable if I want to keep my apps and data during an upgrade or depend on the service. because of the pending EOL of Win 10, I have now (reluctantly) performed on my main system. I was hoping at this late date, this would have been a permanent solution but that is, apparently is not the case.

Now I find this very recent post highlighting the issue. Other than submitting a comment to the "improvements" site, what can be done to beat up on the "powers that be" to get attention to this? How wide spread is it?

I have encountered this problem on almost every upgrade from Win 10 to Win 11. I first encountered this on a VM I use as a test bed for investigating anomalous behaviors of Windows (of which I find many).. After much scouring of the web, the only workaround I've found is to disable the Windows Search service. The solution was to perform a clean install. This was acceptable on the VM.

But this is unacceptable if I want to keep my apps and data during an upgrade or depend on the service. because of the pending EOL of Win 10, I have now (reluctantly) performed on my main system. I was hoping at this late date, this would have been a permanent solution but that is, apparently is not the case.

Now I find this very recent post highlighting the issue. Other than submitting a comment to the "improvements" site, what can be done to beat up on the "powers that be" to get attention to this? How wide spread is this? Is there something in my environment that makes me more prone to it?

Hey there! Ah, the good ol’ file explorer hang-ups—been there. It can feel like it’s taking a coffee break when you just need to get to your files 😅. But no worries, let’s see if we can get things flowing smoothly again.

Since the sfc /scannow didn’t work, here’s what you can try next:

1. Restart File Explorer:
   Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find Windows Explorer, right-click, and hit Restart. This might give it the nudge it needs.
2. Clear File Explorer History:
   Open File Explorer Options (search for it in the Start Menu), under the General tab, click Clear under Privacy. This helps sometimes if it’s holding onto some funky data.
3. Update Windows:
   It could be a bug that a Windows update has fixed. Go to Settings > Windows Update and check if there’s an update waiting for you.
4. Try a Clean Boot:
   It might be a startup app causing the hang. Type msconfig in the Run dialog (Win + R), go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, and then disable the rest. Restart your PC and see if the issue continues.

If none of that works, you might wanna try the nuclear option: resetting Windows Explorer’s settings or even running DISM to fix any deeper issues:

• DISM command: Open Command Prompt (Admin) and type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. Let it run and see if that does the trick.

Hope one of these gets File Explorer back on track and out of its slumber! 🤞