Dont Update Your Computer Just Yet! The Latest Windows 11 Patch Breaks File Explorer

Microsoft is known for releasing regular updates for Windows 11, either to fix bugs or install new features. However, the latest Windows update has broken File Explorer.

File Explorer refuses to open folders after installing Windows 11 update KB5051987

Some users have reported that Windows 11 KB5051987 has broken File Explorer, the main app that most people use to access files and folders on their PCs. According to Windows Latest, their team was unable to open any folders in the File Explorer app after installing the update. Even when they tried to open any folders via desktop shortcuts or Windows Search, it remained unresponsive. However, the app did not crash, with the explorer.exe process still running normally in Task Manager. Instead, it just tried to ignore you.

If this happens to you and you really need to access your files, your next best option is to install one of the best Windows File Explorer alternatives to get things running smoothly. This may not be ideal, but at least you can get your data back while you wait for a fix from Microsoft.

Don't Update Your Computer Just Yet! The Latest Windows 11 Patch Breaks File Explorer

However, this isn’t the only issue reported with this update. Other users have reported that the update download has been stuck at 0% for hours, while some have been able to download the update successfully, only to receive the “Something didn’t go as expected” error when installing. This may be a good thing, though, as at least you don’t have to deal with the annoying File Explorer issue.

Other reported issues include the built-in camera disabling on HP Spectre laptops, significant GPU performance drops on Nvidia RTX 4090s, and Windows refusing to boot entirely after the update. For users who have installed the update and are experiencing File Explorer issues or other issues, you can manually uninstall the Windows update to get your PC back to normal.

Don't Update Your Computer Just Yet! The Latest Windows 11 Patch Breaks File Explorer
Uninstall Windows Update via Settings

However, you may need to temporarily disable automatic updates because KB5051987 is a mandatory security update and it will try to install again. To do this, you need to go to Settings > Windows Update > Pause updates .

Don't Update Your Computer Just Yet! The Latest Windows 11 Patch Breaks File Explorer
Pause updates option in Settings app

From there, you can select from 1 to 5 weeks in the drop-down menu, which should hopefully be enough time for Microsoft to release another update that will fix this issue.

Sign up and earn $1000 a day ⋙

Leave a Comment

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

If you don't care about having extra bloatware on your system, there are ways to remove or disable Windows Copilot on Windows 11.

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

Laptop batteries degrade over time and lose capacity, resulting in less battery life. But after tweaking some deeper Windows 11 settings, you should see a significant improvement in battery life.

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

The year 2023 saw Microsoft betting heavily on artificial intelligence and its partnership with OpenAI to make Copilot a reality.

Microsoft details Bluetooth LE Audio requirements and support for Windows 11, 10

Microsoft details Bluetooth LE Audio requirements and support for Windows 11, 10

Microsoft introduced Bluetooth LE (low energy) Audio support with Windows 11 22H2 KB5026446 (build 22621.1778), also known as Moment 3, in May 2023.

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows 11 has officially launched, compared to Windows 10 Windows 11 also has many changes, from the interface to new features. Please follow the details in the article below.

What a Classic 90s-Style Windows 11 Interface Would Look Like

What a Classic 90s-Style Windows 11 Interface Would Look Like

There's always something incredibly cool about the nostalgic user interface of 90s versions of Windows.

Microsoft: TPM 2.0 in Windows 11 is mandatory and non-negotiable

Microsoft: TPM 2.0 in Windows 11 is mandatory and non-negotiable

More than three years ago, when Microsoft announced Windows 11, the operating system immediately caused a lot of controversy.

2 ways to create Windows 11 bootable USB using Mac

2 ways to create Windows 11 bootable USB using Mac

Creating a Windows 11 bootable USB on a Mac is definitely more difficult than on a Windows PC, but it's not impossible.

Should I update Windows 11 now?

Should I update Windows 11 now?

Windows 11 officially launched on October 5, 2021. Unlike previous major Windows 10 upgrades, Microsoft is not encouraging people to upgrade this time.

Super slimmed down Windows 11 version is just over 100MB in size

Super slimmed down Windows 11 version is just over 100MB in size

Developer NTDEV has created a stripped down version of Windows 11 that's just 100MB.

More Windows 11 PCs Will Soon Get AI Copilot+

More Windows 11 PCs Will Soon Get AI Copilot+

Microsoft debuted most of its more advanced AI features with the Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PC, leaving many Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs out of the picture.

Windows 11 Market Share Is Quickly Catching Up to Windows 10

Windows 11 Market Share Is Quickly Catching Up to Windows 10

The October 2024 report provides an overview of Windows 11's market share compared to other versions of Windows.

Windows 11 will make a much-needed change to the Start menu

Windows 11 will make a much-needed change to the Start menu

The latest change being tested solves one of the most annoying things with Windows 11's Start menu, and hopefully it will actually make it to release.

How to hide/unhide the Taskbar on Windows 11

How to hide/unhide the Taskbar on Windows 11

In Windows 11, the taskbar takes up only a small portion of the display space at the bottom of the screen.

How to Restore WordPad in Windows 11

How to Restore WordPad in Windows 11

Microsoft is killing off its free rich text editor WordPad at the end of 2023 in an effort to transition users to premium Office apps.

Recover Deleted Data with Recuva Portable in Windows 7

Recover Deleted Data with Recuva Portable in Windows 7

In the following article, we will present the basic operations to recover deleted data in Windows 7 with the support tool Recuva Portable. With Recuva Portable, you can store it in any convenient USB, and use it whenever needed. The tool is compact, simple, easy to use with some of the following features:

How to delete duplicate files to save computer memory using CCleaner

How to delete duplicate files to save computer memory using CCleaner

CCleaner scans for duplicate files in just a few minutes, then lets you decide which ones are safe to delete.

10 Windows Settings You Should Never Leave as Default

10 Windows Settings You Should Never Leave as Default

Windows doesn't come with security set up by default, which means there are some default settings you need to change.

How to Download, Update, and Troubleshoot USB Drivers on Windows 10

How to Download, Update, and Troubleshoot USB Drivers on Windows 10

USB devices have become indispensable in everyday life, allowing us to connect a wide variety of essential hardware to our PCs.

How to Lock Guest Wi-Fi Network So No One Can Spy

How to Lock Guest Wi-Fi Network So No One Can Spy

If you properly lock down your guest Wi-Fi network, you can share your Internet connection with any visitors without sharing any other information.

Lost Admin rights on Windows 10, heres how to fix it

Lost Admin rights on Windows 10, heres how to fix it

For some reason, your Windows 10 computer lost Admin rights, every time you open an application on the screen you receive an error message. So how to restore lost Admin rights, please refer to the article below of WebTech360.

3 ways to turn off Windows 11 firewall

3 ways to turn off Windows 11 firewall

In this article, WebTech360 will guide you how to turn off the firewall on Windows 11.

Windows 11 22H2: Moment 1 update with many notable features

Windows 11 22H2: Moment 1 update with many notable features

After a long wait, the first major update of Windows 11 has officially been released.

How to fix Unhandled Exception Has Occurred error on Windows 10

How to fix Unhandled Exception Has Occurred error on Windows 10

The Unhandled exception has occurred error is not related to a specific application, making it more difficult to resolve. This article will guide you through some ways to fix the Unhandled exception has occurred error on Windows 10.

9 Ways to Convert MOV Files to MP4

9 Ways to Convert MOV Files to MP4

These days, most PCs and Apple devices can handle both MOV and MP4 files, at least to some extent. However, the need to convert MOV video files to MP4 files has not diminished.

What is end-to-end encryption? How does it work?

What is end-to-end encryption? How does it work?

Recognizing this need, major online messaging services use a technique called end-to-end encryption, to secure and protect users' conversations.

How to set different wallpapers on each monitor Windows 10/11

How to set different wallpapers on each monitor Windows 10/11

Setting up multiple monitors on Windows is quite simple and only takes a few minutes to do. After setting up multi-monitor mode (multiple screens), you can set up separate wallpapers for each screen. To do this, please refer to the article below from WebTech360.

How to use Command Prompt, how to use cmd on Windows

How to use Command Prompt, how to use cmd on Windows

Hidden deep within Windows is a world of command lines that few people know about. In this article, we will guide you on how to fix errors and make your computer more secure using the cmd command line tool.

How to enter BIOS (UEFI) on Windows 10, how to fix the error of not being able to enter BIOS Win 10

How to enter BIOS (UEFI) on Windows 10, how to fix the error of not being able to enter BIOS Win 10

Instructions on how to enter BIOS on Windows 10 for you, with video illustration.

How to use hidden video editor on Windows 11

How to use hidden video editor on Windows 11

Clipchamp is the default video editor on Windows 11, but if you just need to make a quick cut, split a simple photo, or add music to a clip, the classic editor inside the Photos Legacy app is a much better choice.