Press Windows + E to test File Explorer without using its taskbar icon. If a folder opens but File Explorer hangs on Home, try setting This PC as the start page. If no File Explorer window opens, save your work, restart Windows, and check for updates.
01Try a different way to open it
Section linkIf clicking the taskbar icon does nothing, try Windows + E and then look for File Explorer in Start. If either opens the app, check whether you can open a local folder. That narrows the problem to the launch route or the first view instead of a failure to open every folder.
02Change the start page if Home stalls
Section linkIf you can still use an Explorer window, choose See more → Options. Under “Open File Explorer to,” choose This PC, then select Apply. Close the window and press Windows + E again. This changes the first view without moving files. If only a particular location stalls, check whether its drive or network share is available.
03If no window opens at all
Section linkSave your work, then use Start → Power → Restart. Test Windows + E after signing back in. Open Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates and restart if Windows asks you to. If Explorer still fails from every launch route, follow the recovery options linked in Microsoft’s troubleshooting guide. Back up important files before any reset.
Sources & further reading
Put it into practice
Before you convert
A short checklist for choosing an image format and checking the result.
Download checklist (.txt)