Is ExplorerPatcher working on the latest Windows 11 update?

In our 6 Nov 2026 tests, yes: version 71.1 worked on Windows 11 25H2 build 26200.9725 (Arm64) and Windows Server 2025 build 26100.33674. We cannot tell you about your exact update level or hardware, so check the table and your build in the Build Checker.

How long does ExplorerPatcher take to fix a broken Windows update?

It varies. Windows build 26220.8474 appeared on 15 May 2026 and release 70.1 stopped the crashes on 19 May, four days later. Other threads, such as issue 4366 from June 2025, are still open. Do not count on a fast fix.

How do I get a notice when a new ExplorerPatcher version comes out?

Open the project's GitHub page, choose Watch, then Custom, tick Releases and save. GitHub then emails you for every new release. ExplorerPatcher can also check for updates itself, in Properties, Updates.

Which Windows update broke ExplorerPatcher?

Upstream reports name KB5074109 (reported January 2026, issue 4831, still open) and KB5089573 (reported May 2026, issue 4987, closed), plus builds 26220.8474 and 26100.4202. We list only KB numbers that appear in those reports and have not reproduced them.

Is ExplorerPatcher working with the latest Windows update?

Status right now

What the newest rows of our history say:

6 Nov 2026, our run: works on 26100.33674 and 26200.9725.
29 Oct 2026, release 71.1: its notes list nine tested builds from 22621.4317 to 29695.1001 and fix crash loops on build 29634 and later and crashes when apps go full screen on 26220.9343 and later. Upstream issue 5111, about dragging pinned Start tiles on 26200.8655, closed on the same day.
Before that: release 70.3 (20 Jun 2026) and the Start menu tile engine change of May 2026. The table below has the full list.

Newest upstream reports (6 Nov 2026 snapshot)

These titles come from the project’s issue tracker. We list titles only. We have not reproduced any of them and do not know how many users each affects.

Open, 6 Nov: “StartDocked symbols can never resolve on 26200.9711 …” (issue 5238, title shortened).
Open, 6 Nov: “[24H2+] Explorer crashes when connecting to an Ethernet that requires authentication” (issue 5235).
Open, 5 Nov: “weather widget not appearing on task bar” (issue 5233). See weather not working.
Open, 3 Nov: “Interrupted upgrade leaves C:\Windows\dxgi.dll zero-filled (grey screen)” (issue 5230). See black screen.
Open, 2 Nov: Windows 10 Start menu closing animation missing on 26H1 build 28000.3365, Arm64 (issue 5229).
Closed 3 Nov: “[26220.9836] ep_taskbar crashes explorer.exe” (issue 5221).
Closed 3 Nov: “EXPLORER.EXE FAILS TO START - BLANK SCREEN ON LOGIN” (issue 5215).

What to do right now

If ExplorerPatcher works for you, change nothing. Version 71.1 is the current release. To update, run the new setup file over the old one: in our test the update kept our settings. See how to update.

Before you let Windows install the next update:

Know the recovery method: Ctrl+Shift+Esc, Run new task, explorer.exe, press Enter while holding Ctrl+Alt+Shift. The full steps are on the black screen page.
Check this page and the project’s releases for your build. The Build Checker takes your exact build number.
Consider waiting a few days. Past fixes arrived within days (see the FAQ), but some reports stayed open for months. This is your call; we cannot promise a date.

If an update has already broken Explorer:

Start Explorer without ExplorerPatcher as above. A crash dialog appears: that is expected.
Update ExplorerPatcher to 71.1 if you are on an older version.
If it still fails, switch the taskbar style back to Windows 11 or uninstall, then wait for a release. The crash page explains the crash counter.
Report it upstream with your build number: see troubleshooting.

Get a notice for new releases

On the project’s GitHub page, choose Watch, then Custom, tick Releases and press Apply. GitHub then sends a mail for each release. ExplorerPatcher can also check for updates itself, under Properties, Updates.

Status history

Each row is one event: our own run, a release, or an upstream report. “Issues” means users reported a problem; “Fixed” means a later release dealt with it. Only two rows carry KB numbers, because only two upstream reports name one. We do not guess KB numbers.

Date	Windows build or update	EP	Status	What happened
Nov 6, 2026	`26100.33674 (Server 2025, x64), 26200.9725 (Windows 11 25H2, Arm64)`	71.1	Works	Our install, update-over-70.3, all taskbar and Start styles, File Explorer options, Alt+Tab and uninstall runs finished without crashes on the newest runner images. Source: Our test runs of 6 Nov 2026 (finding F4 to F19)
Oct 29, 2026	`22621.4317, 22631.7652, 26100.8037 (Arm64), 26100.33650, 26300.9711, 26340.9767, 28000.3231, 28120.3302, 29695.1001`	71.1	Works	ExplorerPatcher 71.1 released. Its notes list these builds as tested and describe fixes for crash loops on build 29634+ and for crashes when apps go full screen on 26220.9343+ and 26xxx.9550+. Source: Release notes of 26100.9711.71.1
Jul 15, 2026	`26200.8655 (25H2)`	70.4 pre-release	Issues	Dragging a tile that was pinned by dragging in the Windows 10 Start menu froze Start. The issue was closed on 29 Oct 2026, the day 71.1 was released. Source: Upstream issue 5111
Jun 20, 2026	`22621.4317, 22631.7079, 26100.6899 (Arm64), 26200.8457, 26300.8493, 26300.8758, 28000.2269 (Arm64), 29617.1000`	70.3	Works	ExplorerPatcher 70.3 (stable): mitigates new breakage in 25H2 experimental builds 8553, 8687 and 8697, and keeps pinned tiles after repeated crashes. Source: Release notes of 26100.8457.70.3
Jun 10, 2026	`26100.x with the 10 June 2026 update (24H2)`	70.2	Issues	After the 10 June 2026 Windows update a user found the Start menu pinned items replaced by "Productivity" apps. The issue was closed on 6 Jul 2026. Source: Upstream issue 5039
May 27, 2026	KB5089573 `26200.8524 (25H2)`	69.6	Issues	A user reported Explorer crashes with EP 69.6 after installing KB5089573. The issue was closed on 30 May 2026. Source: Upstream issue 4987
May 19, 2026	`26220.8474 (Beta), 26300.8493 (Experimental), 28xxx.2298+`	70.1	Fixed	Windows 11 build 26220.8474 (15 May 2026) removed the tile engine behind the Windows 10 Start menu and made EP 69.6 crash Explorer in a loop. 70.1 fixed the crashes by hiding the Windows 10 Start option; 70.2 (10 Jun) restored it with ExplorerPatcher's own tile engine, which upstream calls a partial restoration. Source: Upstream issues 4957 and 4960, release notes of 70.1 and 70.2
Jan 14, 2026	KB5074109 `26200.7462 (25H2)`	69.6	Issues	A user reported that parts of ExplorerPatcher, such as the Quick Launch toolbar, stopped working after KB5074109 and restored a restore point. The issue was still open on 6 Nov 2026. Source: Upstream issue 4831
Dec 4, 2025	`26200.7171 (25H2, Windows 11 Enterprise)`	69.6	Issues	Explorer crashed three times after installing EP (EP then disabled itself) while the Start menu and tiles still worked. The issue was still open on 6 Nov 2026. Source: Upstream issue 4765
Jun 8, 2025	`26100.4202 (24H2)`	not stated	Issues	A user reported an Explorer crash loop after installing ExplorerPatcher on 26100.4202. The long thread (91 comments) is still open. Source: Upstream issue 4366

Older breakage worth knowing: upstream’s issue 1802 (August 2023) was titled “EP/Windows unstable after windows update: KB5029263 – Fix available!” and closed on 23 Sep 2023 after 129 comments. It predates the builds this page tracks.

How this page is made

We keep it by hand from three sources: our own test runs, the project’s release notes and the project’s open issues. The “Checked” date in the sidebar is when we last compared them. A “works” row means no crash in our tests. It does not mean no problem exists. When our status and an upstream report disagree, the upstream report is a reason to be careful, not something we have disproved.

ExplorerPatcher status