How to Restart Windows Explorer Without Rebooting

As time goes on and new versions of Windows are released, they're generally more stable. The infamous hard crashes and "blue screens of death" are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Even with these things becoming less common, it's still important to know how to do basic computer restarts and fixes yourself, just in case.

Instructions

1. Open up the Task Manager. There are two common ways of doing this. Press Alt + Ctrl + Del or right-click on the task bar and select "Task Manager" from the menu.

2. Click on the "Processes" tab at the top of the window. It's usually the second one.

3. Sort the Processes by name by clicking "Image Name" at the top of the first column.

4. Scroll down the list until you find "explorer.exe." This is the actual program that makes your windows, desktop, and menus work.

5. Right-click on explorer.exe and choose "End Process." You will get a warning box asking if you are sure. Say "Yes" and continue. This will cause the majority of the things on the screen to disappear and then reappear a few seconds later.

Tips & Warnings

• If the stuff on your screen doesn't come back on its own, go to the "File" menu at the top of the Task Manager window and choose "New Task (Run)..." In the window that pops up, enter "explorer.exe" and click "OK."

• This is a short term fix at best. After Windows comes back, save your work and restart Windows the normal way.