ExplorerPatcher FAQ

Answers are two or three sentences. A mark in brackets tells you the source: tested means we saw it on our machines (Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 on Arm64, and Windows Server 2025 with the 24H2 shell, 6 Nov 2026), upstream means it comes from the project’s wiki, source code or release notes. If we have not tested a point, we say so.

About ExplorerPatcher

What is ExplorerPatcher?

A free Windows program that changes the shell: the taskbar, Start menu, Alt+Tab, File Explorer and context menus. It can bring back Windows 10 versions of these on Windows 11. The whole story is on how it works.

Who makes ExplorerPatcher?

Valentin-Gabriel Radu (valinet) started it in 2021 and Amrsatrio maintains it with him (upstream). Read the credits on the about page. This site is independent and is not by the developers.

Is ExplorerPatcher free?

Yes, and it is GPL-2.0 open-source software (upstream). You can support the developers through their sponsor links, listed on the about page. No feature is paid.

Is ExplorerPatcher open source?

Mostly. The main program, installer and Properties window are published under GPL-2.0, but upstream says the source of the reimplemented taskbar (ep_taskbar) cannot be published. The source map lists what we could read.

Where is the project’s own home page?

The project’s home is the GitHub repository, github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher. The release notes say it is the only official distribution channel. Several lookalike domains exist; we opened them on 6 Nov 2026 and list them in Is ExplorerPatcher safe?.

Is explorerpatcher.dev run by the developers?

No. We are an independent guide with our own tests. We never host ExplorerPatcher files, and every download link goes to GitHub. See the disclaimer.

What is the newest version?

26100.9711.71.1, released on 29 Oct 2026 (upstream). The previous stable release was 26100.8457.70.3 (20 Jun 2026). The releases page lists every version.

How many people use it?

Nobody knows. GitHub’s download counter shows 82,981,120 downloads, but the wiki explains that the built-in update check also raises it, so it is not a user count.

Which languages does it support?

English plus 19 translations of the Properties window: Czech, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), from the translation repository (upstream). Credits are on the about page.

Install and update

Where do I download ExplorerPatcher?

Only from the GitHub releases page. Our download page explains which file you need and lets you compare the hash of your file.

Which file do I need, ep_setup.exe or ep_setup_arm64.exe?

ep_setup.exe is for Intel and AMD processors and ep_setup_arm64.exe for Snapdragon and other Arm PCs. Check Settings, System, About, System type. We installed both (tested).

Is there a portable version?

No. The setup installs to C:\Program Files\ExplorerPatcher and adds files in system folders. Upstream’s ep_setup.exe /extract only unpacks the files without installing; see how it works.

Can I install it with winget?

Yes, for x64: winget install valinet.ExplorerPatcher, which offered 71.1 on 6 Nov 2026. There was no Arm64 entry, so Snapdragon PCs need the GitHub file. Details on the download page.

How do I update ExplorerPatcher?

Run the newer setup over the old install, or use Properties, Updates. Updating 70.3 to 71.1 this way kept our changed settings on both machines (tested). See update guide.

Does ExplorerPatcher update itself?

It checks GitHub for a new release when Explorer starts and notifies you, by default (upstream). You can set Do not check for updates in Properties, Updates.

Where is the Properties window?

Right-click the taskbar and choose Properties, or search Start for “Properties (ExplorerPatcher)”. If the entry is missing, the how to use page has the other ways, including a command that opens it. The window has up to 12 sections: we counted 12 on Windows 11 25H2 and 11 on Windows Server (tested).

Compatibility

Does ExplorerPatcher work on Windows 11 24H2?

Yes on our test machine: Windows Server 2025 shares the 24H2 shell code (build 26100.33674). The stock Windows 10 taskbar was removed in 24H2, so EP uses its own copy. See Windows 11 24H2.

Does it work on Windows 11 25H2?

On our 25H2 test machine (build 26200.9725, Arm64), yes. The release notes name tested builds for each release. Use the Build Checker for yours, and see Windows 11 25H2.

Does it work on Windows 10?

Yes, from version 1809 (upstream). On Windows Server 2022 (Windows 10 21H2 shell) we installed it, used Simple Window Switcher and uninstalled it cleanly; the taskbar stayed the stock Windows 10 one. See Windows 10.

Does it work on Arm64 PCs?

Yes: our Windows 11 Arm64 machine ran every step we tried. There is a separate setup file and some differences, covered on the Arm64 page.

Does it work on Windows 11 Home?

We have not tested Home or Pro editions, only an Enterprise image and Server images. Upstream does not list an edition restriction.

Does it work on Insider builds?

Upstream lists Dev and Canary builds in its taskbar support table, but says it officially supports only the builds named in the release notes. We did not test Insider builds, so see the status page.

Does it work on multiple monitors?

We have not tested multi-monitor setups. Upstream’s Windows 10 taskbar has settings for the taskbar on other monitors, listed in the taskbar settings.

Will a Windows update break ExplorerPatcher?

It can. Upstream says monthly updates can make Explorer unstable until EP is updated, and that it typically ships a fix within a day. Check the status page before installing an update.

Does it work with Windhawk?

Upstream lists many Windhawk mods as compatible with EP’s taskbar, and fixed a Windhawk conflict on Arm64 in 69.4. We have not tested it. Read alternatives and our Windhawk comparison.

Can I use ExplorerPatcher with StartAllBack, Open-Shell or Start11?

We have not tested combinations. We installed Start11 and StartAllBack on their own on a test machine, never beside ExplorerPatcher. Upstream says taskbar tweakers other than the ones it lists are not guaranteed to work with its taskbar, and two programs changing the same parts of the shell can conflict. Pick one for the taskbar and Start menu: StartAllBack, Open-Shell, Start11.

Safety and privacy

Is ExplorerPatcher a virus?

No sign of that in our scans: Microsoft Defender found nothing in the setup or the installed files on two machines. Antivirus programs have flagged it because it injects code into Explorer. See the antivirus page.

Why does Windows Defender flag ExplorerPatcher?

Flags in 2024 were heuristic detections of its code injection, and upstream says Defender has not flagged it since release 69.4 (3 Oct 2025). Detections can return, and other products still flag it at times. The timeline is on the antivirus page.

Do I need to turn off Smart App Control?

Upstream says to verify that it is off before installing, or explorer.exe may fail to start. We did not test with it on. Details on the antivirus page.

Does ExplorerPatcher collect data or spy on me?

Upstream says the code has no telemetry, and we found no analytics address in the source we could read. It contacts GitHub for updates and Microsoft for symbol files; the weather widget loads a Google page. The list is in Is ExplorerPatcher safe?.

Is the setup file signed?

No: Authenticode status “NotSigned” for every setup file we downloaded (tested). That is why Windows or your browser may warn about it. Compare the hash with our verifier.

Does it add services, scheduled tasks or startup entries?

Not in a default install: our before and after lists showed none (tested). The rounded corners option can create a service later, from the Properties window. See the footprint table.

What does the weather widget send?

It is off by default. When on, it shows a cropped Google weather page inside Microsoft WebView2, and if the location is blank it uses your IP address (upstream). See weather settings.

Performance

How much memory does ExplorerPatcher use?

On Arm64, Explorer used 124 MB before EP and 139 to 142 MB with it. On Windows Server 2025 it was 145 MB before and 111 to 153 MB with it (tested; restart, wait 45 s, sample 30 s). Method and limits are in the safety page.

Does it make Explorer start slower?

We timed Explorer restarts only with EP installed: 2 s on Windows Server 2025 and 2.8 to 3.2 s on Arm64, about the same with the EP taskbar and the Windows 11 one. We did not time a restart before installing and did not measure logon time.

Features and settings

How many settings does ExplorerPatcher have?

117 settings on Windows 11 and 97 on Windows 10, in the Properties window (upstream’s settings.reg and settings10.reg). Many appear only after another choice. The settings reference lists them all.

How do I get the Windows 10 taskbar on Windows 11?

Set Properties, Taskbar, Taskbar style to Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher). It gave a 40 px taskbar on both Windows 11 machines (tested). The guide is Windows 10 taskbar on Windows 11.

How do I add taskbar labels (never combine)?

Set Combine taskbar icons on primary taskbar to Never combine. It gave one labelled button per window in our test. See taskbar labels.

How do I make the taskbar smaller?

Set Taskbar icon size to Small with the EP taskbar. Our taskbar went from 40 to 30 px (tested). See small taskbar.

Can I move the taskbar to the top or side?

With the EP taskbar, yes: top (1600 by 40 px) and left or right (62 px wide) worked on both Windows 11 machines (tested). Upstream’s source refuses left and right for the Windows 11 taskbar. See move the taskbar.

How do I get the Windows 10 Start menu?

Set the Start menu style to Windows 10. It opened on both Windows 11 machines (tested), with both taskbars. Upstream says the restored tile engine is partial and tiles can overlap: Windows 10 Start menu.

Can I get the classic right-click menu?

Yes: turn on Disable the Windows 11 context menu. The classic menu appeared for files and on the desktop (tested). See classic context menu.

Can I get the File Explorer ribbon back?

Yes. Control Interface set to Windows 10 Ribbon changed File Explorer on Windows Server 2025 and on Windows 11 25H2 on Arm64 (tested). The classic Address Bar option looked like the default on builds 26100 and 26200. The search box options showed no visible change with the Windows 11 command bar, and “Hide search bar completely” was inconsistent with the Ribbon. See File Explorer ribbon.

How do I get the Windows 10 Alt+Tab?

Set Window switcher style to Windows 10 (dark bar) or Simple Window Switcher (grid of large thumbnails). Both worked on Windows Server 2025 and Windows 11 25H2 (tested). The Windows NT style shows no switcher at all on 24H2 and later, as upstream says. See Windows 10 Alt+Tab.

Can I turn off rounded corners?

There is a setting, but it needs a helper service that the Properties window creates after an admin prompt. We could not demonstrate it: our test windows already had square corners on Server 2025 and on the Arm64 client, so there was nothing to remove. Read disable rounded corners.

Can I export my settings to another PC?

Yes. Properties, Settings and uninstall has Export current settings and Import settings, and we tested both on Windows Server 2025 and 2022 with a small sample file. Our Configurator can also build a settings file in your browser; we tested a file of its shape, not every preset.

How do I reset all settings?

Use Restore default settings in the same section (upstream). It rewrites your configuration, so export first. See the settings reference.

Problems and fixes

I cannot find the Properties option on the taskbar menu.

The option can be hidden by the setting that stops EP changing the taskbar menu. Search Start for “Properties (ExplorerPatcher)” instead; more ways are on the how to use page.

What does “Unfortunately, File Explorer is crashing” mean?

It is ExplorerPatcher’s crash protection. It appears after three quick Explorer exits, or when you start Explorer with Ctrl+Alt+Shift held (tested). EP stays off until Explorer restarts; read Explorer crashing.

Explorer keeps crashing after a Windows update. What now?

Check the status page for your build, update EP to the latest release, and use the Ctrl+Alt+Shift method if the desktop does not load. If no fix exists yet, switch the taskbar style or uninstall.

The Start menu does not open.

Often a Windows build changed code that EP patches; build 26xxx.8474 broke the Windows 10 Start menu in 2026 and 70.2 restored it with a rebuilt engine (upstream). Start with Start menu not working.

The weather widget says it cannot load.

Weather depends on Google’s page, the WebView2 runtime and internet access. See weather not working for the checks.

My antivirus deleted ep_setup.exe.

Do not exclude it blindly. Check the file with the Download Verifier, read the antivirus page, and download again only from GitHub.

Windows says ExplorerPatcher is incompatible with the 24H2 upgrade.

In 2024 the 24H2 setup blocked EP with a “security or performance issues” message (Neowin). A later release renamed a helper file to get around the block (upstream). Update EP, then see compatibility.

Where do I report a bug?

Upstream’s issue tracker. Include your Windows build from winver and your ExplorerPatcher version. We cannot fix bugs in the program; see contact.

Uninstalling

Does uninstalling remove everything?

Not the settings: the key HKCU\Software\ExplorerPatcher stayed on both machines, and on Arm64 some cleanup files stayed in %APPDATA%\ExplorerPatcher (tested). The uninstall guide has a script builder that removes them. Because the key stays, a reinstall keeps your settings; EP’s own crash dialog says so too.

Comparing and choosing

What are the alternatives to ExplorerPatcher?

StartAllBack, Windhawk, Open-Shell, Start11, RetroBar and a few others, each covering a different part. Use the chooser on alternatives.

Do I need ExplorerPatcher at all?

Sometimes Windows 11 already has what you want, such as the classic context menu through a registry switch that we tested. The alternatives page says when not to use ExplorerPatcher.

This site

Why should I trust this site?

You should not need to: every claim is marked tested or upstream, and the how we test page publishes our method. If we are wrong, the corrections log shows what we changed.

Does this site collect data?

Only through Google Analytics, loaded after the page renders, and our tools run in your browser. The details are on the privacy page.