Windows Explorer takes a long time to open.
Windows Explorer takes a long time to open.
I've noticed a strange issue where the file explorer takes a long time to open from the taskbar. This has only started happening recently, even though I've had this PC built before. It's becoming increasingly annoying. I've tried troubleshooting: I use an SSD for the C drive and an HDD for storage, everything seems fine there. I disabled the Quick Access feature in Microsoft settings and checked online forums, but no luck. I recreated shortcuts and even set up a 'This PC' shortcut, yet it still doesn't work from the taskbar. After adjusting indexing settings, the problem disappeared—though I'm not sure why. TL;DR: File Explorer and I aren't quite compatible anymore. Maybe someone else has faced this before?
When this happens, typically, it is File Explorer is trying to connect somewhere. Usually: File Explorer is waiting for an HDD to spin up to be accessed to show content from it (this includes pinned directories). File Explorer is waiting to establish a connection with a network share folder from a system that is not responding or slow to respond. Anti-Virus or other security software is slowing disk access. Assuming you are using something else than Windows Defender, uninstall it, restart, and see. Another possibility, is a what is called a "Shell extentions". While Windows doesn't have a management panel for them, like our web browser extentions, File Explorer does support this. It is called "Shell extension" as depending on the extension it can affect things outside of File Explorer itself. for example, Desktop right-click menu. If a program added a shell extension related to File Explorer, and it is not behaving right, then it could cause File Explorer to take time to load. Here is a tool from Microsoft to view installed Shell Extensions on your system (among other things): https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/autoruns Extract all files of the zip file, and run Autoruns64.exe as Administrator (elevated credentials). So right-click on it and pick: "Run as admin" Inside, wait until it loads, and go to the "Explorer" tab. You should only have items related to Microsoft Office and OneDrive on a Windows default installation + Office. If you have an Nvidia GPU, you'll also have: NvCplDesktopContext listed there. That is the desktop shortcut menu item which can be disabled via Nvidia Control Panel. I believe AMD GPUs also have their own thing. If you uncheck an item, the extension will not be loaded next time (you'll need to restart to see affect). And you check it back again to enable it. If you delete it, then it is gone forever, and depending on what you delete, it can be pain to get back (example: uninstall and re-install Office).
Your response is clear and well-structured. The questions you raise are thoughtful and relevant. To address them: determining each extension’s purpose often requires researching specific software documentation or forums. Regarding interaction differences, the method depends on how the extension is implemented—direct launch versus context menu triggers can affect performance and usability. Your understanding about Shell Extensions slowing down interactions when accessing options from menus is generally correct.
I first tried turning off select extensions then all but the default Windows ones, and after restarting both, there was no improvement. File Explorer launches quickly from the desktop, a bit slower from the Start menu, and noticeably slower from the taskbar. It’s hard to say why one feels faster than another, especially since my older computer with a HDD and company antivirus can open File Explorer instantly while my personal machine struggles. I’m puzzled by how launching the same shortcut from different spots could impact speed. My start menu shortcut opens a deeply nested file in Documents and behaves identically. My reasoning: 1. If the shortcut failed, different launch points wouldn’t change performance (everything would lag). 2. If Indexing, Quick Access, or Defender caused delays, then results should remain similar across devices. 3. If Windows normally opened the same shortcut from various locations at the same rate, it would suggest a consistent issue. 4. Something else must be at play, perhaps a graphics driver problem, though there’s no special animation for taskbar access. With my limited understanding, I’m completely confused. What do you think?
I overlooked mentioning a few points for clarity. A faulty SATA cable might lead File Explorer to freeze or slow down, since it struggles to connect with the drive. The range of potential issues is extensive, varying with program settings and versions. I’m unsure if your concerns are valid. If the functionality exists, it’s likely working. This tool is open source, so someone should have spotted any irregularities. Unless File Explorer shifts its position, the speed difference you noticed probably stems from how quickly items appear after clicking in the Start Menu versus the task bar. (Repeating actions can trigger SuperFetch, making it feel instant until a reboot or delay occurs.) The timing gap is usually unnoticeable unless you’re actively checking. Regarding GPU driver issues, if the start menu animation feels sluggish, that could be a sign. Other factors include: preview pane for file types, drag-and-drop feedback, metadata display in properties, tooltips on hover, extra columns, search tags, and related details.
Oh no! Windows will prompt for a restart. For a long time before UEFI existed, custom build setups took much longer to launch compared to your inexpensive, budget-friendly machines. Those were tough days... those were the challenging times. But now I’m tackling your issue, which isn’t typical. I understand your system background and what you own. You can try disconnecting the HDD, keeping only the SSD active (remember to unplug the HDD while the computer is off), and then check if the problem persists. This should clear out the HDD or SATA cable, or possibly a faulty secondary SATA controller—make sure you’re using the correct one from your motherboard manual. Also, verify in your UEFI settings that the SATA controller is set to AHCI mode.
On your way (not related to your issue but helpful): Ensure CSM is turned off and UEFI is enabled. Fast Boot should be active, XMP/DOCP set to Profile 1, POST delay 0 seconds, and all unused features disabled—including empty SATA ports.
If this doesn’t help, consider creating a fresh Windows account. Log out from your current one, switch to the new account, wait until the desktop loads completely, and then try again. If it still doesn’t work, a clean installation might be necessary.
Under Windows 10, the Start menu, taskbar, panels (date/time, volume, network, etc.) appear GPU-rendered. File Explorer isn’t fully rendered—just the window borders aren’t. To be honest, similar to this situation.