Windows 11 24H2’s latest bug turns a simple file move into a total nightmare, and you could be its next victim

Months have passed since Microsoft rolled out the Windows 11 24H2 update, yet users find themselves grappling with a familiar foe: bugs. Following the recent Patch Tuesday update, KB5051987, a particularly troublesome issue has emerged, capturing the attention of many users. This latest glitch appears to compound existing problems, leading to a frustrating experience for those navigating the updated operating system.

A mysterious Windows 11 bug can freeze your PCs while moving files

Reddit user u/Life_Garlic-2082 brought to light a perplexing bug that occurs when attempting to move program files, such as .exe or .msi files, from a .ZIP archive to another application using drag-and-drop. The result? A frozen File Explorer, leaving users unable to complete their file transfer. In my own attempt to replicate the issue, I found that moving a .msi file from a .ZIP file resulted in the same frustrating freeze, rendering my desktop unresponsive.

Fortunately, the taskbar remained functional, allowing me to right-click and access Task Manager to restart File Explorer. Closing Microsoft Edge was also necessary to escape the frozen state. However, even after these steps, the File Explorer application continued to crash upon reopening. A full system restart ultimately restored normalcy, but the inconvenience lingered.

This issue is not confined to instances where a web browser and File Explorer are open side by side. I also encountered the same freezing problem when attempting to move files to messaging applications like Slack and WhatsApp. The bug seems to rear its head whenever users try to transfer files between different application windows, particularly when dealing with program files that have been downloaded and then compressed into a .ZIP file.

Microsoft doesn’t seem to know about it

As of now, there has been no official acknowledgment from Microsoft regarding this issue. The lack of communication leaves users in the dark about whether the recent Patch Tuesday update is to blame. Until Microsoft provides a fix, the best course of action is to refrain from moving files out of .ZIP archives to other applications using drag-and-drop, thereby avoiding this frustrating bug.