How To Restart Taskbar Windows 10

If your taskbar, system tray, or Start menu acts upwards, you might be tempted to restart your PC. Instead, you lot can usually but restart Windows Explorer. Windows makes it pretty easy whether you're using Windows 11, Windows ten, Windows 8, or Windows 7.

Windows Explorer (Explorer.exe) is a program director process that provides the graphical interface y'all utilize to interact with most of Windows—the First card, taskbar, notification area, and File Explorer. Occasionally, whatever of these pieces that make up the Windows graphical shell tin can start acting strangely or even hang. Just like you can close and restart an app that's acting up, you can also close and restart Windows Explorer. Restarting Windows Explorer tin can also be handy if you've just installed a new app or applied a Registry tweak that would normally require you to restart your PC. Restarting Explorer doesn't ever work in those cases, but information technology'south like shooting fish in a barrel enough to try information technology first if you want to avert a total restart. Hither are a few means yous can restart Windows Explorer.

Selection I: Restart Explorer from Job Manager

The Chore Manager offers the traditional way to restart Windows Explorer. It was overhauled for Windows 8, 10, and 11, so we've got instructions for you whether you're using those or Windows 7.

Restart Explorer from Task Manager in Windows eleven

The best way to open the Task Manager in Windows xi is to hit Ctrl+Shift+Esc. You lot could also click the Start push, type "Chore Manager" into the search bar, and then hit Enter or click "Open."

Click "Open."

You could also lunch it from the Ability User Menu. You lot access it this menu past right-clicking the Start push button, or by hit Windows+10. So click "Task Managing director."

Click "Task Manager."

Click the "Processes" tab in the Job Manager. If you don't run into it, click "More Details" at the bottom of the window to reveal more options.

Click Windows Explorer, then click "Restart."

Alternatively, you tin only right-click "Windows Explorer," and so click "Restart" in the context carte.

Right-click "Windows Explorer," and then click "Restart."

Restart Explorer from Chore Managing director in Windows 8 or 10

In Windows 8 or 10, open up Task Manager past right-clicking any empty area on your taskbar and and then clicking "Task Manager."

You can also hit Start and search for "task manager," which might exist more useful to you lot if y'all're looking at the Start screen instead of the desktop in Windows 8. And if you favor keyboard shortcuts, just press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.

Click "Task Manager."

If your Task Manager window looks like the example beneath, click "More details" at the bottom to see the detailed interface.

Click "More Details."

The "Process" tab of the Task Manager window shows you apps and groundwork processes currently running on your PC. Scroll downwardly the listing of what'due south running and find "Windows Explorer." If you lot currently have a File Explorer window open, you'll see information technology correct most the top in the "Apps" section. Otherwise, you'll observe information technology toward the lesser of the "Groundwork Processes" section. To restart, just select "Windows Explorer" and then click the "Restart" button.

Select "Windows Explorer," and then click "Restart."

That'due south all you should have to do. It may take a few seconds and things like your taskbar and Start menu may disappear momentarily, merely when it restarts, things should acquit ameliorate and you can leave Job Manager.

Restart Explorer from Job Managing director in Windows 7

Windows vii doesn't offer a simple restart control like Windows 8 and 10 do. Instead, yous'll have to end the process and and then restart it as two dissever steps. Correct-click whatever empty area of the taskbar and cull "Chore Manager."

Click "Start Task Manager."

In the Task Manager window, switch to the "Processes" tab. Select the "explorer.exe" process and then click the "Terminate Procedure" button.

In the alarm window that pops up, click "Terminate Process."

Click "End Process."

Your taskbar and notification surface area (likewise every bit any open File Explorer windows) should disappear from view. Sometimes, Windows will restart the procedure automatically after a minute or and so, but it's easiest just to get ahead and restart it yourself. In the Chore Managing director window, click the "File" menu and then click "New Task (Run…)".

Click "File," and then click "New Task (Run)."

In the Create New Task window, type "explorer.exe" into the "Open" box and and then click "OK."

Your taskbar and notification area should reappear and hopefully, whatever trouble you were having will be resolved. You can close Task Manager.

Option Two: Go out Explorer from the Taskbar or Offset Bill of fare in Windows vii, 8, or 10

Note: These menus are not present in Windows 11.

Exit File Explorer from the Job Bar in Windows 8 and x

In that location is as well a handy piffling shortcut for ending the Windows Explorer procedure. In Windows eight and x, you tin agree Ctrl+Shift while correct-clicking any empty area of the taskbar. On the modified context menu, click the "Leave Explorer" command.

Click "Exit Explorer."

Exit Explorer from the Commencement Menu on Windows 7

In Windows 7, click Start so hold Ctrl+Shift while clicking whatsoever open area on the Start menu to see the "Exit Explorer" control.

Click "Exit Explorer."

When y'all select these commands, they do not restart Windows Explorer on any version of Windows — they only end the process. Windows will oft restart the process automatically after a minute or so, simply if it doesn't, yous'll need to practice and then manually. Just press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. Click the File menu and and then choose "Run new job" in Windows viii or 10 (or "Create new task" in Windows 7). Type "explorer.exe" into the run box and hit "OK" to relaunch Windows Explorer.

Option Three: Restart Explorer with a Batch File in Whatever Version of Windows

RELATED: How to Write a Batch Script on Windows

If you'd prefer beingness able to restart Windows Explorer more speedily and avoid using Task Director altogether, you can put together a uncomplicated batch file to practise the chore.

Fire up Notepad or your text editor of selection. Copy the following text and paste it into three separate lines in your bare text document.

taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe commencement explorer.exe exit

Batch file text.

Next, you'll need to salvage the file with the ".bat" instead of ".txt" extension. Click the "File" card and then click "Salvage as." In the "Save As" window, choose your location and so, on the "Salvage every bit type" drib-down menu, choose "All files (*.*)." Proper noun your file any you lot want, followed past the ".bat" extension and so click "Save."

Enter your batch file name, then click "Save."

RELATED: How to Edit the Win+X Menu in Windows viii and 10

Store the batch file anywhere you like. Yous tin then create a shortcut to the batch file that you can place wherever information technology makes the most sense for you lot—on your desktop, Start carte, taskbar, or even add information technology to the Ability Users bill of fare y'all get when you lot press Windows+10.

One time your shortcut is in place, you have one-click access to restart Windows Explorer whenever y'all need to.