Restart Explorer Context Menu - Add in Windows 10  

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    Restart Explorer Context Menu - Add in Windows 10

    Restart Explorer Context Menu - Add in Windows 10

    How to Add 'Restart Explorer' to Desktop Context Menu in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Customization
    21 Jul 2021
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Add 'Restart Explorer' to Desktop Context Menu in Windows 10


    The explorer.exe process is the user shell for Windows, and is used by such items as the desktop, File Explorer, Start menu, and taskbar. Restarting the explorer.exe process is to stop and start it to effectively refresh explorer.exe. When the explorer.exe process has been stopped (aka: "end task"), you will see a blank black desktop with your mouse pointer showing until explorer.exe has been started again.

    This tutorial will show you how to add 'Restart Explorer' to the desktop context menu of all users in Windows 10.

    While you must be signed in as an administrator to be able to add or remove the context menu, all users will be able to use it.

    Restart Explorer context menu usage:

    When you right click or press and hold on the desktop and click/tap on Restart Explorer in the context menu, you can then select to click/tap on Restart Explorer Now or Restart Explorer with Pause.

    Restart Explorer Now will instantly restart the explorer.exe process now.

    Restart Explorer with Pause will open a command prompt window indicating that it has stopped the explorer.exe process, and will wait on you to press any key before restarting the explorer.exe process again. This way you can use the context menu to stop explorer, do what you need to do while it's stopped, click/tap on the command prompt window to make it the active window again, and press any key to start explorer.
    Restart Explorer Context Menu - Add in Windows 10-restart_explorer_command.png



    Contents

    • Option One: To Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu
    • Option Two: To Remove "Restart Explorer" from Desktop Context Menu



    EXAMPLE: 'Restart Explorer' desktop context menu
    Restart Explorer Context Menu - Add in Windows 10-restart_explorer_context_menu.jpg





    OPTION ONE

    To Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu


    1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and save it to your desktop.

    Add_Restart_Explorer_to_desktop_context_menu.reg

    Download

    2 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

    3 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    4 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    5 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.






    OPTION TWO

    To Remove "Restart Explorer" from Desktop Context Menu


    This is the default setting.


    1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and save it to your desktop.

    Remove_Restart_Explorer_from_desktop_context_menu.reg

    Download

    2 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

    3 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    4 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    5 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn Brink






  1. Posts : 426
    Windows 10 Home 64-bit, 22H2 19045.3636
       #1

    I just wanted to say that I just found this tutorial, and in some cases, including mine, it helps with the bug which sometimes stops auto-hiding the taskbar from working.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    I'm glad it could help Greg. :)
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 3
    Windows 10 Pro
       #3

    I use the command [ tskill explorer ] in the "Run" window to refresh explorer.exe
    So, I used your Desktop Context Menu reg file and replaced the batch commands in the bat file for an automatic restart.
    Thanks

    @echo off
    tskill explorer
    exit
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thank you for sharing Grey, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)
      My Computers


  5. whs
    Posts : 1,935
    Windows 7
       #5

    I have never seen my explorer .exe stop. Is that something that commonly happens >>
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    whs said:
    I have never seen my explorer .exe stop. Is that something that commonly happens >>
    Hey Wolfgang, :)

    I mostly use this for when I need to perform an action that requires explorer to be killed while doing it for it to work, then let it restart explorer when finished.

    Other times, it can be helpful whenever you just need to restart explorer for whatever reason.
      My Computers


  7. whs
    Posts : 1,935
    Windows 7
       #7

    Thanks Shawn. I see your application. I do not recall that I ever had to stop the explorer though. You must be doing fancy stuff, LOL.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Yeah, just a lot of testing at times to see which way would be easier to apply stuff.
      My Computers


  9. whs
    Posts : 1,935
    Windows 7
       #9

    I guess all your tutorials require a lot of experimenting.
      My Computer


 

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