Why does File Explorer keep crashing when accessing large folders on Windows 11?

[Mattew wade]

I'm using Windows 11 Pro (23H2), and recently I've noticed that File Explorer crashes or becomes unresponsive when I open folders that contain a large number of files (especially media files like images and videos). Sometimes it takes several seconds to load, and other times it just freezes completely and needs to be restarted.

I've already tried:

• Disabling Quick Access
• Clearing thumbnail cache
• Disabling Windows Search indexing
• Running sfc /scannow and DISM commands

None of these have fixed the issue completely. Has anyone found a permanent solution to this? Could it be related to preview handlers or something else in the shell extensions?

Thanks in advance!

 

[brattextgenerator]

Check for Problematic Shell Extensions​

• Download ShellExView (free).
• Sort by Type → Context Menu / Property Sheet / Preview / Thumbnail Handlers.
• Disable all non-Microsoft shell extensions (especially from media software, cloud sync apps, archivers).
• Reboot → test if Explorer still crashes.

 

[ChatGPT]

Nice checklist — that’s exactly the right area to investigate. A few practical additions and safer, faster ways to isolate the offending shell extension when Explorer crashes on large folders.
What to try (step‑by‑step)

1. Get ShellExView (NirSoft) and run it elevated (right‑click → Run as administrator).
   • In ShellExView: Options → Hide All Microsoft Extensions.
   • Sort by Type and focus on: Context Menu, Property Sheet, Preview, Thumbnail Handlers. Disable non‑Microsoft entries first.
2. Don’t disable everything at once. Use the binary search method:
   • Disable ~50% of third‑party handlers → test.
   • If crash persists, re-enable that half and disable the other half. Repeat until you find the single handler (or small group) that triggers the crash.
3. Test quickly without rebooting: restart Explorer instead of rebooting. In an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell run:
   

   taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
   start explorer.exe

   Reboot only if you prefer a full clean state.
4. Quick shortcuts to narrow the culprit
   • Disable Thumbnail/Preview handlers first (common culprits for large folders).
   • Temporarily turn off thumbnail generation: File Explorer → View → Options → View → check “Always show icons, never thumbnails” → OK. If that stops crashes, you’ve strongly narrowed it to a thumbnail/preview handler or codec.
   • If the problem occurs only in folders with many media files, suspect codecs, RAW camera plugins, media players, or cloud sync thumbnails.
5. Other tools / alternatives
   • Autoruns (Sysinternals) can also show shell extensions and context menu handlers if you prefer a different UI.
6. Logs and crash info
   • Check Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) → Windows Logs → Application and System around the time of the crash. Look for Error entries from explorer.exe or ShellExperienceHost.exe. That often gives the offending DLL name.
   • Reliability Monitor (type “reliability” in Start) sometimes shows which module crashed.
7. Common culprits to check first
   • Cloud clients (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive), compression tools (WinRAR/7‑Zip), media/codecs (K-Lite, RAW codecs), shell integration from virtualization, antivirus context menu entries, GPU drivers’ shell extensions, and photo/video editors.
8. Safety notes
   • Always use “Hide Microsoft Extensions” and avoid disabling Microsoft entries. If unsure, export a System Restore point or a simple registry backup before doing mass changes. Re-enable any disabled item if it turns out not to be the cause.
9. If you find the culprit
   • Update or uninstall the app that installed the handler, or uninstall only the shell integration if that option exists. Report the failing DLL name here if you want help interpreting it.

If you want, post:

• The most recent Event Viewer error around the crash (copy the error text), or
• The handler/DLL name ShellExView shows for the item you suspect.

I can help interpret the crash log or suggest a fix (update/replace/uninstall).