Windows has File Explorer to manage files and folders. If the Windows 10 explorer not refreshing after an edit or save, you can get confused about the latest version of files.

Clicking the refresh icon each time is not what the File Explorer is intended for! Automatically the contents should refresh and display the new structure and files.

Deleting, Saving, Renaming and Adding new files to a drive should reflect in the explorer window. More Read – 2 Special Features to Windows 7 – Pin File/Folder to Taskbar and Ribbon Explorer

Saved image or video files in an editor or app or program, can be automatically seen in the File Explorer. Windows 10 or 8.1 has the new interface of Windows Explorer.

It is then easy to edit these files or folder and upload to the necessary websites.

But, due to some problem the file explorer will not refresh and the contents are the same.

The cause can vary based on your current Windows 10 version and updates.

This silly error can be fixed, by right-clicking the content box and select “Refresh“.

But this is tiresome, as it takes couple of clicks to update the content in the folder or drive.

According to the design of Windows interface, the File Explorer content window should refresh automatically.

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Windows 10 File Explorer Not Refreshing – Why?

This can happen if you connect to LAN or network in your office. The network folders are listed in your Quick Access item type, whenever the other computer is online.

But if the computer or network that contains files, folders, images, videos, documents etc, goes offline, Windows 10 doesn’t recognize the fact that they are not accessible.

File Explorer in Windows 10 seems to be checking these network folders forever.

This can break Explorer’s capability to automatically refresh whenever you save, delete, update content in your local drive, folders and files.

Windows 10 Explorer Not Refreshing – Best Solution

You have to delete some cache files to make refresh work in File Explorer again.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Enter the following path.

%AppData%\Microsoft\windows\recent\automaticdestinations

delete files in automaticdestinations folder file explorer error fix

3. Delete all the files in that folder.
4. Next, enter this path.

%AppData%\Microsoft\windows\recent\customdestinations

delete files in customdestinations folder file explorer refresh error fix

5. Delete these files also completely.
6. Restart your PC.

This should remove your File Explorer Refresh error.

Note:

If after the 1909 update, you cannot see the above locations, you can make “hidden items” visible in File Explorer and delete them. Otherwise, you can make use of third party app like (Locate32) to find the above folder in Windows 10. Then do the necessary.

Solution #2 – Folders not Refreshing Automatically in Windows 10

This fix can work for some of the latest updates of Windows 10. You just have to delete the File Explorer cache using some third-party software app.

I generally use CCleaner to clean my junk and temporary files from time to time. This is a free software provided for Windows.

The latest version as of Sept 2021 is 5.85 (64bit). The “Easy Clean” option is the default method to clean the basic junk files. If you want to clean deep, you can use the “Custom Clean” option.

custom clean junk files file explorer refresh error fix ccleaner

On the left hand side, there are several options to clean for Windows Explorer. (Yes, it is still listed as it is in Windows 10 also).

1. Recent Documents
2. Run (in Start Menu) – Default
3. Other Explorer MRUs
4. Thumbnail Cache – Default
5. Taskbar Jump Lists – Default
6. Network Passwords

Try to clean the registry also using the same tool. Then restart the PC. Now check if the File Explorer Refresh error is gone or not.

Solution #3 – How to Refresh File Explorer using Windows Update

I somehow faced this issue in the 1903 version. But after updating to the latest version of Nov, 2019 update, the problem was resolved.

I might have accidentally removed the junk or cache folders. Though the reason is unknown, my problem seems to be gone after 1909 update.

windows 10 update 1909 fix file explorer not refresh error

So after applying the solution(2), you can try updating your Windows 10 to the latest 21H1 version. This should fix any errors related to File Explorer.