Opening Word, Excel, or other Office files directly from Windows Explorer sometimes causes the Explorer window to freeze, display a white screen, or close unexpectedly. This disrupts file access and can interrupt your workflow, especially when the issue persists across both local and cloud-synced folders. Several root causes can trigger this problem, ranging from preview pane conflicts to corrupted system files or faulty context menu extensions. The following methods address these causes with effective solutions, starting with the most effective approaches based on user reports and technical forums.
Turn Off the Preview Pane and Details Pane in File Explorer
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