File Explorer keeps going to Desktop

I'm having this same issue. However, I'm rarely browsing photos or the Photos folder, and it still happens to me. I'm a developer, and it often happens in the background while I'm working in a number of other applications. All File Explorer tabs will suddenly show "Desktop", and like @hipswich, I can indeed navigate with the back button to where I was before. However as you can imagine I have to have many Explorer windows/tabs open, so this causes great productivity slowdowns.

I have no idea what triggers this.

Followed instructions here: Using System File Checker in Windows

Log -----------------------------------------------------------------------PS > DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /RestorehealthDeployment Image Servicing and Management toolVersion: 10.0.22621.2792Image Version: 10.0.22631.3447[==========================100.0%==========================] The restore operation completed successfully.The operation completed successfully.PS > sfc /scannowBeginning system scan.  This process will take some time.Beginning verification phase of system scan.Verification 100% complete.Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, hipswich

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

We understand that you are only experiencing this issue when opening the Photos folder and our tests have not been able to reproduce the issue, so it is possible that this is a bug in File Explorer, you can submit this issue and your ideas and suggestions through the Feedback Hub, and the development team will regularly review submissions for ideas or fixes.  Please share the feedback link here after submitting as it will allow others on the forum to vote for your submission, including me. More votes will lead to more visibility and higher priority to the development team.

Sincerely

Nicholas | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

I have tried non-photo folders but have not been able to reproduce this issue. I will report back if this happens to a non-photo folder or opening a non-photo file.

Hi, hipswich

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

May I ask if you are only experiencing the problem when viewing photos?

Sincerely

Nicholas | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

I have finally found at least one event that triggers this: double-clicking a photo.

File Explorer has two tabs both of which have many pictures (I do not know if image files are the prerequisite for this issue) as follows:

When I double-click a photo file, sometimes one tab goes to Desktop and sometimes both go to Desktop. It is not 100% reproducible. The folders do not change (i.e., behave normally) most of the time when I double-click a file.