NordVPN opens instead of Windows Explorer

This is hands down one of the strangest issues I’ve had.

I use NordVPN because it’s the only VPN in South Africa that I’ve tried that has decent speed with local servers. I may not like the always-on “Miss now and it’s never again” discounts, or the features being advertised to upsell me as an already paying customer…

But NordVPN opening instead of Windows Explorer is a truly strange one.

My issue

I use TreeSize to find the large files and folders on my computer. When I right-click and choose “Open Containing Folder” I expect Windows Explorer to pop up. Instead, NordVPN opens with the “File Transfers” tab open offering me MeshNet - where I can share files ono their service.

This is not what I want, nor expected.

Why this happens

Google left me with a Reddit post to which the comments (including I assume an answer) were deleted, and this forum thread.

As user aminomancer suggests, it also happens with other software like VS Code too.

The speculated cause suggested by “bwbwbwb” (21 Jun 2024) in their one-and-only post on this forum is because NordVPN (and sometimes other software) uses Position: Top in the registry keys HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Folder\shell causing similar issues.

If this is the cause: It’s really aggravating this feature is being pushed in a way that affects my general Windows usage without any suggestion why.

The solution

To fix NordVPN (or another app) opening instead of Windows Explorer (or another app) there are 2 options:

1. Turn off NordVPN’s MeshNet Windows Explorer integration in NordVPN’s settings: Open NordVPN, go to Settings, General and find Show the Meshnet feature sharing option in the Windows context menu and turn this OFF.

Even though my MeshNet was turned off since I installed NordVPN, this feature was ON pushing me to use MeshNet.

Instantly: Things started working again. I could use Windows in the way I expected. No more NordVPN popping up.

2. Save the following .reg file:

fix-shell.reg

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell] @="none" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell] @="none"

Running this file, or manually setting these values in Regedit should have almost the same effect.

Alternatively, uninstalling NordVPN does the same.

To developers

I get your features feel important and what you’re working on has meaning… But consider that something as simple as trying to change a context menu order may have adverse effects.

Squashing bugs is an annoying, but necessary thing to deal with.

Whether this was caused by NordVPN trying too push a feature, or just a side-effect of a bug: I’m glad it’s sorted.

Hopefully this helps you as well, because I sure was stuck with this for months. Heck, even a fresh Windows install.