Multiple instances of Windows Explorer

concord72 said:

My bad, I need to clarify some things:
- It shows up as WINDOWS EXPLORER for me, not explorer.exe (not sure if this matters or not)
- The multiple instances are under Windows Processes in Task Manager

Properties looks the same as the pics you posted.
Winver is attached.

The "Launch folders window in separate process" box IS checked.

winver shows latest build with all updates - good.
Okay, I'm not seeing Windows Explorer in my system:




never mind - I see it under Processes when I open Task Manager.

And when you "expand" Windows Explorer, what do you see?

So check this out. I remember this happened to me, and figured why mine was doing it.

I am using a 3rd party program called DexPot (lets you have multiple Desktops). But I forgot and unable to reproduce that problem again. It showed a whole bunch of Windows Explorer instances like yours.

Restart your computer, close off all 3rd party programs and check out Task Manager like an hour later or something.

No, do not uninstall them.

1) Restart your computer, go to Task Manager (Check how many Windows Explorers there are real quick)
2) Look at all the other apps that are running, here's some examples of some of your 3rd party apps from your pictures above: Google Chrome, iTunes 5, Malwarebytes, Telegram (I don't know what that is), Autohotkey, [you may have more down that list]

If you could post multiple screenshots of everything listed there (yes it might be a hastle, but I can point out the apps that you can End Task. Wait one question too... I see you have a Restart button. Mine shows "End Task"

Ok.. well, good news is that I see One Windows Explorer now.

There may be some program forcing to run Windows Explorer again and again or something. My highest suspicion would be the Autohotkey. Do you have some "macro" in there that causes a folder to open or something like that?

Try running some things you have set up in AutoHotKey, and see if Windows Explorer multiplies. If not, End Task AutoHotKey and check up on Task Manager (to see how many Windows Explorers are running like 1 hour later)

Pepanee has a good point about 3rd-party software being the culprit. What you could do is perform a clean boot, then start enabling things a couple at a time, to try and figure out which is causing the multiple instances.
Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts
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