Windows 10 is getting a crucial update which will fix a bug that caused Windows Explorer to hang when locating a file through the search box. This exceptionally irksome bug is well overdue a fix after it first appeared in November 2019, according to Windows Latest.
The problem was a fairly big one that managed to stall Windows Explorer and prevent users from doing simple things, like clicking. and Microsoft admits that it stopped the filter tool from working, leaving you with a blank page or a message that said “computing filters” indefinitely.
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This bug has also been fixed in the Windows 10 21H1, which will roll out in the next couple of months. However, this patch brings this component forward slightly, which will please people who don’t want to wait to get their explorer up and running again.
The update will also remove the creaking old original version of Microsoft Edge. The browser got an update in January of 2020 that moved it onto a Chromium-based platform. However, Microsoft has allowed the original Edge, which ran on its own rendering engine, to stick around in case anyone was using it.
The update, KB5000842, will patch both the explorer bug as well as stripping out that old Edge code. Additional fixes include an update that stops HDR screens from looking darker than expected. The patch also addressed a video playback bug that caused sync issues when your computer was duplicating a display on multiple monitors. There’s also a fix for some 7.1 sound issues.
Microsoft warns that in some cases, if you built a custom offline ISO for your Windows installation then you may find that legacy Edge is removed but not replaced by the new version. This could be problematic for the theoretical person who only had legacy Edge installed, but that’s super-unlikely to be a problem in the real world. It may be an issue for some businesses with machines that don’t use Windows Update for their patches.
The patch is available now via Windows Update and can be installed by heading to the Windows Update menu and selecting the relevant cumulative update. It is optional though, so failing to do it manually will mean you’ll end up waiting for that 21H2 update due in a few months.
Update: this bug was reported in 2019, not 2020 as originally reported.
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