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If File Explorer closes, freezes, or restarts when you use PowerToys Peek, first determine which of those outcomes is happening. The available reports do not confirm that Peek causes the specific Explorer crash described here, and there is no verified universal fix. A controlled comparison of the symptom, Explorer location, and Peek launch method can help narrow down what to report without treating an activation failure as a crash.
First identify what “crashing” means
These symptoms point to different problems, so note exactly what happens when you try to preview a file:
- Explorer closes or restarts: the Windows shell may have crashed. Capture the crash record and the faulting application or module; do not assume the preview window itself failed.
- Peek closes, but Explorer stays open: the failure may be limited to the preview utility.
- Explorer becomes unresponsive: record whether it recovers, and how long it remains frozen.
- Nothing opens: this is an activation failure, not by itself evidence that Explorer crashed. Individual reports describe Peek failing to activate in specific Explorer contexts.
One PowerToys report describes Explorer and Settings crashes in versions 0.78.0 and 0.79.0, lists the issue under General/Settings, and names dwmcorei.dll as the faulting module. It does not identify Peek as the cause, and its module detail should not be assumed to match another crash. See the report.
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Before changing settings, write down the details needed to reproduce the problem. PowerToys issue reports show that version and Explorer context can matter, but they do not establish a common cause.
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- Windows edition, version, and build number.
- PowerToys version and how it was installed.
- The Peek activation shortcut shown in PowerToys settings.
- The file type and whether it is stored locally or elsewhere.
- Where in Explorer you were working: a regular folder, Home, Gallery, or another location.
- Whether Explorer terminated, froze, or remained open while Peek failed to appear.
Peek’s activation shortcut is configurable. Microsoft’s documentation says Space is the default starting with PowerToys 0.95; check your installed version and current setting rather than assuming the shortcut. Microsoft’s Peek documentation also describes the utility as a way to preview file content without opening another application.
Compare Explorer activation with a direct launch
Use one known local file for the comparison. Try the Peek shortcut from a conventional Explorer folder, then test the documented command-line entry point. This is an isolation check, not a promised repair.
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- Open a regular folder in File Explorer and select the test file.
- Activate Peek using the shortcut currently shown in PowerToys settings. Note whether the preview opens and whether Explorer remains responsive.
- Launch Peek directly with the documented command format:
PowerToys.Peek.UI.exe <filepath>. Replace<filepath>with the path to the same file. Consult Microsoft’s Peek documentation for the entry point and usage context. - Record whether the direct launch behaves differently from the Explorer shortcut.
If the direct launch works but activation from Explorer does not, that points toward investigating the Explorer activation path or context; it does not prove the root cause. If Explorer itself closes or restarts, preserve its crash details rather than reporting only that Peek did not open.
Use a temporary toggle only as an isolation test
You can temporarily turn Peek off—or temporarily exit PowerToys—and repeat the same steps with the same file and Explorer location. Record whether the symptom changes, then restore the prior setting. A change in behavior may help narrow the report, but it does not establish that Peek caused the crash or that leaving it disabled is a confirmed fix.
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Do not assume that reinstalling PowerToys, changing the shortcut, or restarting Explorer will resolve every case. The available documentation and reports do not verify those actions as fixes for a Peek-related Explorer crash.
What existing Peek reports do and do not establish
Reports help illustrate why the exact symptom and context matter; they are individual reports, not confirmation that one defect explains every case.
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- A February 2026 report describes intermittent Peek activation from folders on Windows 11 25H2 with PowerToys v0.97.2. It concerns activation, not a confirmed Explorer termination or a verified fix. Read the report.
- Another report says Peek stopped opening from Explorer Home after a move from PowerToys v0.94 to v0.95. It records that user’s experience, not a fix applicable to all Windows 11 builds. Read the report.
Neither report establishes that an activation failure is the same problem as Explorer crashing.
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If the problem persists, report it in the PowerToys issue tracker. Include the Windows and PowerToys versions, installation source, Peek shortcut, file type, Explorer location, and the exact sequence that triggers the symptom. If Explorer exits or restarts, include the crash record and faulting application or module. State whether the direct command-line launch and the Explorer shortcut behave differently.
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Those details help distinguish an Explorer crash from a Peek activation failure. The reports and documentation cited here do not identify a verified universal fix for an Explorer crash attributed to Peek.
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