Have recently upgraded to Windows 10 May 2020 update version 2004 and found that the Start menu is not opening? Even not responding mouse clicks and make it impossible to use that start menu on Windows 10.
All of a sudden my windows start button has stopped working. I cannot launch windows or any apps on my Toshiba Satellite Laptop.
This type of problem mostly occurs when Windows Updates are being installed, And the main for this is the corrupted update installation, again corrupted system files, third-party app conflict etc also cause Windows 10 start menu not working. Well if you are also struggling with the similar problem here how to fix Windows 10 start menu problems.
Windows 10 start menu won’t open
- Press Alt + Ctrl + Del keyboard shortcut and select task manager,
- here look for windows explorer under the process tab,
- Right-click on windows explorer and select restart,
- Now check if the start menu working normally.
Also temporarily Disable Security software (antivirus) if installed, Perform Windows 10 clean boot that helps if third party service conflict causing the issue.
Update Windows
Microsoft regularly releases security patches with a number of bug fixes. And installing the latest windows update may contain the bug fix for Windows 10 start menu, that causing the problem.
- Press Windows + I to open the Settings app,
- Click Update & security than windows update,
- Now hit the check for updates button,
- Let windows to download and install updates if available,
- And restart windows to apply the changes, now check if the start menu working normally.
Run Application Identity Service
The Application Identity Service in Windows 10 uses a service called Applocker to decide which applications are and aren’t allowed to run on your PC. Check if the service is running state.
- Press Windows + R, type services.msc and ok
- This will open the Windows services console,
- scroll down and look for application identity service,
- Right click and restart the service, if it’s already running.
- Otherwise Right click on application identity service select start
Run SFC utility
Also As we discuss corrupt system files can cause many problems for windows and may this start menu not working is one of them. These cause windows have an inbuilt system File Checker utility. When you Run This tool this will scan your system for all its important system files, and replace where necessary.
Right click on Taskbar or press ALT + Ctrl + Del key together at the same time and select Task Manager. When the Task Manager opens click on file – Run New task, Here type CMD and tick mark on create this task with administrative privileges. When the elevated command prompt opens type below command and hit the enter key.
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
After Execute the command performs a system File check
Re-register Windows apps
For most of the users Re-registering the windows apps will fix their start menu problem permanently. Also, this is the best solution I have found. We have to perform some command line to Re-register the start menu app. So for that, we need the windows power shell. lets first open the windows power shell as administrator.
To do this Right-click on Taskbar or press ALT + Ctrl + Del key together at the same time and select Task Manager. When the Task Manager opens click on file – Run New task, Here type power shell and tick mark on create this task with administrative privileges. Hit ok to open the power shell window.
Now Here On Power shell window type below command and press enter key.
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}
Wait until to execute the command. After that close, the PowerShell, Restart your system and you should have the working start menu on next time login.
Create a new user account
Also Create a New user account is the best experience to fix the start menu problem. But this time users log in on to a new desktop and apps are configured newly for the new user account. Create a new user account and check if the start menu working smoothly then Transfer old user desktop data to new user account and delete the old user account.
You can use create a new user account with a simple command line on the command prompt. So For that, we have to first open the command prompt. Do this via Right-click on Taskbar or press ALT + Ctrl + Del key together at the same time and select Task Manager. When the Task Manager opens click on file – Run New task and type CMD also Tick the box for Create this task with administrative privileges. When the command prompt opens type below command to create a new user account.
net user NewUsername NewPassword /add
You’ll need to replace NewUsername and NewPassword with the username and password you want to use.
For example, the command is: net user kumar p@$$word / Add
Now Restart windows and Login With New Created User Check the Problem is Solved.
If all of the above methods not work then perform system Restore which can revert back your windows to the previous working state where windows working smoothly.
These are some best solutions to fix windows 10 start menu won’t open, stopped working, not responding problems.
