Desktop/Taskbar refreshing

Question

Desktop/Taskbar refreshing

Barry Bryan 20

Hi after installing the latest windows update (Windows 10), and logging on, my desktop and taskbar keep refreshing every 20/30 seconds or so and making the computer unusable. I have been told it is a problem with Windows Explorer. Can you help?

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Answer accepted by question author

Ivan B 127.2K Independent Advisor

Hii,

Open the command prompt (admin) and run the commands: sfc /scannow and dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth, wait for the process to finish and restart the computer.

Then perform a clean boot

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-execute-a-simple-boot-start-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd

Let me know here if it worked

Thanks

Barry Bryan 20 Reputation points

2026-11-11T11:14:33.04+00:00

I followed this procedure through to performing the clean boot and I now have a stable desktop. However, I have not enabled the Microsoft Services or the Startup Services yet. Can you advise a best method to do this or do I just have to follow the procedures on the Microsoft Clean Boot instruction page?
Ivan B 127.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-11T15:31:10.0566667+00:00

Hi,

In this case, you should follow the procedure, but keep the Microsoft services active while disabling the third-party service options—which are likely the cause of the previous issue.

Thanks
Barry Bryan 20 Reputation points

2026-11-11T15:56:09.3066667+00:00

Hi again,

Thank you. I started that procedure but unfortunately, when I did the first restart, Windows barged in and did an update. Now I can’t log in to my computer, the login screen goes blurred but the password dialogue box doesn’t appear. Sometimes I can get it to appear but it then says it has lost my pin and just won’t let me set a new one. I’ve tried starting in safe mode but that won’t work for me either I just get taken to the login screen which fails again. I should have turned off windows update before starting all this.

Regards, Barry
Ivan B 127.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-11T15:59:13.82+00:00

Hi,

Are you able to access the repair screen? If so, could you try using System Restore to go back to a previous point in time?

Thanks
Barry Bryan 20 Reputation points

2026-11-11T17:31:15.0966667+00:00

I’ve tried and tried and cannot get into the repair environment always ending up at the blurry login screen. I think I once got to safe mode as I had a default login picture but blurry screen when I tried to login. I have Windows 10 recovery CD’s but the computer ignores them at boot.
Ivan B 127.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-11T17:34:09.8566667+00:00

Hi,

Try the following: shut down your PC, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on while holding down the Shift key to see if it takes you to the Windows WinRE (recovery) screen.

Thanks

1 additional answer

Your answer

Barry Bryan 20 Reputation points

2026-11-11T11:14:33.04+00:00

I followed this procedure through to performing the clean boot and I now have a stable desktop. However, I have not enabled the Microsoft Services or the Startup Services yet. Can you advise a best method to do this or do I just have to follow the procedures on the Microsoft Clean Boot instruction page?
Ivan B 127.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-11T15:31:10.0566667+00:00

Hi,

In this case, you should follow the procedure, but keep the Microsoft services active while disabling the third-party service options—which are likely the cause of the previous issue.

Thanks
Barry Bryan 20 Reputation points

2026-11-11T15:56:09.3066667+00:00

Hi again,

Thank you. I started that procedure but unfortunately, when I did the first restart, Windows barged in and did an update. Now I can’t log in to my computer, the login screen goes blurred but the password dialogue box doesn’t appear. Sometimes I can get it to appear but it then says it has lost my pin and just won’t let me set a new one. I’ve tried starting in safe mode but that won’t work for me either I just get taken to the login screen which fails again. I should have turned off windows update before starting all this.

Regards, Barry
Ivan B 127.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-11T15:59:13.82+00:00

Hi,

Are you able to access the repair screen? If so, could you try using System Restore to go back to a previous point in time?

Thanks
Barry Bryan 20 Reputation points

2026-11-11T17:31:15.0966667+00:00

I’ve tried and tried and cannot get into the repair environment always ending up at the blurry login screen. I think I once got to safe mode as I had a default login picture but blurry screen when I tried to login. I have Windows 10 recovery CD’s but the computer ignores them at boot.
Ivan B 127.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-11T17:34:09.8566667+00:00

Hi,

Try the following: shut down your PC, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on while holding down the Shift key to see if it takes you to the Windows WinRE (recovery) screen.

Thanks

Answer 1

This can happen after a Windows update when Explorer.exe keeps crashing and restarting, which can also make the taskbar disappear or keep refreshing.

Try these steps in order:

Check whether the issue matches an Explorer crash loop
- If the desktop and taskbar keep refreshing and the PC becomes unusable after sign-in, that matches the documented Explorer crash behavior after some Windows updates.
Restart to the Windows Recovery Environment
- Press Windows key + L to go to the sign-in screen.
- Hold Shift, select the Power icon, and choose Restart while still holding Shift.
- This opens the recovery menu.
Uninstall the most recent quality update
- In recovery, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.
- Choose Uninstall latest quality update.
- This is the most direct recovery step when the problem started immediately after the latest Windows 10 update.
If uninstalling the update does not fix it, use System Restore
- In recovery, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.
- Select a restore point from before the issue started.
- This can return the system to a working state without manually repairing Explorer.
If the screen is also flickering, check whether Task Manager flickers
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and open Task Manager. If needed, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- If Task Manager flickers too, the problem is likely the display driver.
- If Task Manager does not flicker while the rest of the screen does, the problem is more likely an incompatible app.
Try the graphics driver reset shortcut if the display is unstable
- Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B.
- If that does not help, restart again.

Notes:

For older documented Explorer crash cases, Microsoft resolved the issue with a Windows update, and a restart might be required after applying the fix.
If the issue began immediately after the latest update, uninstalling that update or restoring the system is the supported recovery path shown in the available guidance.