What to do if the start menu does not work. The Windows button on the keyboard does not work

After updating to new version operating system, some users are faced with an unpleasant situation - the Start button does not work in Windows 10. But you can get rid of this problem on your own.

Why doesn't the Start menu work?

The main reason why the Start button does not work is reset functional settings in the OS registry editor. The Administrator settings may also be reset. But such a problem arises due to the user’s fault, and not due to OS defects (it is useful to read “How to check the integrity of Windows 10 system files and restore them?”).

Restoring functionality

Even if you are not a professional user, you can still restore the functionality of the Start menu on your own.

Restarting Explorer

An easy way to fix Windows 10 Start not working is to restart Explorer.

Fixing the situation using PowerShell

Changing Registry Editor settings

Creating a new user on the device

Video

Video instruction “What to do if the Start button does not work on Windows 10.”

Conclusion

Restore the Start button after Windows updates possible in several ways. If none of these help, restore your system through the Settings app using bootable flash drive or disk.

Another glitch of the Windows 10 operating system is the Start button suddenly not working. Just imagine that you are working, working, and then bam - and such a surprise popped up. Start stopped working due to regular Windows 10 updates, either because you messed up something in the registry, or it was not you who messed up the registry, but some program. What to do in this case? I've sketched out a few ways to solve this problem and get the Start menu working.

The first method I have is for those who like radical measures. Namely, you can do it, follow the link and read how it can be done.

The second method helps in almost all cases.

Restoring the Start Menu Using PowerShell

In order not to describe for a long time what’s what, I’ll say that PowerShell is a utility similar to the command line, only even cooler. How can we launch it if this very “Start” does not work for us. This can also be done in several ways.

Firstly, you can press the Win+R key combination and enter powershell in the window that opens

Secondly, you can do this through the task manager. Press the key combination Alt+Ctrl+Del and go to the task manager. A window opens in which we click on "File - Run new task"

In the window that opens, place a bird next to the item “Create a task with administrator rights” and enter the powershell command.

We get the following window.

Copy the following set of commands into it:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach (Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”)

Click on enter. The “spell” you entered has started working, and in a few minutes you will see errors highlighted in red in the window. After that, you can click on “Start” and check its functionality.

The next way to restore the Start button is to restart Explorer

To do this, go to the task manager we already know and in the “Processes” tab, restart the explorer. Right-click on the corresponding process and select the item from the drop-down menu "Restart".

Working our magic on the registry editor

If all else fails, then turn to the registry. To do this, press the key combination we already know Win + R and in the window that opens, write the command regedit. Click "OK".

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

On the right side of the window we look at the parameters. We look for EnableXAMLStartMenu, if it doesn’t exist, then we create it. To do this, click on an empty space and select "New - DWORD Value (32 bits)"

Set the value 0 to the newly created parameter.

If you have this parameter was, but it had a different value, then it must be changed to 0.

Now all that remains is to restart the computer and Check if the Start button works.

I hope you have fixed your problem and I will be glad if you write down in the comments about the work done, and also indicate in what other ways you solved this problem.

We also watch the video

Upgrading to Windows 10 was not without consequences for many. As often happens, Microsoft company rolled out a “crooked” update, so on some computers, laptops and netbooks it brought as much joy as problems. And one of these is the failure of the Start menu to work correctly. Sometimes rebooting the system helps, but in some cases even that doesn’t help. What to do if the Start menu does not work in Windows 10?

We invite you to look at all the ways to solve this problem in the course of this article. By the way, judging by the latest news, other elements built into the newly created system also refuse to work from time to time. With the help of our tips you can overcome them too.

What to do if the Start menu does not work in Windows 10

The first and easiest is to restart Explorer, also known as Explorer.exe. But if rebooting the system does not help, then it will not be of any use. If, after restarting the computer, Start starts working correctly again, you can use this method constantly.

You probably know the combination that turns on the Task Manager. Yes, yes, these are the famous three buttons CTRL+Alt+Del. What do we have to do:

If a miracle did not happen and it still does not function, then the problem is somewhere else and a different solution must be sought. Fortunately, our article does not end here.

PowerShell as a way to get Start back up and running

First, I would like to warn you that this method not only helps solve the problem, but can also cause some problems with installed applications from the Windows 10 store. On the other hand, you can always reinstall them - this solves any problems that arise with downloaded applications.

Let's figure out what needs to be done:

There are two options to launch PowerShell - to climb into the jungle of the operating system through a huge number of folders or use the “Run” window. We suggest you use the second option - it is faster, simpler and more convenient.

1. Launch the “Run” window using the Win+R key combination;
2. Enter “Powershell.exe” into the line, then click “OK”;
3. A window similar to the Command Prompt opens, only blue;
4. Copy the following combination and paste it into the program: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach (Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml” ;
5. Click on “Enter” to execute it;
6. After some time, you should check if the Start menu is working.

If no changes occur, you should move on and try other methods.

Restoring functionality to Start using the Registry

Open the “Run” window;

Enter “regedit” there;

Go to the section HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced;

Most likely, it will be empty, so you need to right-click and select “Create” in the menu that appears, and then “DWORD”;

Name the parameter EnableXAMLStartMenu;

Now you should double-click on it and change the value to zero;

Next, you should check again whether the Start menu is working or not.

If nothing like this has yet happened, there is no need to despair - there is only one last option.

Security and Maintenance – Built-in Problem Solver

Create a new user

Often the problem is in the Russian username, so you should create a new one:

When you boot your computer, select the user you just created and check that the Start menu is working. One of these methods should bring him back to life anyway.

After updating to a new version of the operating system, some users are faced with an unpleasant situation - the Start button does not work in Windows 10. But you can get rid of this problem on your own.

Why doesn't the Start button work?

The main reason why the Start button does not work is resetting functional settings in the OS registry editor. The Administrator settings may also be reset. But such a problem arises due to the user’s fault, and not due to OS defects (it’s useful to read “”).

Restoring functionality

Even if you are not a professional user, you can still restore the functionality of the Start menu on your own.

Restarting Explorer

An easy way to fix this problem is to restart Explorer.

Fixing the situation using PowerShell

Changing Registry Editor settings

Creating a new user on the device

Video

Watch the video for more details on how to use the methods described above, and also learn about alternative ways to solve this problem.

Conclusion

There are several ways to restore the Start button after updating Windows. If none of them help, restore the system through the Settings application, using a bootable USB flash drive or disk.

Windows 10 is considered one of the best operating systems in the Microsoft line. Since its introduction, users have noted some bugs and problems, most of which have now been completely resolved. Unfortunately, the problems with the “ten” continue to be relevant, and a search for solutions is constantly needed.

One of these problems is a problem with the operation of the Windows 10 Start button. This bug is often accompanied by the inability to open other system elements (for example, the All Settings window). The Start button may not work after the update. Also, a problem with the menu and button may occur after installing Windows 10 from scratch.

We will try to describe all the options why this happens and ways to resolve the situation, the effectiveness of which has already been proven by Windows 10 users.

Among the methods for solving the problem with the operation of the Start menu, a banal reboot of the explorer.exe process on a personal computer with Windows 10 stands out. To do this, press the key combination CTRL+ALT+DELETE to call the “Task Manager”. Another way to get to the Task Manager is to press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC. Here we click on “More details”. If there is no such window, simply go to the “Processes” tab.

Among all the processes we are looking for “Explorer”. In the English version of Windows 10, this process appears as Windows Explorer. Right-click on this process to call context menu and click on “Restart”.
This method is ineffective, but if there was no particular problem with the Windows 10 Start button before, this method may work. More serious problems will require more serious measures.

Resuming the Start Menu using PowerShell

Before you start working with PowerShell, you should keep in mind that this method, in most cases, works great to solve problems with the Start menu. However, this method may entail changes in the system and, therefore, other troubles may arise. In particular, we are talking about disruptions in the operation of some applications downloaded from the Dozens store. So, first of all, we try the method described in the previous paragraph, and move on to manipulations with PowerShell if the actions do not bring results.

Since the Start button is disabled, the PowerShell function can only be launched from the Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0 folder. We look in this folder, and then right-click on the powershell.exe file to run it as administrator,

There is another method to run the PowerShell file with administrator rights. You need to right-click on “Start”. A menu will open where you need to click “ Command line(administrator)". In the field we type powershell. In the future, all necessary combinations are entered here. When working with the command line, a separate window will not open.

In the PowerShell window, enter the following command:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach (Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”)

You don't have to do this manually, just copy and paste. After the command is completed, try to open the Start menu. If there is no discovery, move on.

Working with the Windows 10 Registry Editor

There are several other ways to get the Start menu working. Among these additional ways a good option would be to do certain manipulations with the registry editor.

To enter the editor window, press Win+R and enter the regedit command in the line that appears. We will need a section HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Explorer\ Advanced.

Right-click anywhere in the field on the right. Select “Create”, then DWORD (32). The new parameter must be named: EnableXAMLStartMenu. Now let's set the desired parameter value. This is done by double clicking the mouse. We assign the parameter the value 0.

We solve the problem by creating a new user

If the problem persists, perhaps creating a new user will be a way out. Press “Win” + R. In the search field, enter Control to enter the control panel, in which we create a new user.
You can also create a new user via the command line. Press “Win” + R, enter net user Username /add in the field .

As a rule, for a new user, the start menu and all settings work without problems. All that remains is to transfer all the files to the new account.

What to do if none of the options helped

It happens that nothing helps. Then all that remains is to use Windows recovery mode. This means a return to the original state. But usually a simple update rollback works. In “Control Panel” select “Programs and Features”. Here we look through the updates and delete the most recent one.
Rolling back updates is good because after updating again, there are no problems opening the Start menu.

A significant disadvantage is the time that will have to be spent waiting for the previous version of Windows 10 to load. Any of the listed methods may I help. But you need to start trying exactly in the order in which we arranged them. This way, the likelihood of aggravating the problem with the Start button is minimized.

Operating updates will be available from the official Microsoft website. Microsoft systems improve the performance of your computer, make it safer and add new functionality to the OS. However, with such updates come some problems. For example, after the next update, some users see that their “Start” button does not work in Windows 10.

At the same time, it does not easily respond to a mouse click on its icon, but it also does not work after clicking Win buttons on the keyboard (Windows logo key). Often, along with such a problem, the system parameters, as well as its other elements, do not open. In this article we will figure out how to get out of this situation and return the system to functionality. If you do not want similar difficulties to be repeated in the future, you can completely.

To combat the constantly broken Start menu, in 2016 Microsoft even created special application, which was supposed to automatically fix the problem.

This method is the simplest, use it first, if after rebooting the system the start still does not work, proceed to the next options. Explorer.exe is a Windows graphical shell. It is responsible for everything we see, including Windows Explorer, the taskbar, the system tray, and even widgets. Like all other programs, this application may malfunction, for example, due to a basic conflict with data cells in RAM. So, in order to bring the Start menu back to life, first of all, let’s try to restart this process.

How to fix

Follow our instructions:

1. Launch the task manager. You can open it using the Ctrl+Shift+Esc button combination or through the context menu of our taskbar. To do this, right-click on its empty space and select the item indicated in the screenshot.

1. If you are running the tool for the first time, you will need to deploy it. To do this, click on the “Details” button. We have marked it with a red frame.

1. We go to the tab with the name: “Processes”, find the “Explorer” process there (sometimes it can be called Explorer) and using the context menu launched by right-clicking on the process name, select the “Restart” item.

The entire Windows 10 GUI will momentarily disappear and reappear. If this option does not solve your problem, feel free to move on to the next method, it will be more effective.

Solving the problem using the system registry

This method is more effective than the previous one, it implies changing the key value system registry. If there is no such key, we will create it. Let's look at how to do this correctly.

1. Initially, you need to run the standard Windows 10 utility called regedit. In order to do this, press the combination Win + R and enter the word regedit in the window that appears.

1. In the window that opens, on the left side there is a registry directory tree. We follow the path indicated in the screenshot. On the right side of the program, select the EnableXAMLStartMenu key, and if it doesn’t exist, create it. To do this, right-click on the empty space on the right side of regedit and select “New” - “DWORD Value (32 bits)”.

1. Now we rename the new parameter to EnableXAMLStartMenu and, opening it by double-clicking, set the value to “0”.

1. You need to reboot for the changes to take effect. GUI Windows We described how this is done in the first method.

Correction of Cyrillic username

Sometimes the Start menu stopped working after creating a new Windows user with a name written in Russian. In order to correct this situation, you need to use the Computer Management utility and correct the name. Let's look at how this is done.

1. Initially, we open computer management through Windows search. To do this, click on the magnifying glass icon on the taskbar and enter a query in the search bar. When the result appears, click on it.

1. Next, on the left side of the window, open the “Utilities” section, go to “Local users and groups” and click on the “Users” folder. In the right part of the window, find the name that needs to be renamed and right-click on its name. There will be a “Rename” item here, which is what we need.

Ready. The Computer Management tool can be closed; the changes will be applied as soon as you restart the system. If this method does not give the desired result, try creating another user and checking the functionality of the Start menu on it.

To do this we do the following:

1. We launch the “Run” utility; to do this, use two simultaneously pressed Win + R keys. In the window that appears, enter the word control and press Enter.

1. After opening the control panel, go to the “User Accounts” menu.

1. Click on the inscription indicated in the screenshot.

1. Next, select “Manage another account.”

1. And add a new user.

1. You can get to the same menu in another way. Open the curtain Windows notifications 10 and click on the “All parameters” tile.

1. Scroll down the window that opens a little and select the “Accounts” tile.

1. On the left side of the window, select the “Family and other users” subsection, and on the right, click on “Add a user for this computer.”

1. Here you can create another one Windows user 10, if you do not want to link his account to a Microsoft account, click on the item indicated in the screenshot, and in the menu that opens, select “Add a user without a Microsoft account.”

Restart your computer or simply end your current session and select the user you created. If the launcher starts to open, then the problem is in the account.

Using automatic maintenance mode in Windows 10

Windows 10 has its own debugging tool, which is supposed to fix various problems for the user. Sometimes this function solves the issue of the Start button not working, let's look at how to use it.

1. In the search bar of Windows 10 (which is launched by the magnifying glass icon), we write the words: “This computer.” Right-click on the item indicated in the screenshot and select “Properties”.

1. In the window that opens, click on the inscription: “Security and Service Center” (located in the lower left corner).

1. Expand the “Maintenance” section.

1. Using the button indicated in the screenshot, we launch automatic system maintenance.

1. The service has begun and will take time. The less you use your computer during this period, the faster the process will complete. Upon completion of the PC scan, all problems found on it will be corrected if possible. If desired, the service can be disabled.

Attention! For a more complete, quick and correct check, we recommend closing all running programs and saving the data. The program runs only as an administrator.

Using PowerShell to fix the Start menu

Here is another option that will help improve the operation of the Start menu. We take the following steps:

1. First you need to launch PowerShell itself. To do this, we will use the built-in search tool. Click on the magnifying glass icon on the left side of the taskbar and enter the PowerShell command in the search field. When the result we need appears (indicated by number 3 in the screenshot), right-click on it with our manipulator and select the “Run as administrator” section.

Sometimes a program cannot be found through search. To get around the problem, go to Windows Explorer along the path indicated in the screenshot and run powershell.exe. You need to run the file as an administrator. To do this, right-click on its name and select the desired item.

You can also call Windows PowerShell through the command line; you must run it as an administrator. After cmd.exe opens, type the powershell command into the black window and press Enter.

When the program is running, insert the entry into it:

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

Executing the command will take a couple of seconds. Now restart your computer and check if the startup starts working. If not, move on to the next method.

Attention! Using this method may interfere with the functionality of Windows Store. Therefore, it should be used only as a last resort.

Windows 10 Start Menu Fix Utility

As we already said, people from Microsoft are aware of the startup problem. That is why they created a miniature program with which we will work. Follow our instructions:

1. Initially, let's download the program using the button below. Downloading is done from the official Microsoft website.

Download the Start repair program

1. Run the application as an administrator (no installation required) and click on the “Advanced” line.

1. Make sure that the box next to “Automatically apply fixes” is checked and press the “Next” button.

1. The program is running and the system is being checked for problems with the Start menu.

1. As you can see, no problems were found. If you have them, corrections will be made automatically. If you click on “View additional information”, you can understand by what criteria the Microsoft tool searches for problems.

Parameters that the program checks:

• incorrectly installed important applications;
• problems in the system registry;
• tile database integrity;
• application manifests.

The report that the utility produces can be printed, and each item in the window shows a tooltip explaining its purpose. These same items are also elements of the table of contents; if you click on one of them, we will be taken to the desired part of the help section.

What to do if the problem is not solved?

We have presented many methods in case the Windows 10 start button stops working, for example, after an update, and usually they are enough for any situation. But even if none of them helped you, don’t be upset. Any Windows OS, and Ten in particular, has a system of checkpoints, thanks to which you can roll back Windows to the state in which the system was at the time such a point was created.

It is important to create checkpoints before any serious action with the OS, and especially before updating, which often leads to problems. In any case, if you still have questions, ask us in the comments, and we will try to answer in as much detail as possible and help solve the problem.

A major inconvenience has been fixed in Windows 10 previous versions: The “Start” button has been returned to its rightful place. But now she doesn't look the same as before, because her previous look was combined with the starting one. Windows screen 8. However, customizing the menu to suit your needs is quite simple.

Where is the Start button in Windows 10

There is nothing unusual in the location of the Start menu: in the “top ten” the button for calling it is located in the lower left corner of the taskbar. When you click it, a large menu appears, where the most used icons are located on the left, and tiles leading to applications, programs and utilities, as well as folders with these objects, are located on the right.

The Start button in Windows 10 is located at the bottom left of the taskbar, and the menu itself is divided into two parts

Start button settings

To access the menu settings, you need to right-click on it. Then a context submenu will appear. It can also be called by pressing the Win + X keys. Most settings are made in the “Personalization” section.

To go to Start settings, right-click on the button and select “Personalization”

Switch to full screen mode

To expand Start to full screen:

Another way to switch Start to full-screen view is to activate tablet mode:

Video: How to enable full screen mode for the Start button

Start button color and shape

You can change the color, shape and other parameters appearance"Start." To do this, go to the “Colors” tab in the “Personalization” window. On the right, select the desired color (or set it to automatically select). Here you can make the entire menu transparent by applying the appropriate settings under the color palette.

To change the color of the Start menu, you need to go to the “Colors” tab of the “Personalization” window

The menu can be easily resized using the mouse - drag its borders as far as needed.

Pin objects

You can now pin a variety of objects in Start: shortcuts necessary programs, all kinds of folders and individual files. To do this, just call up the context menu by clicking on the desired icon and select “Pin to Start Screen”. The corresponding item will immediately appear in the Start menu.

To pin an object to Start, call up the context menu and select “Pin to Start Screen”

Similarly, to unpin, right-click on a file or shortcut located in the menu and select the corresponding item in the drop-down column.

To unpin an object, right-click on it and select “Unpin from Start Screen” from the menu.

Setting up tiles

The sizes of tiles can also be changed using the context menu: select “Change size” and select required dimensions from four options.

To change the size of tiles in the Start menu, you need to select the corresponding item in the context menu

You can move tile icons by simply dragging them across the desktop to the desired location. Also, for user convenience, the system allows you to distribute tiles into groups. You can create groups in two ways:

Other Start settings

By default, in the Start menu, the system shows the applications that the user opens most often, or those programs that were recently installed on the PC. This can be changed in Personalization by turning off the corresponding sliders.

The Start menu's display of recently added and frequently used apps changes in the Personalization window

In the same window, you select the folders that will be displayed in the menu.

In the personalization settings you can also choose the folders that will be displayed in the Start menu

Another innovation of the updated Start is the ability to hide the list of all applications. Yes, in the first Windows versions There was an item 10 “All applications”, but it was impossible to hide them. Now the user just needs to switch the slider opposite the corresponding item in the “Start” tab of the “Personalization” window.

Drag the desired slider to hide the list of all applications

Video: Completely customizing the appearance and content of the Start menu

Interacting with the new Start button is quite simple. Most settings are changed either through the Personalization window or by dragging tiles with the mouse. Depending on the user’s wishes, the Start menu in Windows 10 can contain a large number of necessary icons and programs or, conversely, look neat and even minimalistic.

Microsoft developers try to make improvements to their product as often as possible. Therefore, quite often frankly crude versions of a popular operating system end up on the market. After update The start button does not work in Windows 10 – is there a solution to the problem??

When I left-click on the Win icon, nothing happens. Accordingly, the control panel also stopped working. Or the Start menu doesn't work well.

The start button does not work in Windows 10 - solution to problem No. 1

As an initial solution to the problem, you can suggest restarting executable file Explorer.exe, which launches the graphical interface of the operating system. To do this, do the following:

• Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Esc open Task Manager.
• Alternatively, right-click on the Taskbar and select "Task Manager".
• Go to section "Processes" and find the process "Conductor", or "Explorer". If there is no Explorer process, open any folder and it will appear in the Task Manager.
• Right-click and select "Restart".

Windows will go dark for a few seconds and then the graphical interface of the operating system will restart.

If this approach does not solve the problem, move on to more effective way Restoring the functionality of the Start button in Windows 10.

Method No. 2 solving the problem of a non-working Start button using the system registry

This method requires a certain understanding of the principles of computer operation and increased caution. Mistakes must not be made.

If after Windows updates The Start button has stopped working or is not working well, open the command line using the key combination Win+R.

• Enter the command regedit.
• The Registry Editor interface will open.
• In the directory tree, find EnableXAMLStartMenu. In more detail, the path is as follows: HKEY_CURRENT_USER - SOFTWARE - Microsoft - Windows - CurrentVersion - Explorer - Advanced. If something did not work out for you from the above, do not be discouraged; you will most likely understand better from the video at the end of the recording.
• If this parameter is not found, it must be added again.
• Click on the free space in the right area of ​​the registry editor on the item "Create". Create a 32-bit DWORD value.

Next, the new parameter is renamed to EnableXAMLStartMenu(accessibility of the start menu). Launch the parameter management interface by double-clicking the left mouse button and set the value «0» .

After this, restart the Windows graphical shell using the method described in 1 to solve the problem.
How to clean the registry, .

#3 Solving the problem using an automatic maintenance system

To eliminate various Windows problems 10 provides an auto-debugging and recovery system. To fix the non-working Start button, the auto-service system must be activated.

• Click on the magnifying glass icon and search bar enter phrase "This computer".
• Open the context menu and select "Properties".
• Find an item "Security and Service Center".
• Click on the section "Service".
• Click on a line "Start service".

After this, the process of searching and solving all sorts of problems will begin, including problems with the Start button not working. Wait until the auto repair is completed.

Several ways to completely remove programs on Windows 10.

#4 How to avoid problems with the Start button

If the start button in Windows 10 does not work due to updates, the radical solution to the problem is to completely disable it automatic update operating system.

To do this, you need to deactivate the Update Center on your laptop or computer. Among other things, Windows updates weigh a lot and consume a huge amount of Internet traffic. Another reason to stop overusing traffic due to constant and unpredictable auto-updates.

It should be mentioned that this path disabling updates is suitable for the pro version of Windows 10.

• Press combination Win+R.
• Enter the command services.msc.
• The interface will open "Services".
• Find an item "Windows Update".
• Double-click on it with the left mouse button.
• In the interface "Properties" click the button "Stop".
• In the drop down menu "Startup type" select "Disabled".
• Confirm the settings with the button "OK".

Alternatively, to disable auto-update, you can use free utility Windows Updates Disabler. Do not forget to check the file with an antivirus for security before running the utility.

You can learn about the advantages and disadvantages of Windows 10.

A useful video on this topic is “What to do when the Start button does not work in Windows 10”:

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After users began to switch to the new operating system from Microsoft - Windows 10, many people began to experience various problems in working with her. I mentioned some of these problems in my review of this operating system, and now I would like to dwell on ways to solve one of them, which actually often occurs among users and prevents it from working normally. And this problem is that the Start menu periodically for some reason refuses to work. Those. When I click on the Start icon, nothing happens. Usually, along with this, some other functions of the system immediately stop working, for example, it is not possible to enter the parameters. Moreover, a problem can appear either after a reboot or directly while working in the system, out of nowhere and sometimes even several reboots do not help! Now I will describe several ways that will help certain users overcome this problem.

Why did I say "certain users"? But because there is no 100% working way to solve this problem (as well as many others), which would help absolutely everyone. The problem is quite extensive and can arise for a number of different reasons and, accordingly, is treated in different ways. For example, for someone, the Start menu stops working after the system has been cleaned of debris using special programs, for example CCleaner, and for some as a result of various system failures.

On my computer and my father's computer, the problem seemed to arise for no reason. The Start menu, after upgrading from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, was constantly working intermittently. Either it stops working immediately after a reboot, or right while using Windows, and no global cleaning of the system was carried out using special programs. I simply didn’t even have time, because I just updated the system and the problem immediately started :) Based on this, the fault Windows developers 10 is clearly visible here...

Ways to fix problems with the Start menu not working in Windows 10

So, now I will list the main ways that can help you fix this problem and the menu will finally work properly. But, unfortunately, I cannot give guarantees, since all situations can be individual. Try each of the options below one by one until your problem goes away.

Installing the latest Windows updates

Yes, such a banal thing as simple updates for Windows can solve many problems. And all this is because updates are various fixes for the system, built-in applications, drivers, as well as all sorts of improvements.

On two computers in my family, the problem with the Start menu was resolved simple update Windows and this means that the problem with the Start menu has been around since the release of Windows 10, and it was fixed in the next update. Therefore, the first thing you need to try is to update your system through a special Windows update tool. What if you haven’t downloaded or installed updates for your system for a long time, and as a result, you’re not using the most advanced version of it at the moment.

More information on how to set up updates in Windows 10 is described in a separate article:

If updates were found, then after installing them, be sure to restart the computer to check the functionality of the Start menu, even if the system does not require it!

Checking system files for their integrity and making changes (if required)

This operation will scan everything system files on your computer and if any of them are changed or deleted, they will be updated to the original versions.

Launch Command Prompt. To do this, you need to press the Win+X key combination on your keyboard and select “Command Prompt (Administrator)” from the menu that appears.

This window will appear, which is the Windows command line:

Choose this option and not just “Command Prompt”, otherwise you may not have enough rights to perform any actions!

Enter the command sfc /scannow there and press the Enter key to execute it.

A system scan will start, which may take about half an hour or more:

If any files turn out to be damaged, the system will automatically replace them with the original versions.

After completing this procedure, reboot and check if the Start menu is working.

Making changes to the Windows registry

Sometimes a problem with the Start menu occurs because a program makes changes to a special Windows registry setting. Windows Registry is a collection of different Windows settings, programs, drivers, divided into categories in separate program. Even an experienced user will simply not know most of the parameters, because there are simply an incredible number of them. In general, the devil himself will break his leg there :) Our task, if the Start menu is not working (unless the 2 methods described above helped, of course) is to check one parameter in the registry and make changes to it, if necessary.

So, let's open the registry. To do this, press the Win + R key combination and in the “Run” line that appears, type the command regedit (1), then click “OK” (2).

The program for editing the registry will open:

Now opening folder by folder in the window on the left, you need to navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Check to see if there is a parameter named EnableXAMLStartMenu in the window on the right.

If you don't have such a parameter, you need to create it. To do this, right-click (hereinafter referred to as “RMB”) on the “Advanced” folder in the left window and select “New” > “DWORD Value (32 bits)”.

A new parameter will appear in the list:

Now we change his name. To do this, select it in the window, press the F2 key on the keyboard and change the standard name to EnableXAMLStartMenu.

It remains to check that this parameter has a zero value. To do this, right-click on the created parameter and select “Change”.

In the window that opens, check that “0” is indicated in the “Value” (1) field, and if suddenly this is not the case, then change it to “0” and click “OK” (2).

Now we restart the computer and see if anything has changed with the functionality of the Start button...

Reregistering the Start Menu in Windows

This is the last of the main methods to solve the problem with the display of the Start menu in Windows. After re-registering the Start menu for someone, it begins to function normally, so it’s worth trying this method too, if all 3 above did not help.

The operation to re-register the Start menu will be performed through a special administrator console, Power Shell.

So, first, open the task manager by holding down the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys, then click on the “File” menu and select “Run a new task.”

In the window that appears, in the “Open” field, write the powershell command (1) and be sure to check the “Create a task with administrator rights” option at the bottom (2). If you do not enable run as administrator, the subsequent command to re-register the start may fail!

The PowerShell console will open:

You need to copy the command below and paste it into the PowerShell window:

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

To paste, simply right-click in the PowerShell window and the command will appear there.

You will not receive any notification when the command is completed. A new line will simply appear displaying the path to the “system32” folder:

After this, restart your computer and check if the Start function is restored to normal.

If the 4 above methods for resolving the problem with opening the Start menu in Windows 10 did not help you, then you probably have no choice but to wait for the release of a Windows update with fixes for your case. But if the “breakdown” is caused not by the developers, but by you using some programs, then you don’t have to wait for updates with fixes. Then all that remains is to roll back Windows to factory settings, or use restore checkpoints to Windows rollback on a certain day when a similar problem had not yet been recorded. But all this is several materials for separate articles. And I hope that the methods described above will still help you!

Have a nice day and good mood! Bye;)