Easy Guide: Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working? Fix Now!

Are you facing a frozen start menu issue in your windows 10 pc and searching queries like ” start menu not working windows 10,” “windows 10 start menu won’t open,” or “windows 10 start menu fix” on google? If yes, then you have landed on the very right article. Here you will get the complete guide on “Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working.”

So after some coffee and tons of research, we have come up with this lifesaving guide. Here you will know the reason behind the windows 10 start menu not working, then tips to resolve the issue, how to customize your windows 10 start menu, and at last, some FAQs. 

Most of the people’s first inclination would be to restart their pc to fix the windows 10 start menu. And this might even work (but *temporarily.) So, read the article to the end to get the best ways to fix this error ASAP.

So without any further ado, let’s dive deep into the cream of the article. 

Guide to Fix: Windows 10 Start Menu not Working

Here is the Windows 10 start menu fix easy guide. (Read the article to the end to find the guide for windows 10 start menu fix.)

Why Windows 10 Start Menu not Working?

There could be several reasons which are not letting Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working. There are always two cases found, in the first case, the windows 10 start menu won’t open at all, and in the second case, it takes 5 seconds to open the windows 10 start menu. 

And the errors causing the issue “Windows 10 start menu not working” can be the following: 

  • Corrupted or out of date temporary data files.
  • Corrupted or out of date version of Windows Explorer. 
  • Corrupted or out of date temporary files of Cortana. 
  • An identified gitch causing start menu not working windows 10.

These are some of the issues why the windows 10 start menu won’t open. Read the article to the end to find the guide for windows 10 start menu fix. 

Let us jump to the next section of this easy guide, ” Guide to fix: Windows 10 Start Menu not working.”

Steps to Fix: Windows 10 Start Menu not Working

One can follow the following ways if your windows 10 start menu won’t open.

1. Sign Out and Sign in Your Microsoft Account

As each user signs in to their Microsoft account on a Windows 10 computer, many of the apps and other things listed on the Start menu get cached. If you stay logged in for long periods of time (as is usually the case with a computer that only has one user), this cache can eventually get very large or corrupted.

When you log out and then back into your account, many of these things are cleared and refreshed. So a great quick fix for Windows 10 Start menu issues is simply logging out and back in.

To log out, select the Start menu (if it’s at least working with a long delay), select your profile image, and then select Sign out.

2. Restart Windows Explorer

Another issue that happens when you use a Windows 10 computer for a long time is that Windows Explorer can get glitchy. This is also the software that serves the Start menu, so restarting it can resolve a lot of Start menu issues.

To restart Windows Explorer, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. Select the Name field to sort apps and processes by name. Then scroll down to Windows Explorer under the Windows Processes section. Right-click Windows Explorer and select End task.

You will see your desktop blink a few times, and the taskbar may actually disappear. Give the computer a few moments to automatically restart the Windows Explorer process. After this, select the Windows 10 Start menu and see if the issues you were having are now resolved.

3. Disable the Game Mode

If you use the game mode on your Windows 10 system, then it is the reason why you are facing the issue with your start button. Follow these steps to fix the Windows button not working by disabling the game mode:

1. Click on your Windows icon from the taskbar and type settings in the search bar. Open Settings from the search results.

2. Go to the Gaming section from the menu.

3. Click on the Game Mode tab from the panel on the left.

4. Finally, make sure you turn off the toggle next to Game Mode.

4. Check for Windows Updates

If the problem is still happening, it’s very possible your version of Windows 10 is out of date and buggy. A good quick-fix for this is just to make sure you have all of the latest critical Windows updates.

Select the Start menu and select the Settings icon. If your Start menu isn’t working, use Windows Key + I to open Settings. Select Update & Security.

In the Windows Update window, check for and install all critical Windows updates. Under any optional Windows 10 updates, it wouldn’t hurt to select Download and install for any related to Security or Quality.

Once all of the latest updates are installed, restart your computer and test the Windows Start menu again.

5. Enable Windows key within the Registry Editor

The Windows registry editor has the ability to enable or disable your keyboard keys. You may accidentally disable the Windows key in the registry editor of your system. Therefore, to fix Windows 10 start button not working, you can follow these steps to enable the Windows key using registry edit:

1. Click on the Windows menu and type run in the search bar.

2. Once you open the run dialog box, type regedt32 in the box and click OK.

3. If you get any confirmation message, click on YES.

4. After the registry editor opens, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

5. Click on the System.

6. Tap on CurrentControlSet.

7. Click on the Control folder.

8. Scroll down and open the Keyboard Layouts folder.

9. Now, if you see any scancode map registry entry, make a right-click on it and click on delete.

10. Click on YES if any warning message pops up on your screen.

11. Finally, restart your computer and check whether the Windows key starts working on your system.

6. Scan for Corrupt System Files

One of the most common causes for a misbehaving Start menu is corrupted or damaged system files. You can do your Windows 10 system a lot of good by running a system file scan and repairing all of those system files.

To do this, press Windows Key + R, type “cmd” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt as administrator.

There are two commands you should use in sequence to fully scan and repair your system: DISM and SFC.

In the command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

7. Run System File Checker Scan

By default Windows 10 comes with a system file checker tool known as the SFC scan. You can perform an SFC scan to find corrupt files on your system. To fix the Windows button not working issue, you can follow these steps to execute the SFC scan on your system:

1. Click on the Windows icon in your taskbar and search Run in the search bar.

2. Once the run dialog box opens, type cmd and click on Ctrl + Shift + Enter on your keyboard to launch the command prompt with administrative permissions.

3. Click on YES when you see the prompt message that says ‘do you want to make changes on your device.’

4. Now, you have to type the command following command and hit enter: sfc /scannow 

5. Finally, wait for your system to scan and fix the corrupt files automatically. Do not shut down or exit the window on your system.

8. Clear Cortana Temporary Files

To clear Cortana temporary files, press Windows Key + R, type “cmd” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt as administrator. Type the following commands in order, and press Enter after each.

Note: These commands, in order, switch to the Cortana directory kills the Cortana process, and removes the Cortana directory. Once Cortana restarts, this directory will be recreated and rebuilt fresh.

CD/d “%LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesMicrosoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy”

Taskkill /F /IM SearchUI.exe

RD /S /Q Settings

You don’t have to restart the Cortana task manually because Windows will do it automatically. It wouldn’t hurt to restart your computer after running these commands as well.

Test the Start menu again to see if the issues you were experiencing are resolved.

9. Use Powershell Command

If you want to make adjustments to your system, then the PowerShell command can help you execute various commands to fix the issues in your system. Many users were able to fix the start menu not working issue by performing the PowerShell command.

1. Click on the Windows icon and type run in the search box.

2. Open the Run dialog box from the search results and type PowerShell in the box. Click on Ctrl + Shift + Enter on your keyboard to launch the PowerShell with administrative permissions.

3. Click on YES when you see the prompt message that says ‘do you want to make changes on your device.

4. Now, you have to type the following command and hit enter. You can directly copy-paste the above command.

5. After the command completes, you can check if the Window key starts working on your system.

10. Disable the Filter keys feature on Windows 10 

Sometimes, the filter key feature on Windows 10 causes the window key from working properly. Therefore, to fix Windows 10 start menu frozen, you can disable the filter keys by following these steps:

  1. Go to the search bar by clicking on the start menu in your taskbar and type the control panel.
  2. Open the Control Panel from the search results.

Open Control Panel by searching for it in the Start Menu Search

  1. Set the View mode to category.
  2. Go to the Ease of Access settings.

Inside Control Panel click on the Ease of Access link

  1. Select ‘Change how your keyboard works’ under the ease of access center.

change how your keyboard works | Fix Windows 10 start button not working

  1. Finally, you can uncheck the box next to ‘Turn on Filter Keys’ to disable the feature. Click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.

Uncheck the box next to ‘Turn on filter keys’ and click on Apply.

That’s it; you can try using the Windows key on your keyboard and check if it works properly or not.

11. Update Video and Sound drivers

If you are using outdated video and sound card drivers on your system, then they might be the reason why your Windows key is not working, or the start menu may get frozen. Sometimes, updating your sound and video card driver can help you resolve the issue.

1. Click on the Windows icon in your taskbar and search device manager.

2. Open the Device Manager from the search results.

3. Double-click on the Sound, video, and game controller.

4. Now, make a right-click on your Audio Driver and select Update driver.

5. Finally, click on Search automatically for drivers. Your system will automatically update your sound driver. However, you also have the option of manually updating your sound driver, but it may be time-consuming for some users.

12. Xaml Start Menu Registry Entry

When Microsoft switched to the new Windows 10 Start menu, it included launching the Xaml process that ran it. There are known conflicts that arise when you disable User Access Control (UAC) that cause the new Windows Start menu to not work properly.

Ensure the Xaml Start Menu is enabled to creating and setting the EnableXamlStartMenu in the Windows registry. Press Windows + R, type Regedit and select OK to open the registry editor.

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.

Right-click on the empty space in the right pane, choose New > DWORD (32-bit)

Name this new entry EnableXamlStartMenu and leave the value set to 0.

Now, reset the computer and test the Start menu again.

13. Check for new Windows updates

You may be using an outdated Windows version on your system, and it might be the reason why your Windows key is not functioning properly. Therefore, make sure you keep your Windows 10 up to date. Windows 10 automatically download the updates, but sometimes due to unknown issues, you may have to download the updates manually. Follow these steps to check for available Windows updates for your system:

1. Go to your search bar in the taskbar and go to the Settings app.

2. Click on Update and Security.

3. Under Windows Update, click on check for updates.

4. Finally, your system will automatically show you the available updates. You can click on Install Now to download the available updates if any.

After updating your Windows 10, you can check whether this method could fix the start menu not working in Windows 10.

14. Create a New User Account

If you are still unable to access Windows 10 Start Menu, you can create a new user account. Many users were able to fix the Windows key by creating a new user account. Follow these steps to create a new user account on your system.

1. Click on your Windows icon and search settings in the search bar. Alternatively, you can click on Windows + I keys from your on-screen keyboard to open settings.

2. Click on the Accounts section.

3. Now, click on family and other users from the panel on the left.

4. Select ‘Add someone else to this PC.’

5. Now, a Microsoft account window will pop up, where you have to click on the ‘I don’t have this person’s sign-in information’ We will be creating a new user account without a Microsoft account. However, you have the option of creating a new user with a new Microsoft account.

6. Click on Add a user without a Microsoft account.7. Finally, you can create a username and set a password for your new account. Click on next to save the changes and create the account.

15. Run a Malware Scan

Sometimes, the malware or virus on your system may prevent the windows key from functioning properly. Therefore, you can run a malware or virus scan on your system. You can use the free version of Malwarebytes, which is good antivirus software. You have the option of using any other antivirus app of your choice. Running a malware scan will remove harmful third-party apps or software that were causing the Windows key from losing its functionality.

1. Download and install Malwarebytes on your system.

2. Launch the software and click on the Scan option.

3. Again, click on the start scan button.

4. Finally, wait for Malwarebytes to finish scanning your device for any virus or harmful apps. If you find any harmful files after the scan, you can easily remove them from your system.

16. Uninstall or Fix Dropbox

There is a known issue with the Windows 10 Dropbox application that causes conflicts and unusual behaviors with the Windows Start menu. If you don’t use the Dropbox app, then uninstall it from your system and you should see the issues disappear.

However, if you want to keep Dropbox, you’ll need to make a tweak to the Windows Registry to fix these conflicts.

To do this, press Windows + R, type Regedit, and select OK. This will open the registry editor.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WpnUserService. Double-click the Start Dword in the right pane. The default setting here is 2. Update this to 4 and select OK.

You should restart your computer for the new registry settings to take effect.

For Dropbox users, this is a very common complaint and most users report that this fix nearly always resolves the problems their seeing with their Start menu.

17. Use DISM command

DISM command is pretty much similar to an SFC scan, but executing a DISM command can help you repair the image of Windows 10.

1. Open the Run dialog box by searching run in the search bar of your system.

2. Type cmd and click on Ctrl + Shift + Enter from your keyboard to launch the command prompt with administrative permissions.

3. Click on YES to allow the app to make changes on your device.

4. Type the following command in the command prompt:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup 

5. After the command completes, type another command Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /restore health and wait for it to complete.

6. Once the command completes, you can restart your computer and check if the Windows key starts working properly or not.

18. Reinstall Windows 10

If none of the above methods works, you can reinstall Windows 10 from scratch. However, make sure you have the Windows 10 product key handy. Moreover, having a fast USB thumb drive or external SSD is a plus for installing Windows 10 on your system.

FAQs

Why windows 10 start menu won’t open? Reason

There could be several reasons which are not letting Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working. There are always two cases found, in the first case, the windows 10 start menu won’t open at all, and in the second case, it takes 5 seconds to open the windows 10 start menu. 

And the errors causing the issue “Windows 10 start menu not working” can be the following: 

  • Corrupted or out of date temporary data files.
  • Corrupted or out of date version of Windows Explorer. 
  • Corrupted or out of date temporary files of Cortana. 
  • An identified gitch causing start menu not working windows 10.

These are some of the issues why the windows 10 start menu won’t open.

How to Fix start menu not working windows 10

  • Sign Out and Sign in Your Microsoft Account
  • Restart Windows Explorer
  • Disable the Game Mode
  • Check for Windows Updates
  • Enable Windows key within the Registry Editor
  • Scan for Corrupt System Files
  • Run System File Checker Scan
  • Clear Cortana Temporary Files
  • Use Powershell Command
  • Disable the Filter keys feature on Windows 10 
  • Update Video and Sound drivers
  • Xaml Start Menu Registry Entry
  • Check for new Windows updates
  • Create a New User Account
  • Run a Malware Scan
  • Uninstall or Fix Dropbox
  • Use DISM command
  • Reinstall Windows 10

Conclusion: Windows 10 Start Menu not Working

So here is the complete guide on Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working. We hope you get all your doubts clear, and if you have any query left or if we are missing something important, just put it in the comment section. We’ll send a response as soon as possible.

Keep visiting, Windows Phone News Portal for more application and technology related articles.

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