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"Open File Location" takes 30 seconds #2321
Description
Describe the bug
It take 20-30 seconds for the File Explorer to open.
Doesn't seem to be a File Explorer issue: If i open File Explorer from Task Bar or Start Menu > All Programs, it opens instantly.
Area of issue
Windows Explorer, Start menu
To reproduce
- Open Start menu
- Open Recent Items
- Right-click an item, and choose "Open File Location"
- It take 20-30 seconds for the File Explorer to open.
Expected behavior
File Explorer should open instantly
Open-Shell version
4.4.196
Windows version
Windows 11 Pro 24H2
Additional context
No response
Reacted by Wael, FlooferLand! and HFnp1
Activity
ThinkPud commentedon Oct 4, 2025
I can also confirm similar behavior in Windows 11 Pro 24H2, and 11 Pro 25H2 for both Open Shell 4.4.196 and 4.4.195.
Open Shell, Settings, Backup, Load from XML file or Save to XML file. On selecting either, the entire application window freezes, no buttons operate at all, only after waiting for around 1 minute, does the application free up again. But even after a long pause, it's not possible to navigate anywhere as Open-Shell's explorer window freezes each time.
When frozen, Open-Shell does not show 'application is not responding' or whiteout, as usually seen when an application stops responding. So Windows itself is seemingly unaware of the application freezing.
Other related behavior, when you try to save or open an XML file, Open-Shell uses Windows, System 32 as the first folder it tries to open. I'm not sure whether this is also related to why Open-Shell is freezing.
In normal use, Open-Shell is fully functional.
I'm happy to test out other versions of Open-Shell. Thank you for reading
johnaweiss commentedon Oct 6, 2025
More info:
Open file location from task bar opens instantly. That suggests this issue is with Classic Start, not Windows.
marcusdoc commentedon Oct 11, 2025
Open Shell, Settings, Backup, Load from XML file or Save to XML file
Agreed ... on 4.4.196 seeing the same problem on multiple instances of Windows 11 x64 Pro 25H2.
(very slow to present folder window for selection of file)
Edit: tried some older versions of Open-Shell and ran into the same problem on 25H2; then tried the latest version of Open-Shell on Windows 24H2 and there was no problem; some recent update within Windows breaks this function..
Edit2: lots of other bug reports reporting the same issue; strange, just navigate the mouse over to the start button during the pause causes the file location window to open.
heikoopfer2002-source commentedon Oct 27, 2025
Hello everyone,
I also have this problem: I can't open an XML file. The Explorer window doesn't appear. There's no further message indicating that OpenShell has crashed.
What I can also confirm is that when I hover the mouse over the Start button, the Explorer window opens. However, if you then want to access a subdirectory, OpenShell behaves the same way. You have to hover over the Start button after each directory access.
Could this behavior be checked and resolved?
I have this behavior on both Windows 11 24H2 and Windows 11 25H2. All attempts to repair it have failed.
Will there be a solution to this problem in the short term?
Thank you very much.
sknfr commentedon Nov 3, 2025
The context menu "Open file location" takes one minute to open, and the open shell menu freezes. After one minute, the entire folder opens, not the file. This error only occurred after the October Windows update (KB5066835). Before that, everything was fine.
NiebieskiBanan commentedon Nov 4, 2025
Hello guys,
I have this bug too. When i click "open file location", menu start freezes, cant open it, until explorer will open after few seconds delay.
This problem doesnt appear in my previous Windows 11 installation (i am at dualboot because i am migrating to a new installation). In both systems i have the newest updates.
pedrovay2003 commentedon Nov 17, 2025
Confirming that I also have this problem with The latest version of OpenShell in Windows 11 Professional 25H2. Using Open File Location from a program shortcut from the stock Start Menu doesn't have any delay.
week5thor commentedon May 13, 2026
Same on 25H2 but I found solution. Just move cursor to "Start" button everytime Explorer freezes
ThinkPud commentedon May 13, 2026
week5thor - To clarify, opening of explorer is in relation to loading/saving a config file, or editing elements of the Start menu that require Explorer access, that's where it freezes/locks up. A menu shortcut to My Computer, Documents etc., all open seamlessly, it's purely explorer access inside the software itself.
But thank you for the Start Button suggestion, that seems a good temporary work around.
VilcxjoW commentedon May 24, 2026
I have spotted similar 'dialogue freeze/stall' behaviour when attempting to DRAG AND DROP Start menu entries in certain circumstances - the 'Destination Folder Access Denied ... administrator permission required' dialogue fails to appear UNTIL I launch another program from the taskbar [i.e. shift focus to the taskbar?]
This is my sequence of actions and observations:
i. After running Open-Shell installer [in this case OpenShellSetup_4_4_198.exe] then restarting, the Start button > 'Programs' menu shows a new folder 'Programs\Open-Shell' [as expected].
ii. I drag-and-drop this folder 'Programs\Open-Shell' onto another folder in the same menu (in this case 'Programs\Windows') which ALREADY happens to contain a subfolder with that same name, i.e. 'Programs\Windows\Open-Shell'
[because that's where I had moved a previous copy after a previous installation.]
(Step 1 in picture below)
iii. A 'Replace or Skip Files' dialogue window opens, saying "Moving 5 items from Programs to Windows; The destination has 4 files with the same names" [as expected].
iv. I click on the button 'Replace the files in the destination'.
(Step 2 in picture below)
v. At this point, the dialogue appears to stall/freeze [unexpected/unwanted behaviour!]. Nothing further happens; the dialogue box remains on the screen, apparently unresponsive (but there is NO complaint from Windows about an unresponsive task).
vi, I have discovered that if I click on another icon on the taskbar to launch a new program (e.g. Firefox), THEN the dialogue unfreezes, and presents the next dialogue window: 'Destination folder access denied' saying "You will need administrator permission to move this folder; Open-Shell". (step 3 in picture below)
vii. I tick 'Do this for all current items' then click 'Continue'. (step 4 in picture below)
viii. The entries within the (original) folder 'Programs\Open-Shell' are moved to the (new target) subfolder 'Program\Windows\Open-Shell' [as expected], but the (original) folder 'Programs\Open-Shell' REMAINS.
It is now an empty folder [an irritation].
ix. As a separate step, I have to right-click on the (now empty) folder 'Programs\Open-Shell' and chose 'Delete' to remove it.
This 'freeze' of the 'Replace or Skip Files' dialogue window (when trying to move a folder) happens [I believe consistently] after running updates for some programs (including 'Open-Shell' itself, and (I think) 'PDFsam Basic'), but not for others. I have not been able to determine what it is about certain programs' folders in the Open-Shell 'Programs' menu that causes this 'freeze' behaviour.
Windows info:
Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 25H2
Installed on 19/07/2025
OS build 26200.8457
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.304.0
punit-mhatre commentedon Jun 19, 2026
I found another way to do this, it takes a few extra clicks but the file location opens much faster.
Steps:
johnaweiss commentedon Jun 19, 2026
Fix "Open file location" getting stuck after Windows 11 update