How to stop and restart Windows Explorer.exe without rebooting in Windows Vista and XP

One of the most significative programs in Windows is, without any doubt, Windows Explorer.exe. This important program is the shell of all Microsoft operating systems (it was introduced in Windows 95) and manages Start menu, taskbar, desktop, File Manager and all the graphical interface. That’s why it shouldn’t be terminated at all, because it is vital for the stable and secure running of your computer. Anyway, there are certain cases where you really need to kill it, above all if you are a programmer and you want to test some plugins or shell extensions. Here are a couple of tricks or shortcuts to restart Explorer.exe without rebooting your PC.

Restart Windows Explorer.exe in Windows Vista and XP with Classic Menu

1. Click Start.
2. Click Shutdown.
3. Quickly press Ctrl + Alt + Shift and then press Cancel in the dialog box.
4. Now, if you want to start Explorer.exe again, press Ctrl + SHIFT + ESC to open the Start Manager window.
5. Click File.
6. Click New Task (Run…), type explorer.exe and hit Enter.
7. Done!

Restart Windows Explorer.exe in Windows Vista with Standard or Aero theme

1. Click Start.
2. Press CTRL+ SHIFT then right-click on any empty space in the Start menu.
3. Click Exit Explorer.
4. Now, if you want to start Explorer.exe again, press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC and open the Task Manager.
5. Click File.
6. Click New Task (Run…), type explorer.exe and hit Enter.
7. Done!