file explorer not responding when trying to create new folder

Troubleshooting Unresponsive File Explorer When Creating New Folders on Windows 10

Experiencing issues with Windows File Explorer can be frustrating, especially when core functionalities like creating new folders become unresponsive. Recently, some Windows 10 users have reported that attempting to right-click and hover over the “New” option causes File Explorer to freeze and restart. This article explores common causes and provides professional troubleshooting steps to resolve the problem effectively.

Understanding the Issue

The core issue involves Windows File Explorer lagging or becoming unresponsive specifically when creating new folders via the context menu. Users have observed that this problem might be linked to underlying disk health issues, such as drive corruption or faulty sectors, which can interfere with normal system operations. Additionally, other symptoms may include slower system responsiveness, delayed file access, or inconsistent behavior with files like ZIP archives.

Potential Causes

Corrupted Disk Drives: Faulty or corrupt sectors on your storage device can hinder file operations.
System File Corruption: Damaged system files impacting File Explorer’s stability.
Indexing or Cache Issues: Outdated or corrupted index files can lead to explorer hangs.
Disk Fragmentation: Although less common on SSDs, traditional HDDs might experience performance issues when fragmented.
Hardware Problems: Physical disk failures may manifest as operational glitches.

Recommended Troubleshooting Steps

Run System File Checker and DISM

These tools verify and repair missing or corrupted Windows system files.

plaintext sfc /scannow dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Execute these commands in an elevated Command Prompt (Run as Administrator).

Check Disk Health with CHKDSK

Assess the integrity of your drive with the following command:

plaintext chkdsk C: /f /r /x

Replace “C:” with your drive letter if different. Note that this may require a restart to complete.

Manage Disk and Storage Integrity
If your drive is showing signs of failure or corruption, consider using Windows built-in tools or third-party diagnostic utilities to perform comprehensive disk health checks.
Be cautious about formatting drives containing important data. Backup essential files before proceeding with formatting.
Rebuild Index and Clear Cache

Corrupted cache or indexing files can affect File Explorer’s performance.