If you perform a keyword search in Windows Explorer, you are using the indexing process that reviews all stored data to match your search criteria. The method also involves cataloging essential data, such as words, file locations, metadata, etc. Indexing is the process of inspecting files, emails, and other types of content within your Windows 10 OS. Ignore that entry and choose the one without a dropdown.Right-click on the process and select “Restart” from the menu.If restarting Windows Explorer does not solve your freezing Start Menu problem, move on to Solution #3.ģ. Here's how to kill the Windows Explorer process.Open Task Manager by right-clicking on Windows 10 Start Menu icon and selecting 'Task Manager' from the menu, or hold down 'Ctrl+Shift+Escape.'Scroll through the “Processes” tab until you find “Windows Explorer.” If Windows Explorer is already open, you'll see another entry with a dropdown option, as shown below. The process is not guaranteed to work but has saved many Windows users from reinstalling their operating system. Killing Windows Explorer is a quick-and-easy fix that may come in handy for various situations, such as when you have non-responsive windows or sporadic issues on the Windows desktop. If you see 'Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them,' you are all set.If the above solution doesn't fix your Windows 10 Start menu freeze-up issues, move on to the next option.Ģ. You'll need to be online, as Windows will download clean versions of corrupted files and replace them. Make sure you select the option to run this task with administrator privileges.Type 'sfc /scannow' without quotes and hit 'Enter.' Take note of the space between 'sfc' and '/scannow.'To fix any errors if you see “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some (or all) of them,” type “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” without the quotes. To fix this, launch the Task Manager either by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting Task Manager or hitting 'Ctrl+Alt+Delete.'Type 'PowerShell' into the Cortana/Search box. Many problems with Windows come down to corrupt files, and Start menu issues are no exception.

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