Explorer window without close/iconify/min gadgets and black title border?

Sometimes randomly, when an explorer window gets opened from another program, e.g. from Everything (Voidtools) or Microsoft Edge browser downloads, it looks like this with a strange black border title and grey area, and without usual close/iconify/minimize gadgets:

Clicking where the window gadgets should be does nothing, and to restore normal behaviour and (white-transparent) colors I have to click out of this window. At this point the window will look as usual populated also by its normal gadgets.
It never happens when I open Explorer from Windows tool bar, only from within another program that needs to open a directory.

I use Launch folder windows in a separate process: Off.

Already tried to disable the few shellex installed, but didn't change this random event. Nvidia driver bug or what?

I've seen this today also. Just click the cross on the tab at the left.

Looks to me like you have explorer properties as opening in full screen. When explorer is accessed from another app, it's cutting off the right side of the window. You can solve it by Right clicking on explorer icon on taskbar. In the menu, right click again on 'file explorer' within the list. Select properties, under 'run' select normal window.

Close and reopen file explorer. Drag its edges to ALMOST fill your screen(but NOT all the way to edge) Even after you close it, it will remember that size, no matter if you open it or an app does.

I do not run any app as full screen. Sizing them myself usually prevents weird stuff from happening.

@ glasskutter

I think this is a feature, not a bug. I see the black title bar when Everything opens an explorer window. Maybe it's related to non-MS programs?

glasskuter said:

Looks to me like you have explorer properties as opening in full screen. When explorer is accessed from another app, it's cutting off the right side of the window. You can solve it by Right clicking on explorer icon on taskbar. In the menu, right click again on 'file explorer' within the list. Select properties, under 'run' select normal window.

Close and reopen file explorer. Drag its edges to ALMOST fill your screen(but NOT all the way to edge) Even after you close it, it will remember that size, no matter if you open it or an app does.

I do not run any app as full screen. Sizing them myself usually prevents weird stuff from happening.

Click to expand...

Sorry I don't understand what you mean. I usually never enlarge File Explorer windows to fullscreen... Don't understand what you mean with "Select properties, under 'run' select normal window"...?

This happens with other programs too opening (non-fullscreen) explorer windows...

Here is a short video showing the strange RANDOM issue (FYI: I use CTRL+J sometimes to open the download history). When this happens I can just click away (hence the window will loose its focus status) and goes back to normal:


Looks like a gfx acceleration bug to me (required for round corners look in Win11)...

Just FYI I was able to reproduce the issue even on a VBox virtual machine with Windows 11 fresh install from official ISO. No NVidia or AMD drivers of course but GuestAddons VBox video driver acceleration.
Definitely a Microsoft bug.


EDIT: reproducible even with VBox GuestAddons video driver acceleration disabled.

I just set up a new machine and it came with 22H2 build 22621 and I get this somewhat frequently. This thread is the only place I could find a definite match for my issue.

Has there been any more developments, work-arounds, or definitive causes identified?

Long-time Windows user and first-timer with Win 11. It seems to have more than the typical number of bugs for a two-year-old.