Latest ExplorerPatcher Update Resolves Win + X Issues and Start Menu Crashes on Windows 11

ExplorerPatcher Update: New Features and Fixes for Windows 11 Users

The widely-used UI customization tool, ExplorerPatcher, has received a significant update aimed at enhancing user experience for Windows 11 enthusiasts. The latest version, 22621.4317.67.1, is now accessible on GitHub and addresses critical issues, including the malfunctioning Win + X menu and frustrating crashes of the Start menu.

Key Enhancements in the Latest Version

The official changelog outlines numerous improvements that will undoubtedly benefit users:

• Taskbar10: Restored functionality for Win + X on builds 226xx.4317+.
• Start10: Resolved a bug that caused resource loading failures when the boot drive’s letter is not C:.
• Start10: Fixed critical crashes of the Start menu when accessing context menus of items with jump list entries in builds 226xx.4391+ and 261xx.2130+.
• ep_taskbar: Improved handling of unresponsive windows.
• ep_taskbar: Animated flashing for taskbar items has been introduced.
• ep_taskbar: Enhanced Narrator functionality to describe the “Show desktop”button.
• ep_taskbar: Exported the TrayUI class for better usability.
• Localization: Added support for Brazilian Portuguese translations.

Downloading ExplorerPatcher and Addressing Antivirus Issues

Users can download ExplorerPatcher directly from its GitHub repository. However, caution is advised as Windows Defender and other antivirus programs often flag ExplorerPatcher as potentially harmful, automatically deleting the executable upon download. The developer attributes this false-positive issue to what they describe as “Microsoft’s aversion to this software.”

Mitigating False Positives

Should you choose to follow the developer’s recommendation, you can prevent unwanted deletions by adding the following folders and files to your antivirus exclusion list:

• C:\Program Files\ExplorerPatcher
• %APPDATA%\ExplorerPatcher
• C:\Windows\dxgi.dll
• C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy
• C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy

If you are utilizing Windows Defender, a PowerShell script can be executed to add the necessary exclusions:

Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\Program Files\ExplorerPatcher"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "$env:APPDATA\ExplorerPatcher"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\Windows\dxgi.dll"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy"
    

Further Information

For additional details regarding ExplorerPatcher and its compatibility with antivirus software, please refer to the update notes located here.

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