How to fix error explorer-crash-loop in Windows 11

Solution Steps

1. 1 Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. If Explorer is crashing, you can still use Task Manager. Click 'File' → 'Run new task', type 'cmd' and check 'Create this task with administrative privileges'. This gives you a command prompt to work with.
2. 2 Run the System File Checker. In the command prompt, type 'sfc /scannow' and press Enter. This repairs corrupted system files that might be causing Explorer to crash.
3. 3 Run DISM. Type 'DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth' and press Enter. This fixes deeper system corruption.
4. 4 Check for problematic shell extensions. Download a free tool called 'ShellExView' from NirSoft. Run it and look for third-party shell extensions (they are not Microsoft). Disable them one by one by selecting and pressing F7. Restart Explorer (right-click taskbar → Task Manager → find Windows Explorer → Restart). If the crash stops, you found the culprit.
5. 5 If you recently installed a new program, uninstall it. Go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find the program, and uninstall it. This removes any shell extensions it added.
6. 6 Perform a clean boot to isolate the issue. Press Win+R, type 'msconfig', and press Enter. Go to the 'Services' tab, check 'Hide all Microsoft services', and click 'Disable all'. Then go to the 'Startup' tab and click 'Open Task Manager'. Disable all startup items. Restart your PC. If Explorer works, re-enable services and startup items one by one to find the culprit.