Windows 11 update is reportedly breaking the operating system's most vital tool

Woman looking upset in front of a laptop computer

(Image credit: Future)

At a pivotal moment in time when Microsoft should be winning the hearts and minds of desktop PC users by presenting a stable and reliable platform in Windows 11, the latest 24H2 update (KB5051987) has caused some users to face several major issues, including problems with the operating system's most vital tool, File Explorer.

Growing complaints with the latest update are the last thing Microsoft will have wanted to see, with the company currently trying to woo as many Windows users as possible into upgrading to Windows 11 ahead of Windows 10's October 14, 2025, end-of-support date.

Windows 11's stability has often been called into question, and yet another update resulting in widespread reports of issues is unlikely to help the stigma surrounding the operating system.

If you're yet to download the latest KB5051987 security update, or encountering issues after doing so, read on for information on what to expect, and what you can do next.

Windows 11 update (KB5051987): File Explorer bugs and how to avoid them

As reported by Windows Latest, with user reports popping up in numerous spaces online, Microsoft's most recent security patch has rendered File Explorer — the primary tool for accessing files and folders on a machine — unresponsive, either failing to open from desktop shortcuts or refusing to navigate between locations through the sidebar.

Which folders are affected varies from user to user, but commonly used main folders like Documents are among the most widely reported with Downloads and Pictures also being effectively unreachable for others.

Ruling out the possibility of any third-party software clashes, Windows Latest was able to recreate the bug after applying the update to a fresh install of Windows 11.

While this issue seems to be troublesome enough, some users also report that the most recent update is causing several BSoD (Blue screen of death) issues, if not fully corrupting the operating system.

Microsoft has yet to offer any solution to these issues, and several workarounds posed by the community have led to hit-or-miss results. However, users experiencing issues with File Explorer can roll back the KB5051987 patch to the previous January 2025 update by heading to Settings > Windows Update > Uninstall updates and choosing to uninstall the Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB5051987).

What's next

Hopefully, Microsoft will be in the process of applying a fix to the KB5051987 patch, especially as it impacts such a vital component of the Windows operating system.

Frustratingly, while problems like this won't affect all users, they're a common occurrence for many following updates. However, Windows Latest's ability to recreate the issue so easily on a clean Windows 11 install is a worrying sign.

Thankfully, with the February 2025 optional update expected to arrive this week, it's likely that Microsoft will address any issues sooner rather than later, allowing users to complete the update as intended — without any of the File Explorer issues.

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