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File Explorer - Quick Access - Very Slow to Open

I've searched through all of these examples, but have yet to find a good answer that actually resolves the issues.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-files-winpc/windows-10-file-explorer-not-responding/60cc0e18-942a-427f-a1b8-31cd33d2cabf

I've gone through this old locked thread, and followed the steps, but have not seen any fix actually work.

Issue:

Open File Explorer - Quick Access opens very slowly, "working on it..."

After waiting some time it does open but it's definitely not "quick access".

I can right-click on Quick Access and click on options.  Then Clear File Explorer history and uncheck one of two boxes for Privacy to show files and/or folders.  This works for a little bit, until the user starts opening more files and folders.  It seems to be attached to how large the folder or file is as to how long it takes Quick Access to open up.

I did try this:

from Johnober:

Do this:

  1. Right-click Start and select Command Prompt (admin).
  2. Type PowerShell and press enter to open it.
  3. Copy and paste the below script.

    Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
  4. Wait for the Powershell to complete the process. This could take about 10 minutes and at times may look like it stalled. Just continue to let it run. You may see a number of errors reported, especially at the end when the script has completed running. Ignore any errors displayed in the window.
  5. Close the Command Prompt window. The problem should be fixed.

It did install some stuff, but have yet to test and see if this fixed any issues.

I have gone through PaulSey's advice and his link to a fix.  Nothing from that has resolved the issue.  Clean boot, DISM and sfc /scannow usually do not fix much of anything.  I've yet for "self-healing" of Windows to work for any issues.  It seems to be something inherent with Windows and not something these fixes would see as something to fix.

It would be nice to get a good patch that would resolve this issue in a Windows Build fix.

Has anyone found anything that would fix the Quick Access issue?

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The size of a folder pinned to QA has no effect on the opening of QA.

I would try and remove all items pinned to QA.

In file explorer options, In privacy, you can have the 2 boxes selected or not for recently opened items. This also has no effect.

Also in the View tab, note your personal settings.

now select to restore defaults in all 3 tabs.

restart PC

go back and set your file explorer options.

Now pin your items to QA.

I would first not pin any and see if it opens normally. Then

I would pin 1 at a time and see if a certain item is causing this.

Did this just start happening since yesterdays cumulative update ?????

You can run these to try and fix any issues.

You can run these 3 commands as admin in command prompt.

right click on start menu button>>Command Prompt (ADMIN)

Press enter after each one and restart PC when finished. (Copy and Paste)

sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Restart PC

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The size of a folder pinned to QA has no effect on the opening of QA.

I would try and remove all items pinned to QA.

In file explorer options, In privacy, you can have the 2 boxes selected or not for recently opened items. This also has no effect.

Also in the View tab, note your personal settings.

now select to restore defaults in all 3 tabs.

restart PC

go back and set your file explorer options.

Now pin your items to QA.

I would first not pin any and see if it opens normally. Then

I would pin 1 at a time and see if a certain item is causing this.

Did this just start happening since yesterdays cumulative update ?????

You can run these to try and fix any issues.

You can run these 3 commands as admin in command prompt.

right click on start menu button>>Command Prompt (ADMIN)

Press enter after each one and restart PC when finished. (Copy and Paste)

sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Restart PC

No this was before the cumulative update from yesterday.

I've got Privacy for QA turned off and File Explorer loads fine.  Cleared cache and no issues.

Files pinned to QA will mostly be network-based files, which is probably part of the issue.

I've run DISM and /sfc scannow.  They didn't fix anything.

It's currently fixed with QA - Privacy turned completely off, but it should not have to run like this.  Have several users that have had this issue and clearing QA cache seems to help for a while until they open a file that might cause QA to have issues.  Most files are Excel files.

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Well I have not heard of and have worked on 100's of PC's With Windows 10 and never seen this.

There is either corruption in your system or some issue. Opening up QA is only a folder holding shortcuts to others. The only thing that could even be a remote possibility as in a pinned item in QA causing this would be a pinned item that came off of another PC's shared items in the network. But then I doubt that because you are not trying to access it. it is only displaying in the QA folder when you open the QA folder.

Try this:

unpin all in QA

delete the privacy cache

Unpin File explorer/QA from taskbar

restart PC

Go to C:\Windows

find Explorer towards bottom

right click and Pin to taskbar

Pin your items back in QA

restart pc

let me know

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Change QA to This PC
clear cache
restart PC

Image

do a complete disk cleanup
restart PC

Change back to QA
Restart PC

See what happens.

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I have a question. If you open any folders directly, does explorer hang like QA opening does ????

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I'll do some testing of what you've posted.

For your last question - It seems that once QA loads I can click on other folders and move around fine.  Just that initial open-up with QA.  But will test, it's a difficult user to get access to her machine, but will let you know what I find out.  Thanks very much for your time and attention to this one.

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Interesting that this issue has suddenly happened to five (5) separate users in just the past 2-3 weeks.  Commonality seems to be laptops so far as no desktop users have reported the issue.  Quick Access is affected with the "Working on it..." and is non-responsive even after several minutes.  Changing the open option to "This PC" resolves the File Explorer opening issue but this is really just a workaround as far as I'm concerned.  Users are able to open recent files/folders from the right click menu even when the Quick Access option is active for File Explorer just not File Explorer itself.  If this was just a one off or even two off situation, I could understand, but this is too many, too close together to be a coincidence.


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Desktop user here and same issue.

Rob...

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I'm also on a desktop and have been experiencing this problem for the last day or so. I can't even unpin items because it's just stuck. 

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Another desktop user, get stuck upon first start-up. Solves after some minutes but is slow every time i open QA...

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Question Info

Last updated April 19, 2025 Views 56,105 Applies to: