I need to have two copies of Windows Explorer open, so I can move stuff around efficiently. This has always worked for me. Today, I can't open a second copy. When I right-click the start button and select "Open Windows Explorer" (after opening one copy of Explorer), it just changes the shading on the copy I already have open. Any ideas? I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium. Thanks.
📎 AI Summary:
The original poster is experiencing difficulty opening a second window of Windows Explorer on Windows 7, as right-clicking the start button only switches focus to the already open window. The response provides multiple solutions, including keyboard shortcuts, taskbar options, Task Manager commands, and command-line methods, to open multiple Explorer instances. Overall, the thread addresses the challenge of managing multiple Explorer windows and offers practical workarounds to achieve this, with the advice being clear and helpful.
The original poster is experiencing difficulty opening a second window of Windows Explorer on Windows 7, as right-clicking the start button only switches focus to the already open window. The response provides multiple solutions, including keyboard shortcuts, taskbar options, Task Manager commands, and command-line methods, to open multiple Explorer instances. Overall, the thread addresses the challenge of managing multiple Explorer windows and offers practical workarounds to achieve this, with the advice being clear and helpful.
Solution
If you're unable to open a second instance of Windows Explorer on Windows 7, there are a few approaches you can take to resolve this issue: 1. Keyboard Shortcut: Press
Windows Key + E to directly open a new instance of Windows Explorer. 2. Taskbar Shortcut: Right-click the Windows Explorer icon on the taskbar and choose "Windows Explorer" from the jump list. 3. From Task Manager: You can open a new instance of Windows Explorer from the Task Manager: - Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. - In the "Applications" tab, right-click on "Windows Explorer" and choose "Start New Instance." 4. Command Line: You can open a new window by typing explorer.exe in the Run dialog (Win + R). By using these methods, you should be able to open multiple instances of Windows Explorer to manage your files efficiently.