Windows 10 download folder freezes

An unresponsive Downloads folder is often due to Automatic Folder Type Discovery that automatically optimizes directories for specific file types. Folder Discovery is great for the Videos, Pictures and Music folders that include one very specific file type. However, you can still adjust what files it optimizes Downloads for. Optimizing Downloads for general items might fix that folder. This is how you can adjust the Folder Discovery settings. However, the Winaero Tweaker customization software does include a Disable automatic folder type discovery setting.

Thus, you can select that option to ensure Folder Discovery no longer slows down the Downloads directory. Some of those resolutions will probably fix an unresponsive Downloads folder so that it opens and loads more quickly. Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month. Your Downloads folder shows the working on it message because Windows is creating thumbnails for photos and videos, even if none of the included files are pictures. To open downloads on Windows 10, open File Explorer , then locate and select Downloads.

At that point, a list of all your recently downloaded files should appear. Windows 10 download folder freezes. Nov 24th, Not a member of Pastebin yet? Sign Up , it unlocks many cool features! Disable Automatic Folder Type Discovery. You will see a pull down selection toggle that asks what kind of folder you want.

Click the Start Menu button and restart your PC for these changes to take effect. Once you are logged back into Windows, you should notice that accessing and using your Downloads folder is now much quicker.

For Windows 7 and 8 users, you may not be able to access the Downloads folder properties dialog box by right clicking on the Downloads folder shortcut. Within this folder, you will see the Downloads folder. You can right click this folder to get to the properties dialogue box and follow the same steps outlined above. Step 3. Step 1. Wait for the process to complete and then the CHDKSK command will automatically repair and fix all bad sectors found in the Downloads folder and system disk.

If command line is not your ideal choice, you can apply this command-line alternative tool - EaseUS CleanGenius. Use this one-click tool to fix the file system error on your hard drive. Step 2. Run the software. Click "Optimization" on the left panel, and then choose "File Showing". Go to "Choose drive" and select the drive with a file system error. Check the "Check and fix file system error" option and click "Execute". Step 4. Certain folders, like the Pictures folder, are automatically set to optimize files as photos.

At the top of the window, locate and right-click on "Downloads", and select "Properties". Click on the "Customize" tab and under the "Optimize this folder for" option, click the drop-down menu and choose "General items". Check the box "Also apply this template to all subfolders", press the "Apply" button, and click "OK". It may take a few minutes for this change to be applied to the Downloads folder and all of its contents.

Afterwards, check if the folder is still inaccessible. This next fix will come as a surprise for most users. As a result, if even just one file has a corrupt thumbnail that doesn't load properly, you could be blocked from opening Downloads.

Go to the "View" tab and observe the "Advanced settings" section. If the setting hasn't already been turned on, enable "Always show icons, never thumbnails" by checking the box next to it. Click "Apply" and "OK", then check whether or not the problem still occurs. Using this method will stop thumbnails from loading when you want to open the Downloads folder.

Thus, if a corrupt thumbnail is at the root of the error, showing the icons instead will let you regain access to the folder. After trying these 4 fixes you'll either have fixed the issue or you still can't open Downloads folder in Windows But don't worry, there is at least one effective way left. What you can do is to recover files from the inaccessible folder using a third-party data recovery tool: AnyRecover.

As a powerful program which specializes in data loss issues, AnyRecover can handle almost any data problems arising in various scenarios: emptied trash, accidental data deletion, partition error, system crash, corrupted or formatted device, etc.