Troubleshooting guide
How to fix the problem
Ctrl+Alt+Del > Task Manager > New Task > explorer.exe. If that doesn't work, try safe mode and driver diagnostics.
Possible solutions
Choose the method that matches your situation. Start with the simplest suitable option and check the result. If the problem is fixed, you do not need to continue with the other methods.
Starting a desktop process
Ctrl+Alt+Del > Task Manager run explorer.exe or restart Windows Explorer.
Steps to follow
- Press Ctrl, Shift and Esc together to open the Task Manager.
- If you only see a short list of apps, click More info if available.
- In the list of processes, find Windows Explorer, highlight it and select Restart.
- If it is not there, click "Run new task", type explorer.exe and confirm.
- Check if the desktop and taskbar are back. If it disappears again, check for the last program or driver change.
Launch and account verification
If the desktop disappears again, compare another account and view recently installed startup programs.
Steps to follow
- Press Ctrl, Shift and Esc together to open the Task Manager.
- If you only see a short list of apps, click More info if available.
- Select "Launchers"; in older Windows, this might be the Run tab.
- Find only the recognized unnecessary app, tick it and choose "Disable". Do not touch security programs.
- Reload and compare login time or desktop performance. If necessary, turn the recording back on in the same place.
Returning the graphics driver
If it started after changing the GPU driver, try a previous compatible version in Safe Mode.
Steps to follow
- Right-click Start and select Device Manager. If Windows won't start, first go to safe mode according to the related topic.
- Expand the related device group: Display adapters for video error, Network adapters for network error. Do not modify the device without knowing it.
- Right-click the device, select Properties, then the Manager tab.
- Click "Return Driver". If the button is gray, there is no previous version - skip this method.
- Complete the wizard, save your work and reload. Repeat the action that caused the problem; do not change other drivers at the same time.
If the problem persists
If explorer.exe restores the desktop only temporarily, check new startup programs and a different user account. If the problem started after a graphics update, roll back to the previous driver.
Request a repair