The Windows 10 Start menu breaks in a few familiar ways: it will not open, it freezes, it loses the app list, or the layout looks wrong. Start with the quick checks, then move into file repair, conflict testing, account repair, and recovery only when the menu still fails.
Try another way to open Start first
Use this when clicking the Start button does nothing. The goal is to confirm whether Start itself is broken or only the taskbar click is failing.
Select the Start button on the taskbar once, then wait for the menu to respond.
Press the Windows key on your keyboard.
On a touch-capable device, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
Restart Windows Explorer
This fixes a frozen Start menu, taskbar, or desktop shell while Windows is still running.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
Select the Processes tab.
Find Windows Explorer.
Right-click Windows Explorer.
Select Restart.
If Windows Explorer is missing, select File.
Select Run new task.
Type explorer.exe.
Press Enter.
Restart the PC cleanly
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete if the Start menu is unusable.
Select the Power button.
Select Restart.
Let Windows reload normally.
Another route is to go to the desktop.
Press Alt + F4.
Choose Restart.
Confirm the restart.
If Start works after the reboot, install available updates next.
Install Windows 10 updates
Open Start, then go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Select Check for updates, install available updates, and restart the device when Windows asks.
Windows 10 general support ended on October 14, 2025, and that date covered Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education alike. The PC still runs, but updates now require eligible servicing: Windows 10 version 22H2 enrolled in the applicable Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, or a release still inside its own LTSC or IoT Enterprise LTSC lifecycle.
For Windows 10 version 22H2 repair media or the Update Assistant, use Microsoft’s official Windows 10 download page. Choose Update now for the Update Assistant, or choose Download tool now to create installation media.
Repair Windows system files
Use this when Start still will not open after a restart, or when Search, Start, and other shell parts fail together. DISM repairs the Windows image, and System File Checker checks protected system files.
In the taskbar search box, type command prompt.
Right-click or press and hold Command Prompt.
Select Run as administrator.
Select Yes.
Type DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
Press Enter.
After DISM completes, type sfc /scannow.
Press Enter.
When Verification 100% complete appears, type exit.
Press Enter.
Fix a Start menu that looks wrong
Open Settings.
Select Personalization.
Select Start.
Turn Show app list in Start menu on or off depending on whether the app list is missing or unwanted.
Turn Use Start full screen on or off if Start fills the screen or opens in the wrong size.
To resize the desktop Start menu, select Start.
Move the pointer to the top or side border until it becomes a double-headed arrow.
Drag the border to the size you want.
To restore folder shortcuts near the power button, select Choose which folders appear on Start.
Turn on the folders you want.
To pin an app, type the app name in the taskbar search box.
Right-click the app.
Select Pin to Start.
To unpin a tile, right-click it and select Unpin from Start.
If the app list, search entry points, uninstall options, or Start customization controls are missing on a work or school PC, ask your IT admin to check Start policies.
Check for a bad app or startup conflict
Use this order when Start broke after an app, driver, shell tool, or Start replacement was installed:
- 1.Open Windows Recovery Environment, then select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, and choose a Safe Mode option.
- 2.If Start works in Safe Mode, sign in with an administrator account, then select Search, type msconfig, and open System Configuration.
- 3.On the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services, then disable non-Microsoft services.
- 4.On the Startup tab, select Open Task Manager, then disable startup items from the Startup tab.
- 5.Restart, then re-enable services and startup apps in groups until the conflicting item is found.
- 6.Repair the problem app from Settings > Apps > Apps & features, or uninstall it and restart when repair is unavailable.
Re-register the Start menu package
Use this when Start is present on the PC but fails for your Windows account. On Windows 10 version 1903 and later, this is the current targeted PowerShell repair for Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost. On Windows 10 version 1809 and earlier, including the LTSB and LTSC releases still in service on those builds, the Start package is a different one: check whether Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost is registered instead, and use that package name and its own SystemApps folder in the steps below.
Open a non-elevated Windows PowerShell prompt for the affected user.
Run Get-AppxPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost.
If there is no response, open an elevated Windows PowerShell prompt.
Run Get-AppxPackage *StartMenu* -AllUsers.
If the package exists, return to a non-elevated Windows PowerShell prompt for the affected user.
Run Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\AppxManifest.xml" -Register -DisableDevelopmentMode.
Sign out or restart after the command completes.
If the Start package is missing for every user, use a recovery path instead: roll back the update, reset the PC, or restore from backup.
Use recovery when Start is still broken
Open Control Panel.
Select Recovery.
Select Open System Restore.
Select a restore point.
Select Scan for affected programs if you want to review what changes.
Select Next.
Select Finish.
To remove a recent Windows update, open Settings.
Select Update & Security.
Select Windows Update.
Select View your update history.
Select Uninstall updates.
Select the update you want to remove.
Select Uninstall. Some updates cannot be uninstalled, so this option is not offered for every entry.
If Windows itself is unstable, open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. If device encryption or BitLocker is turned on, have your BitLocker recovery key ready first, because Windows can ask for it after the restart.
Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.
For severe corruption, use Reset this PC from Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
Choose Keep my files to preserve personal files while removing apps and settings.
Choose Remove everything to remove personal files, apps, and settings.
As a final repair path, create Windows 10 installation media from Microsoft’s official download page.
Open File Explorer.
Select the drive with the installation media.
Open setup.exe.
Select Yes.
Select Change what to keep.
Choose Keep personal files and apps, Keep personal files only, or Keep nothing.
Select Next.
Select Install.
Use the least destructive recovery option that matches when Start broke.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Windows 10 Start menu open with the Windows key but not when I click it?
Start is still able to launch, so restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager first. If the click still fails, restart the PC.
Should I use the old Windows 10 Start Menu Troubleshooter?
No. Use the current repair paths: restart Windows Explorer, install eligible updates, run DISM and SFC, test Safe Mode or clean boot, check the Start menu package, or use restore, reset, and repair media.
Will Reset this PC delete my files?
Keep my files preserves personal files but removes apps and settings. Remove everything removes personal files, apps, and settings.
What should I do if Start is broken only in my account?
Create a new local administrator account, sign in to it, copy files from the old user folder to the new user folder, restart, and continue with the new account.
