Windows 11 Start Menu Not Working How To Fix 10 Methods

While it was praised for its redesigned new look, the introduction of the Recommendation section (and more importantly the inability to remove it) infuriated quite a few users. However, that isn’t the only issue bugging the users. Few users have raised their concerns that they are unable to access the Start Menu. Others have said that it only appears for a second or two before going back to the shell. Likewise, some have said that as soon as they invoke the Start Menu, it tends to crash the System UI. While these issues are nod out quite worrisome, fortunately, there do exist a few tweaks that have managed to rectify them. And this guide shall make you aware of just that. So without further ado, let’s get started with the instructions to fix the Start Menu not working issue on your Windows 11 PC.

First off, if you are still on Windows Update KB5004300, then make sure to update your PC to the latest build right away (via Settings > Windows Update ). This is because the KB5004300 update ended up broking the Start Menu and Taskbar functionalities. However, if you are on the latest build, then proceed ahead with the rest of the methods. Talking about which, do note that there’s no universal fix as such. You will have to try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and then see which one gives out the best result. So with that in mind, let’s get started.

FIX 1: Restart Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer houses the Taskbar, Start Menu, and other related components like Action Center. So in case, there’s an issue with the Explorer, then the Start Menu is bound to be among the suffering parties. Therefore, you should consider restarting Windows Explorer, which could be done as follows:

If there’s more than one instance of Windows Explorer, then make sure to restart all of them, one at a time. Once they are restarted, which should only take a couple of seconds, verify if the Start Menu not working issue is fixed or not on your Windows 11 PC.

For the Start Menu to be working along the expected lines, all its background services and processes need to be working well and good as well. If there’s an issue with any of these services, then its negative consequences will be felt by the Start Menu. So the best route forward is to restart all these services, which could be done as follows:

Back in 2019, Windows released a feature update that ended up breaking the Start Menu. To rectify this issue, they released the Start Menu Troubleshooter App. And this is what we will be using right now as well. The troubleshooter app will now scan for the issues and should fix them as well. Once done, reboot your PC and see whether the Windows 11 Start Menu not working issue has been fixed or not.

FIX 4: Using DISM and SFC Commands

System File Checker and Deployment Image Servicing and Management are two command-line utility tools that scan for the corrupt Windows files and then replace them with their working counterpart. The major difference between the two is whereas the SFC replaces the corrupt files with the working ones from the cached directory on your PC, DISM does so by downloading the working files from the online Microsoft servers. And as of now, we would be making use of both these tools to fix the underlying issue. Follow along. Once DISM finishes the scanning, it is recommended to reboot your PC. Once it boots up, check if the Start Menu not working issue on Windows 11 has been fixed or not. Once the SFC Scanning is complete, it’s time to use the DISM Tool. So copy-paste the below command:

Since the OS is still in its ‘initial’ stable release, there are quite a few rough edges features. These include the missing drag and drop functionality, no clock in the second display, and the unnecessary Recommended section in the Start Menu. To overcome all these, users have opted for various different types of third-party taskbar tweaks and customizations. However, these add-ons might conflict with the Start Menu and hence you should consider uninstalling them via the Control Panel.

FIX 6: Rebuild Search Index

The Start Menu comes baked in with a universal search bar. And issues with this Search bar, such as its database getting corrupted, have been known to cause a few problems to the Start Menu. Therefore, you should consider rebuilding its index database from scratch so that it is able to carry out its search functionality without any problems. This in turn will end up benefiting the Start Menu itself. So proceed ahead with the below instructions to carry out this task: Windows will now start re-building the Search index database. Once done, it is recommended to restart your PC. After it boots up, verify whether the Windows 11 Start Menu issue is fixed or not.

FIX 7: Update Graphics Drivers

If you are using old or outdated graphics drivers, then they could have an adverse impact on various Windows UI elements, including the Start Menu. Therefore, it is recommended to update these drivers to the latest build, which could be done as follows: Once the installation is complete, restart your PC. Then check if it manages to fix the Start Menu not working issue on your Windows 11 PC.

FIX 8: Restart Iris Service

While there’s still a cloud of uncertainty surrounding the actual purpose of this service, but more often than not, re-installing proves to be sufficient when it comes to rectifying Start Menu and Taskbar issue.

For the proper functioning of the Start Menu, it is extremely important that all its packages are working along the expected lines. If any of them gets corrupted, then the Start Menu might not respond to your clicks or the keyboard button presses. In this regard, manually finding the corrupt package might be like finding a needle in the haystack, so let’s a shorter approach and re-install all these packages.

If you have carried out any Start Menu tweaks or registry editor hacks, then it might have enabled the Start Menu XAML process. So you should consider disabling it, which could be done as follows: With this, the Start Menu XAML process stands disabled. Verify if it ends up fixing the Windows 11 Taskbar not working issue as well.

FIX 11: Create a New Local Account

Some users were able to rectify this issue only after creating a new Local Account and then accessing the Start Menu via it. After that, they transferred all their data from their original account over to this newly created Local Account. While this calls for quite a lot of effort, but it might prove to be worth the investment. So let’s give it a shot. So with this, we round off the guide on how you could fix the Windows 11 Start Menu not working issue. We have shared eleven different methods for the same. Do let us know in the comments section which method worked out in your favor. Likewise, all your queries are welcomed in the comments below.

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