The Start Menu is not opening, freezing, or missing tiles — the most common quick fix is to restart Windows Explorer or re-register the Start/Windows apps. If that doesn’t help, the issue usually comes from corrupted system files, app registration problems, a bad user profile, third‑party shell software, or a recent Windows update.
This article explains why the Start Menu doesn’t work and gives 15 clear causes and fixes so you can try the fastest remedies first and escalate to advanced repairs only if needed.
Key Takeaway
Restart Windows Explorer, run DISM and SFC, then re-register Windows apps with PowerShell; if that still fails, create a new user account or perform an in-place repair. These steps resolve the vast majority of cases where the Start Menu doesn’t work.
Quick Fix Guide
| Reason for the Problem | Quick Solution |
|---|---|
| Explorer (shell) crashed or frozen | Restart Windows Explorer in Task Manager. |
| Corrupted Start/Windows app package | Re-register Start/Windows apps using PowerShell (Add-AppxPackage) as Admin. |
| Corrupt user profile | Create a new user account and move data. |
| Recent or failed Windows Update | Uninstall recent updates or run Windows Update Troubleshooter. |
| Missing or corrupt system files | Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth then sfc /scannow. |
| Corrupted Windows Store/Cortana services | Reset or re-register Store and Cortana app packages. |
| Third-party shell or Start replacement | Uninstall or disable third-party shell/start utilities. |
| Group Policy or Registry restrictions | Check gpedit.msc or specific registry keys and revert settings. |
| Corrupted Start tile database | Re-register Start apps or recreate tile database by creating a new user. |
| Antivirus or security software interference | Temporarily disable AV and test Start Menu. |
| File/folder permission errors | Repair permissions or run icacls on profile folders. |
| Fast Startup causing corruption | Disable Fast Startup in Power Options. |
| Display driver bugs or GPU issues | Update or roll back display drivers. |
| Required background service disabled | Re-enable Windows Search, User Manager, or related services. |
| Malware / low system resources | Scan for malware and free disk space / memory. |
Detailed Fixes for “Start Menu doesn’t work”
1) Windows Explorer (shell) crashed or frozen
Why it causes the problem:
- The Start Menu is part of the Explorer shell UI; if explorer.exe crashes or locks up, Start, taskbar, and system tray stop responding.
How to fix:
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
- Find Windows Explorer under the Processes tab.
- Right‑click it and choose Restart.
- If Explorer is not listed: click File > Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter.
Notes:
- This is the quickest test; if this fixes it temporarily, proceed to other fixes to find root cause.
2) Corrupted Start/Windows app package
Why it causes the problem:
- The Start Menu and tiles are implemented as UWP/AppX packages. If their registration is corrupt, Start won’t open or will be blank.
How to fix:
- Open PowerShell as Administrator: press Start (if possible) or Windows+X, choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Run the re-register command (copy‑paste as one line):
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”} - Wait for the command to complete and then sign out / restart the PC.
Notes:
- This often restores missing tiles and Start behavior. Some error messages during re-registration are normal.
3) Corrupt user profile
Why it causes the problem:
- Start Menu settings and tile database are stored in the user profile; a corrupted profile can prevent Start from loading.
How to fix:
- Create a new local user account: Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC.
- Choose I don’t have this person’s sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account (or add a Microsoft account).
- Sign into the new account. If Start works, move your personal files from old profile to new: C:\Users\
to C:\Users\ (avoid copying AppData unless necessary). - Delete the corrupt account after confirming data migration.
Notes:
- If enterprise policy prevents account creation, contact your admin.
4) Recent or failed Windows Update
Why it causes the problem:
- A faulty or incomplete update can break Start components.
How to fix:
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history.
- If problems started after a specific update, go to Uninstall updates, select the recent update and choose Uninstall.
- Run Windows Update Troubleshooter: Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Windows Update.
Notes:
- After uninstalling, pause updates for a short time while awaiting a fix from Microsoft.
5) Missing or corrupt system files
Why it causes the problem:
- Core Start components rely on system files; corruption prevents proper operation.
How to fix:
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator: press Windows+X, choose Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth (wait; can take 10–30 minutes).
- Then run: sfc /scannow
- Reboot when complete.
Notes:
- Run DISM first to fix Windows component store, then SFC to repair files.
6) Corrupted Windows Store / Cortana services
Why it causes the problem:
- Cortana/Search and the Store integrate closely with Start; if these apps break, Start may be affected.
How to fix:
- Reset Store app: Settings > Apps > Microsoft Store > Advanced options > Reset.
- Re-register Cortana/Store via PowerShell (same re-register command as above).
- Restart PC.
Notes:
- Cortana may be integrated in versions of Windows 10; re-registering the app can restore behavior.
7) Third-party shell or Start replacement
Why it causes the problem:
- Classic Start menus, shell replacements (e.g., Classic Shell, StartIsBack), or system tweaking tools can interfere or conflict with the built-in Start.
How to fix:
- Uninstall or disable the third‑party tool: Settings > Apps or via its own uninstaller.
- Reboot and test Start.
- If uninstall fails, boot into Safe Mode and remove the program.
Notes:
- If you prefer third‑party start menus, ensure they are updated for your Windows build.
8) Group Policy or Registry restrictions
Why it causes the problem:
- Policies can hide or disable Start Menu features; some registry tweaks can break Start.
How to fix:
- Run gpedit.msc (Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise) and navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar. Set suspicious policies to Not Configured.
- For registry checks, open regedit and examine HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer for keys like NoStartMenu or NoViewOnDrive. Remove only if you created them or after export backup.
- Reboot.
Warnings:
- Editing Group Policy and Registry can affect system behavior — back up first.
9) Corrupted Start tile database
Why it causes the problem:
- The tile database (tile layout, sizes) can be corrupt and stop Start from rendering.
How to fix:
- Re-register Start apps (PowerShell) as shown in fix #2.
- If that fails, create a new account (fix #3) or delete tile database files in older builds: check %LocalAppData%\TileDataLayer\Database (some builds restrict access).
- Restart Windows.
Notes:
- Microsoft changed tile management over builds; if you can’t access the DB safely, creating a new profile is less risky.
10) Antivirus or security software interference
Why it causes the problem:
- Overzealous AV may block app registration or system processes.
How to fix:
- Temporarily disable third-party antivirus/firewall and test the Start Menu.
- If Start works with AV off, create exclusions for C:\Windows\explorer.exe and C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.Xaml.dll (or follow vendor guidance).
- Re-enable AV and update definitions.
Warnings:
- Only disable AV briefly and while offline if possible.
11) File or folder permission (ACL) errors
Why it causes the problem:
- Start and its tile DB need correct NTFS permissions; incorrect ACLs block access.
How to fix:
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Reset permissions for the user profile folder: icacls “C:\Users\
” /reset /T /C /Q - Sign out and sign in.
Notes:
- Adjust path for different profile locations. Be careful with icacls — use the reset option to restore defaults.
12) Fast Startup causing corruption
Why it causes the problem:
- Fast Startup hibernates kernel session; a problem state can persist and affect Start on boot.
How to fix:
- Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.
- Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
- Uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended).
- Save and fully shutdown, then boot.
Notes:
- This can resolve intermittent issues after updates.
13) Outdated or corrupt display driver
Why it causes the problem:
- The Start UI uses GPU acceleration; driver issues can prevent Start from drawing.
How to fix:
- Open Device Manager (Windows+X > Device Manager) and expand Display adapters.
- Right‑click your adapter and choose Update driver. If the problem started after a driver update, choose Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver.
- Alternatively download official drivers from the GPU vendor site and install.
Notes:
- Use the vendor’s clean install option if available.
14) Required services disabled (Windows Search, User Manager)
Why it causes the problem:
- Services like Windows Search and User Manager help Start show results and user tiles.
How to fix:
- Open services.msc.
- Ensure Windows Search is set to Automatic (Delayed Start) and is Running.
- Ensure User Manager Service is running for profile operations.
- Start services if needed and reboot.
Notes:
- Some enterprise environments disable search for policy reasons — check with admin.
15) Malware, low disk space, or insufficient resources
Why it causes the problem:
- Malware can corrupt system components; running out of disk space or memory can prevent Start from loading.
How to fix:
- Free disk space: delete temp files (Settings > System > Storage or Disk Cleanup).
- Run a full antivirus scan with updated definitions.
- Boot into Safe Mode and run scans if malware is suspected.
- If hardware resources are chronically low, consider disk/ram upgrades.
Notes:
- Always maintain at least 10–15% free disk space on system drive.
When to do a Repair Install or Reset (extra section)
When to choose this:
- If all the above fixes fail, core system corruption or an unfixable configuration likely exists.
Options:
- In-place repair (keeps apps and files): download the matching Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft, run setup.exe and choose Keep personal files and apps.
- Reset this PC (can keep files or remove everything): Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC.
- Full clean install: back up data, make bootable USB, reinstall Windows.
Notes:
- Always back up personal files before reset or clean install. In-place repair is safest to preserve installed programs.
FAQ
Q: Will resetting the Start Menu remove my installed apps or files?
A: Re-registering Start apps and restarting Explorer won’t remove files. Using Reset this PC or a clean install can remove apps; choose Keep my files to preserve data when available.
Q: Can I prevent Start Menu problems proactively?
A: Keep Windows updated, avoid unsupported shell tweaks, maintain backups, keep antivirus updated, and periodically run DISM and SFC if you suspect corruption.
Q: Is it safe to run the PowerShell re-register command?
A: Yes — it’s a common troubleshooting step. Run PowerShell as Administrator. Expect many red messages sometimes; the command generally fixes registration issues.
Q: My Start Menu works in Safe Mode. What does that mean?
A: If Start works in Safe Mode, a third‑party program, driver, or service likely causes the issue. Use Clean Boot to isolate the culprit.
Q: How do I report this bug to Microsoft?
A: Use the Feedback Hub app: open Feedback Hub, describe the issue, include steps to reproduce and attach screenshots or repro logs.
Conclusion
Most Start Menu problems can be fixed by restarting Windows Explorer, running DISM and SFC, and re-registering Windows apps; creating a new user or performing an in‑place repair resolves deeper corruption. If the Start Menu doesn’t work, follow the steps above from easiest to most invasive to restore normal operation.
