How to fix Windows Explorer needs to be restarted error

by Madalina Dinita
Madalina Dinita
Madalina Dinita
Windows & Software Expert
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer. She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies... read more
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Windows 10 is a great operating system, but sometimes you might get Windows Explorer needs to be restarted out of the blue. This error can be annoying, so today we’ll show you how to fix it properly once and for all.

What to do if Windows 10 explorer keeps restarting?

  1. Start your PC in Safe Mode
  2. Run the System File Checker (SFC)
  3. Check the system hard drive
  4. Run memory tests

1. Start your PC in Safe Mode

Windows Explorer needs to be restarted error can appear for various reasons, and one way to deal with it is to enter the Safe Mode. In case you don’t know, Safe Mode is a special segment of Windows that runs with default settings, so it’s perfect for troubleshooting issues. Bear in mind that entering Safe Mode won’t fix the problem, but it will allow you to investigate the issue.

If the issue doesn’t appear in Safe Mode, it’s rather likely that your installation or user profile is corrupted.

2. Run the System File Checker (SFC)

If you’re getting Windows Explorer needs to be restarted error on your PC, you might be able to fix it by performing an SFC scan. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Command Prompt with administrator privilege. To do this, press the Win key + X shortcut key and select Command Prompt (Admin).
    command prompt windows explorer needs to be restarted
  2. After opening the Command Prompt, you need to run the SFC command. To do this, type sfc / scannow in the Command Prompt window and press the ENTER key to execute this command.
    sfc scannow windows explorer crash
  3. The SFC command will scan all system files and fixes the damaged files.

Once the SFC command is complete, reboot the system and check the error message.

3. Check the system hard drive

If the Windows Explorer needs to be restarted error is still there, you might want to try scanning your hard drive. You can do that by following these steps:

  1. Again, open the Command Prompt with administrator permission.
  2. Now, in the Command Prompt, type the command chkdsk /f X: and press ENTER. Replace X with the drive you want to scan.
    chkdsk windows explorer needs to be restarted

This command will check your hard disk for any kind of error, so it will take a long time to complete.

4. Run memory tests

  1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows key + R keys.
  2. In the Run box, type MdSched.exe and press Enter.
  3. Go to Select the Restart now and check for problems option.

This process will try to correct errors related to your system’s memory

That’s all about Windows Explorer needs to be restarted error and its solutions. We hope that all the solutions described above will help fix the problem for good.

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