Windows 11 start menu button not working? (6 solutions)

Windows 11 start menu button not working? Here are a few solutions you can try to fix the problem.

How to fix the Windows 11 start menu

Restart the 'Start' process

1. Open Windows Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc (Escape) keys on your keyboard simultaneously.

You can also press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete (Del) keys on your keyboard simultaneously, and then on the next screen, you click on Task Manager.

Or you press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard simultaneously > enter taskmgr > click OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard to open Task Manager.

Or you right-click on the start menu button (or press the Windows + X keys) and then click on Task Manager.

2. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes.

Note: Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.

3. In the Task Manager window, you search for the Start process.

4. Right-click on the Start process.

5. Click on End task.

Windows 11 will automatically start the 'Start' process again.

6. You can now close the Task Manager window.

7. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If not, then try the next solution.

Restart the 'Windows Explorer' process

1. Open Windows Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc (Escape) keys on your keyboard simultaneously.

You can also press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete (Del) keys on your keyboard simultaneously, and then on the next screen, you click on Task Manager.

Or press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard simultaneously > enter taskmgr > click OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Or right-click on the start menu button (or press the Windows + X keys) and then click on Task Manager.

2. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes.

Note: Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.

3. In the Task Manager window, you search for the Windows Explorer process.

4. Right-click on Windows Explorer process.

5. Click on Restart.

Windows 11 will restart the 'Windows Explorer' process again.

6. You can now close the Task Manager window.

7. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If not, then try the next solution.

Use DISM and System File Checker tool

DISM is an abbreviation for Deployment Image Servicing and Management.

1. Open Windows 'Command Prompt' or 'Terminal' as an administrator. One way to do this is to right-click on the start menu button (or press the Windows + X keys) and then click on Terminal (Admin).

Open Windows Terminal as an administrator

You can also click on the search icon located in the taskbar > type cmd > right-click on Command Prompt > click on Run as administrator.

Open Windows Command Prompt as an administrator

Or you press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard simultaneously to open a 'Run' window > type cmd into the 'Run' window > press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys on your keyboard simultaneously.

Open Windows Command Prompt as an administrator via Run box

2. When the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes.

Note: Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.

3. In the Command Prompt or Terminal window, you type (or copy and paste) the following command:


DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Run DISM Online Cleanup-image Restorehealth command

4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Note: This process may take a few minutes to start and complete.

5. After you see a message that says 'The operation completed successfully', you type (or copy and paste) the following command:


sfc /scannow

6. Press Enter on your keyboard.

The System File Checker tool will scan all protected system files, and replace corrupted files with a cached copy.

This process may take a while.

7. Wait till the process is complete.

8. After you see a message that says 'Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.', you can close the Command Prompt or Terminal window.

9. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If it's still not working, restart your PC, and if that doesn't help, then try the next solution.

PowerShell command 1

1. Open Windows 'PowerShell' or 'Terminal' as an administrator. One way to do this is to right-click on the start menu button (or press the Windows + X keys) and then click on Terminal (Admin).

You can also click on the search icon located in the taskbar > type powershell > right-click on Windows PowerShell > click on Run as administrator.

Open Windows Powershell as administrator

Or you press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard simultaneously to open a 'Run' window > type powershell into the 'Run' window > press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys on your keyboard simultaneously.

Open Windows Powershell as administrator using Run

2. When the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes.

Note: Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.

3. In the PowerShell or Terminal window, you type (or copy and paste) the following command:


Get-appxpackage -all *shellexperience* -packagetype bundle |% {add-appxpackage -register -disabledevelopmentmode ($_.installlocation + '\appxmetadata\appxbundlemanifest.xml')}

4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.

5. Wait till the process is complete.

6. Restart your PC.

7. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If not, then try the next solution.

PowerShell command 2

You can also click on the search icon located in the taskbar > type powershell > right-click on Windows PowerShell > click on Run as administrator.

2. When the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes.

Note: Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.

3. In the PowerShell or Terminal window, you type (or copy and paste) the following command:


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

4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.

5. Wait till the process is complete.

6. Restart your PC.

7. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If not, then try the next solution.

Reset your PC

Sometimes the best thing you can do is to start fresh.

Fortunately, Windows 11 comes with a feature that allows you to reinstall and update Windows in just a few clicks.

This feature is called 'Reset this PC'.

This feature allows you to keep your personal files, but it will remove your settings installed programs.

Important! Even though it says that it allows you to keep your files, I still recommend backing up your files, and if you have paid software, you should also retrieve and back up the license keys. Just in case something goes wrong.

Steps

1. Open settings by pressing the Windows + I keys on your keyboard simultaneously.

You can also right-click on the start menu button (or press the Windows + X keys) and then click on Settings.

Open Windows 11 settings using the WinX menu

Or press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard simultaneously > type ms-settings: > press the Enter key or click on OK.

2. On the System settings screen, you scroll down and click on Recovery.

3. In the 'Recovery options' section, you click on the Reset PC button.

4. When the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes.

Note: Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.

5. Choose one of the two following options: Keep my files or Remove everything.

6. In the next windows, you have the following two options: Cloud download and Local install. I would choose the Cloud download option.

7. In the next window, you can check your choices. If you're satisfied with your choice, click on the Next button.

8. In the next window, you can check your choices again. If you're satisfied with your choice, click on the Reset button.

9. Follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall Windows 11.