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Windows 7: Explorer - Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu


Explorer - Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu

How to Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu in Windows
Published by Brink
06 Aug 2011
Published by
Brink's Avatar

How to Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu in Windows


information   Information
This tutorial will show you how to add Restart Explorer to the desktop context menu in Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8. When used by any user, it will automatically kill the explorer.exe process, and restart the explorer.exe process when you are ready to.

While you must be logged in as an administrator to be able to add or remove the context menu, all users will be able to use it.

Note   Note
When you right click or press and hold on the desktop and click/tap on Restart Explorer, you will see a command prompt window open indicating that it has killed the explorer.exe process, and will wait on you to press a key before restarting the explorer.exe process.

This way you can use this to kill explorer, do what you need to do while it's killed, then click/tap on the command prompt window to make it the active window again, and press any key to restart explorer.

Explorer - Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu-example.jpg


EXAMPLE: "Restart Explorer" added to desktop context menu
Explorer - Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu-desktop_context_menu.jpg



Explorer - Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu OPTION ONE Explorer - Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu
To Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu
1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and save it to your desktop.
Add_Restart_Explorer_to_Desktop_Context_Menu.zip

download
2. Open the downloaded ZIP file, and extract (drag and drop) both the .reg and .bat files to your desktop.

3. Right click or press and hold on the extracted Restart_Explorer.bat file, click/tap on Properties, click/tap on the General tab, and unblock it.
NOTE: If you do not see a Unblock button, then the file is already unblocked.

4. Right click or press and hold on the extracted and unblocked Restart_Explorer.bat, and click/tap on Copy.

5. In Windows Explorer, navigate to and open the C:\Windows folder. Right click or press and hold on a empty area in the C:\Window folder, click/tap on Paste, then click/tap on Continue and Yes (UAC) if prompted. Close the Windows Explorer window.

6. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.


7. Click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC-Windows 7/8) or Continue (UAC-Vista), Yes, and OK when prompted.

8. Restart Explorer has now been added to the desktop context menu.

9. You can delete the download files left on your desktop now if you would like to.



Explorer - Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu OPTION TWO Explorer - Add "Restart Explorer" to Desktop Context Menu
To Remove "Restart Explorer" from Desktop Context Menu

NOTE: This is the default setting.
1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and save it to your desktop.
Remove_Restart_Explorer_to_Desktop_Context_Menu.reg

download
2. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.


3. Click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC-Windows 7/8) or Continue (UAC-Vista), Yes, and OK when prompted.

4. Restart Explorer has now been removed from the desktop context menu.

5. In Windows Explorer, navigate to and open the C:\Windows folder, right click or press and hold on the Restart_Explorer.bat file, click/tap on Delete, and Yes (if prompted).

6. You can now delete the download reg file if you would like to.
That's it,
Shawn







Related Tutorials
25 Feb 2012   #1
techiegirl

Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit
1 posts
 
 
Hello, I joined the windows 7 forums because I wanted to thank you Brink for your wonderful tutorial re. how to add restart explorer to the desktop.
What a lifesaver this was! I had been having problems with my desktop icons not showing up on starting my computer; also could not access anything on start menu; desktop was "frozen." Had to reboot into safe mode, then restart, then all was well.
After this happened several times though, I took to the net, and found this
wonderful informative forum. After some searching for my problem, I found this post with very nicely spelled out instructions, as well as screen shots and a link to download the .bat file. This solved my problem of a "disappearing desktop."
Just occasionally, something gets messed up and I have to run that file again, and then everything is back like it should be.
I also have made use of the tutorial/post to fix disappearing side bar gadgets; thank you for this!
All in all, I am so glad I have found these wonderful forums!
Thank you, everyone.
techiegirl


My System SpecsSystem Spec
25 Feb 2012   #2
Brink

64-bit Windows 10 Pro
67,049 posts
 
 
You're most welcome Techiegirl, and welcome to Seven Forums. Thank you for the kind words.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
3 Days Ago   #3
apb

win 7 pro x64
69 posts
 
 
Very useful; thanks.

But, I have a question. In your bat file, you include a pause. Is that because taskkill will return before it has finished killing all "explorer.exe"s? I note that D3ftOn3Z did not include a pause.

It would be more useful for me if the pause were not needed. If taskkill returns immediately, that seems to require an involved loop?

BTW, in the bat file I suggest you say "echo Killing all explorer.exe processes...." rather than "echo Killing the explorer.exe process...."
I have the option set to run each new explorer window in a new process, so there are usually multiple processes.

BTW, also, everyone fails to mention that taskkill will kill all processes with that name.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
.

2 Days Ago   #4
Brink

64-bit Windows 10 Pro
67,049 posts
 
 
Hello apb,

The pause was included to be able to perform tasks that can only be done when explorer has been killed. You can safely remove the pause entry since you don't need it.

I'll update the bat to make processes plural.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
2 Days Ago   #5
apb

win 7 pro x64
69 posts
 
 
Thanks!

--peter
My System SpecsSystem Spec
2 Days Ago   #6
Brink

64-bit Windows 10 Pro
67,049 posts
 
 
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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