Microsoft fixes Windows 11 bug causing black screens and Explorer crashes

Microsoft has fixed a known issue that caused black screens, desktop loading problems and Windows Explorer crashes after some Windows 11 updates released since August 2026. The issue mainly affected Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) hosts using FSLogix, software that speeds up user profile loading in virtual desktop environments.

Microsoft said the problem was resolved in cumulative updates released on October 13, 2026, and in later updates. It recommends installing the latest update, which includes the fix and other improvements. Devices with an update released on or after October 13, 2026, do not need the workaround.

For systems that cannot install those updates, Microsoft described a temporary workaround: open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc, select “Run new task,” enter explorer.exe, and click “OK” to start Windows Explorer manually.

For enterprise-managed devices, Microsoft also provided a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) option through Group Policy. Administrators need to install and configure the policy for their Windows version and restart devices for it to take effect. Microsoft said the policy disables the change behind the issue until a fix is released in a future Windows update.