My Windows 10 (File) Explorer closes when right clicking on a file

Question

Please help, this is annoying and I have no idea where to start looking

In Windows 10, if open a File Explorer window (Win-E) and then go to a directory. If there's a file which an extension not associated to any program and I right click, I got what is supposed to do: a contextual menu which starts with Open with..., some other extensions work as well, like .zip (I have no zip manager, I use the one provided with ths OS)

If the file is associated with an extension, like a .xlsx, .pdf, .jpg and so on, and I right click, it shows the waiting circle, and then the File Explorer closes.

I believe some program installed a handler or something like that. I have been uninstalling everything I recently installed, that might be causing the problem, among other things,

• Autohotkey
• Microsoft Visual Code
• 7Zip file manager
• WinRAR
• Notepad++
• FoxIt PDF

I really, really don't want to uninstall MS Office, but I don't know what else to look for

I'm currently running a sfc /scannow to see if I got some files corrupted, but I really don't know what else to do.

Any idea?

Answer 1

I have had this issue since February 2017. I have an ASUS computer. I uninstalled Foxit Phantom PDF and the right click works again everywhere. Maybe you will have the same luck?

Answer 2

As Celeste says, the problem was caused by Foxit Phantom PDF that came preinstalled with my ASUS PC.

Here's how I diagnosed the error. The captures are in spanish, but I'm pretty sure you'll understand what's going on:

• After my File Explorer crashed that last time, I went to the Event Manager and looked for an error
• I found this error on the File Explorer, and the description pointed in the Foxit direction:

So I uninstalled the program and everythng is working as it should. Strange thing is I rarely use this program, so I don't think it was updated, and the problem just recently showed up.