How to fix Explorer.exe Element Not Found error on Windows?

The article explains how to fix the “Explorer.exe Element Not Found” error on Windows with four methods: restarting explorer.exe, uninstalling recent Windows updates, running system file checker and DISM tools, and performing a system restore.

Problem

If you’re using Windows, you may have encountered the “Explorer.exe Element Not Found” error when trying to open File Explorer, Command Prompt, or other applications. This error can prevent you from accessing your files and folders, and it can be very frustrating. Fortunately, there are some ways to fix this error and restore your system’s functionality.

In this article, we’ll show you four methods to fix the “Explorer.exe Element Not Found” error on Windows. We’ll also explain what causes this error and how to prevent it from happening again.

Solution 1: Restart Explorer.exe

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. In the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer and right-click on it.
3. Select End task from the context menu.
4. Click File and then Run new task.
5. Type explorer.exe in the text box and click OK.

This will restart the explorer.exe process and hopefully fix the error. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows + X and select Task Manager to open the Task Manager.

Solution 2: Uninstall Recent Windows Updates

1. Press Windows + I keys to open the Settings app.
2. Click Update & Security and then View update history.
3. Click Uninstall updates to open the Control Panel.
4. In the Installed Updates window, find the updates that were installed around the time you started experiencing the error. You can use the Installed On column to sort the updates by date.
5. Right-click on the update you want to uninstall and select Uninstall from the context menu.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation.
7. Restart your computer and check if the error is gone.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows + R and type appwiz.cpl to open the Control Panel.

Solution 3: Run System File Checker and DISM

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Command Prompt as administrator.
3. zthe Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

   sfc /scannow

4. Wait for the scan to complete. This may take some time, so be patient.
5. If the scan finds and fixes any errors, restart your computer and check if the error is gone.
6. If the scan does not find any errors or does not fix them, type the following command and press Enter:

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

7. Wait for the scan to complete. This may also take some time, so be patient.
8. If the scan finds and fixes any errors, restart your computer and check if the error is gone.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) to run Command Prompt as administrator.

Solution 4: Perform a System Restore

1. Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type rstrui and press Enter to open the System Restore wizard.
3. Click Next to proceed.
4. Select a restore point that was created before you started experiencing the error. You can use the Show more restore points option to see more restore points if available.
5. Click Next and then Finish to confirm your choice.
6. Wait for the system restore to complete. This may take some time, so be patient.
7. Restart your computer and check if the error is gone.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows + S and type recovery to open the Recovery settings.

The “Explorer.exe Element Not Found” error is a common and annoying problem that can prevent you from accessing your files and folders on Windows. However, you can fix this error with some simple methods, such as restarting the explorer.exe process, uninstalling recent Windows updates, running system file checker and DISM tools, or performing a system restore. We hope this article helped you solve the “Explorer.exe Element Not Found” error and restore your system’s functionality.