Having trouble with your Windows 10 Start Menu not opening? Let’s explore some solutions to fix this issue.
Common Causes and Solutions
- Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I.
- Click on Update & Security.
- Click on Windows Update.
- Click on Check for updates.
- Install any available updates and restart your computer.
Restart Windows Explorer
- Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
- Scroll down and find Windows Explorer.
- Right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart.
- Check if the Start menu is working now.
Run Windows Troubleshooter
- Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I.
- Click on Update & Security.
- Click on Troubleshoot.
- Click on Windows Store Apps.
- Click on Run the troubleshooter.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
Restart Windows Explorer Process
To restart the Windows Explorer process, you can use the Task Manager. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. Look for “Windows Explorer” under the Processes tab, right-click on it, and select Restart.
Another option is to restart Windows Explorer using the command-line interface. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager, go to the File menu, and select Run new task. Type cmd and check the box for “Create this task with administrative privileges.” In the Command Prompt window, type taskkill /f /im explorer.exe and press Enter. Then type start explorer.exe and press Enter to restart Windows Explorer.
If you prefer using PowerShell, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager, go to the File menu, and select Run new task. Type powershell and check the box for “Create this task with administrative privileges.” In the PowerShell window, type Get-Process explorer | Stop-Process and press Enter. Then type Start-Process explorer and press Enter to restart Windows Explorer.
Sign Out and Back Into Your Account
If your Windows 10 Start Menu is not opening, one simple solution you can try is signing out and back into your account. This can help refresh your user profile and potentially resolve the issue.
To sign out of your Windows 10 account, simply click on the Start button and then click on your user icon at the top of the Start Menu. From the drop-down menu, select “Sign out”.
Once you have signed out, sign back into your account by clicking on your user icon and entering your password.
This simple step can sometimes help fix issues with the Start Menu not opening on Windows 10. If the problem persists, you may need to try other troubleshooting steps such as running the System File Checker or checking for software updates.
Remember to save any work you have open before signing out of your account, as signing out will close all open applications and windows.
By signing out and back into your account, you may be able to resolve the issue with your Windows 10 Start Menu not opening and get back to using your computer as normal.
Restore Corrupt System Files
1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator by searching for “cmd” in the Windows search bar, right-clicking on Command Prompt, and selecting “Run as administrator.”
2. In the Command Prompt window, type “sfc /scannow” and press Enter. This will initiate the System File Checker tool to scan for and repair corrupted system files.
3. Wait for the scan to complete. Depending on the size of your system files, this process may take some time.
If the System File Checker tool detects and repairs any corrupt files, restart your computer and check if the Windows 10 Start Menu now opens properly. If the issue persists, you may need to consider other troubleshooting steps or seek further assistance.
Clear Temporary Cortana Files
1. Open File Explorer by pressing the Windows key + E on your keyboard.
2. Navigate to the following location: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState
3. Once you’re in the LocalState folder, press Ctrl + A to select all files and folders.
4. Right-click on the selected items and choose Delete from the context menu.
5. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
6. Restart your computer to apply the changes.
By clearing the temporary Cortana files, you are essentially refreshing Cortana and potentially resolving any issues that may be causing the Start Menu not to open properly. If the problem persists, you may need to consider other troubleshooting steps or seek further assistance from Microsoft support.
Utilize PowerShell for Repairs
To fix the Windows 10 Start Menu not opening issue, you can try using PowerShell to perform repairs. First, open PowerShell by searching for it in the Start Menu or by pressing Windows key + X and selecting Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu.
Next, run the following command in PowerShell to scan and repair system files:
sfc /scannow
This will check for any corrupted system files and attempt to repair them automatically. Once the scan is complete, restart your computer and check if the Start Menu is working properly.
If the issue persists, you can also try running the DISM tool to repair the Windows image. In PowerShell, enter the following command:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
This command will scan for component store corruption and repair any issues found. Restart your computer after the process is complete.
If the Start Menu still does not open, you may need to reset the Start Menu layout. To do this, open PowerShell and run the following command:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
This command will re-register all Windows apps and hopefully resolve any issues with the Start Menu. Restart your computer once the process is complete.
By utilizing PowerShell for repairs, you can troubleshoot and fix the Windows 10 Start Menu not opening issue effectively.
Edit the Registry Carefully
1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “regedit” and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
4. Look for a DWORD value named “EnableXamlStartMenu”.
5. If the value is not present, right-click on an empty space in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it “EnableXamlStartMenu”.
6. Double-click on “EnableXamlStartMenu” and set the value data to 1.
7. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.
8. Restart your computer and check if the Start Menu is now opening correctly.
Reset or Reinstall Windows
If resetting the Start Menu in Windows 10 doesn’t fix the issue, you may need to consider reinstalling Windows as a last resort. This process will completely wipe your computer clean, so make sure to back up all important files before proceeding.
To reinstall Windows, you will need to create a bootable USB drive with the Windows installation files. You can download these files from the Microsoft website. Once you have the bootable USB drive ready, insert it into your computer and restart the system.
During the startup process, you may need to press a specific key (such as F2 or F12) to access the boot menu. From here, select the USB drive as the boot device. Follow the on-screen instructions to begin the Windows installation process.
Make sure to choose the option to perform a clean install, which will erase all existing data on your computer. Once the installation is complete, you can begin reinstalling your applications and restoring your files from the backup.
Reinstalling Windows is a drastic measure, so it should only be done if all other troubleshooting steps have failed. If you are uncomfortable with this process, consider seeking help from a professional or contacting Microsoft support for assistance.
FAQs
How do I fix Windows 10 Start menu not opening?
To fix the Windows 10 Start menu not opening, you can try signing out and signing back into your account, restarting Windows Explorer, running the SFC scanner for corrupt system files, using the DISM tool, checking for Windows updates, and creating new Xaml Start Menu values in the Registry.
How do I force Windows to open the Start menu?
To force Windows to open the Start menu, you can select the Start icon on the taskbar, press the Windows logo key on your keyboard, or swipe up from the bottom center or left of your screen.
How do I unlock the Start menu in Windows 10?
To unlock the Start menu in Windows 10, you can restart Windows Explorer/Finder by opening the Task Manager with Ctrl + Alt + Delete and clicking the “Task Manager” button. This will refresh the taskbar and Start Menu.
How do I fix my Start button not working?
To fix your Start button not working, you can try restarting your PC, checking if the Start menu is hidden, scanning for malware and viruses, updating Windows, restarting the Windows Explorer process, changing user accounts, re-registering built-in apps using Windows PowerShell, and disabling Cortana’s temporary files.
