11 Ways to Fix Windows Start Button Not Working

One of these methods should help you

The Start Menu is one of the fundamental parts of the Windows operating system. In fact, almost everything can be done from the Start Menu. When the Windows Start button stops working, using your PC suddenly becomes much harder.

In this article, we’ll explain 11 ways to fix the Start button when it stops working in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1. Restart Your PC

Many seemingly unsolvable problems can be quickly fixed with a restart. If your Start Menu isn’t working (it doesn’t open when you press the Start key), you’ll have to use the buttons on your PC case to restart.

To do so, press theRestartbutton. If you don’t have a restart button, press and hold the power button for 5-10 seconds. Wait 30 seconds, then press the power button again to restart it.

If the Windows Start button still isn’t working when your PC reboots, move on to the next step.

2. Check If the Start Menu Is Hidden

If you can’t see the Start Menu or taskbar, you may have accidentally hidden them. To find out whether this is the case, you can lock the taskbar:

3. Check for Malware and Viruses

Malware often causes your PC to malfunction. To check whether your PC has malware, open your antivirus software and selectScan Now. If you don’t have a third-party antivirus installed, you can use Windows Defender as follows:

4. Update Windows to the Latest Version

Updating Windows often adds new features and resolves residual glitches. Occasionally, the Start menu error can be caused by a faulty Windows update, and updating to the latest version can help.

To update Windows:

5. Restart Windows Explorer Process

Often, temporary glitches are caused when system processes function incorrectly. To check whether this is the case, restart the process using the Task Manager. In the case of a broken Start Menu, it’s usually the Windows Explorer task at fault.

6. Change User Account

For some reason, a broken Start Menu is often associated with a particular user account. To check, sign out and enter another account — even if it’s a guest account. Since you can’t access the Start Menu, you’ll have to restart to do this.

If the Start Menu works on the other account, it’s a user account issue. Unfortunately, besides updating Windows, we aren’t sure why this error occurs or how to fix it.

One less-than-perfect solution is creating a new user account and migrating your files. While this can be a pain, a new account will resolve the Start Menu glitch and let you use Windows as usual.

To do so:

7. Use Windows PowerShell to Re-register Built-in Apps

Re-registering apps withPowerShellis a temporary workaround to help you get the Start Menu running again. This sets your apps (like the Start Menu) to factory defaults and can resolve common glitches.

To re-register the Start Menu:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

Note:Since this is only a temporary fix, you may have to repeat this process every time you restart your computer.

8. Disable Cortana’s Temporary Files

Cortanacan cause Windows Explorer and other essential Windows services to malfunction, especially on Windows 10. To resolve the Start button not working problem, you can disable the temporary Cortana files using the Command Prompt.

CD/d “C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy”

If that file path can’t be found, try:

CD/d “C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy”

Taskkill /F /IM SearchUI.exe

RD /S /Q Settings

Note:If the above file paths can’t be found or the commands don’t work, you can try manually renaming the folders by navigating to the file path in Windows File Explorer. This might cause Cortana to reset, fixing the issue at hand.

9. Use the System File Checker

Windows provides the System File Checker (SFC) to troubleshoot and fix corrupted system files. If none of the above methods have worked, you can use this to find out what’s causing the Start Menu glitch.

SFC /scannow

10. Create New Registry for the Start Menu

If your Windows key still isn’t working, you can try creating a new registry entry for the Start Menu:

11. Perform a System Reset

If all else fails, the final resort is to reset Windows. To perform a system reset:

Note:If even this step fails, your only option is to uninstall andreinstall Windowscompletely. With a fresh install, you should be completely free of the Start Menu button glitch.

Get Your Start Menu Up and Running Again

It can be frustrating when something fundamental like the Start Menu stops working. Mainly because without it, even accessing the tools you need to fix the glitch becomes harder.

Hopefully, these fixes have helped you get your Windows 11 or Windows 10 Start Menu button working once again.

Jake Harfield is an Australian freelance writer whose passion is finding out how different technologies work. He has written for several online publications, focusing on explaining what he has learned to help others with their tech problems. He’s an avid hiker and birder, and in his spare time you’ll find him in the Aussie bush listening to the birdsong.Read Jake’s Full Bio

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