Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process via Regedit
This article explains how to configure Windows Explorer to launch folder windows in a separate process using the Windows Registry Editor (Regedit). Enabling this setting isolates individual Explorer windows, preventing the entire Windows desktop shell and taskbar from freezing or crashing if a single folder window becomes unresponsive.
The Registry Value
The specific registry value that controls this behavior is:
- Registry Path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced - Value Name:
SeparateProcess - Value Type:
REG_DWORD - Value Data:
1= Enabled (Launch folder windows in a separate process)0= Disabled (Default behavior, all windows share the main Explorer process)
How to Modify the Setting in Regedit
- Press Windows Key + R, type
regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. - Navigate to the following key in the left sidebar:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced - In the right pane, look for the DWORD value named
SeparateProcess.- If it does not exist, right-click an empty space in the right pane,
select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value,
and name it
SeparateProcess.
- If it does not exist, right-click an empty space in the right pane,
select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value,
and name it
- Double-click
SeparateProcess, set the Value data field to1, and click OK. - Restart Windows Explorer through the Task Manager or restart your computer for the changes to take effect.