How to Make Each File Explorer Window Run Separately in Windows 11
You can make each File Explorer window run separately in Windows 11 by enabling a specific setting within its Folder Options.
This lets each File Explorer window run as its own separate program. If one window freezes or encounters an error, it won’t affect any other open File Explorer windows.
This feature, known as “Launch folder windows in a separate process,” stops a single crash from taking down all your file management. Turning this on is a great way to boost the stability of your Windows 11 experience, especially when managing many files or working with complex drives.
Open File Explorer, click the three dots, select Options, go to the View tab, and check “Launch folder windows in a separate process.” This setting ensures that if one File Explorer window freezes, others will remain unaffected.
Why Use Separate Processes for File Explorer?
- Better Stability: If one window crashes, others keep working.
- Easy to Fix: You can close just the problem window without losing everything.
- Simple to Turn On or Off: You can choose how you want it to work.
How to Turn On Separate Processes Using File Explorer Settings
You can make each File Explorer window run separately by changing a setting right in File Explorer itself, which helps prevent one frozen window from affecting others.- Open File Explorer. You can do this by clicking the folder icon on your taskbar or pressing
Windows + Eon your keyboard. - Click the three dots (More) button at the top, then select Options. This opens Folder Options.
- In the Folder Options window, click the View tab.
- Look for the option that says “Launch folder windows in a separate process” and put a checkmark in the box next to it.
- Click OK to save your changes.
How to Turn On Separate Processes Using the Windows Registry (Advanced)
For those comfortable with advanced settings, you can also tell Windows to run each File Explorer window in its own process by making a small change in the Windows Registry.
- Press
Windows + R, typeregedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. - Navigate to this folder path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced - Right-click on the Advanced folder in the left panel, choose New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the new value
SeparateProcess. - Double-click the new SeparateProcess entry, set the value data to
1to turn the feature on, or0to turn it off. - Click OK and close the Registry Editor.
- Restart your computer to apply the changes.
Summary
- Turning on separate processes helps keep File Explorer windows from crashing all at once.
- You can easily enable this in File Explorer’s Folder Options or by editing the Registry.
- Always back up your system before changing the Registry.
- This setting makes your file browsing more stable and responsive.
- You might need to restart your PC for the setting to work.
Running each File Explorer window in its own process makes your computer more stable, so if one window freezes, the others keep working fine.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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