Startup won't open on Windows 10. The “Start” button in the “ten” has stopped working: how to fix the situation

Useful tips

Having released the new Windows 10 operating system, Microsoft has finally returned the “ Start" into place. But the developers didn't stop there. Menu " Start"in Windows 10 has undergone significant changes. In the new menu, the developers combined the classic menu that was present in Windows 7 and XP and the tiled Metro interface that was present in the eight. But, like all new products, the new " Start"is not without flaws.

After a massive migration to Windows 10, thanks to the company's assistance in migrating to the operating system for free, many PC users encountered problems launching the " Start" To solve this problem, when the menu " Start" stopped starting or disappeared, we have prepared material in which we will describe in detail: how to get the menu to work again " Start" different ways. After reading this material, you will no longer have such questions - why the menu “ Start"does not respond, does not press, or where Start has disappeared.

Restoring the Start button by restarting Explorer

Windows 10 Explorer is one of its main components, so the operation of most processes and programs directly depends on it. For this example, we can solve our problem by restarting Explorer. Exist two ways to restart explorer. We will describe the simplest one first. To restart Explorer the first way, first, let's launch the task manager. You can launch the task manager using the three key combination Ctrl + Shift + Esc.

Now in the task manager window we need to find our explorer process. After finding it, right-click on it and select the item in the context menu “ Restart».

This action should restart File Explorer and restore the functionality of the " Start».

For second method we will need to use the console as an administrator. First of all, let's launch the console as administrator. To do this, let's start a search in the top ten using the key combinations WIN + Q. In the running search, type the query “ CMD" After this, right-click on the result found and select the item we need in the context menu.

Now in the console that opens, with administrator rights, type the following command: taskkill /f /im explorer.exe

This process will launch Explorer, and the menu " Start"should work. This example clearly demonstrates why it is necessary to restart Explorer.

Solving our problem using the PowerShell console

In this example, we will restore the Start function using the console PowerShell. To do this, we need a PowerShell console with admin rights. In the running console, we need to type the command (download the file with the command) shown in the notepad below.

You can launch the console in the same way as launching the command line described in the previous example. Just to start, enter the search query “ PowerShell».

In the running console, type the command and wait for it to complete.

After these steps, check the Start function. If it still doesn't work, then try the examples below.

It's worth noting that if search doesn't work for you, you can launch PowerShell using an executable file. To do this, follow the link in Explorer " C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0" and run this file as administrator.

We solve our problem by creating a new Windows 10 user

Having created a new user in the top ten, the system completely resets the parameters of its programs. For example, for a newly created user, the system allows you to return all Microsoft Edge browser settings to their original state. That is, you will have the same browser in front of you as after a fresh installation of Windows 10. The same thing happens with the “ Start", since it is, in fact, the same application as any program in the top ten. Now let's move on to creating a new user. To do this, open the control panel and follow the links “ \User Accounts\User Accounts\Manage Accounts" In the panel window that opens, click on the link “ Add a new user in the window« Computer settings»» at the bottom of the window.

After this action, the following window should open. In this window you need to click on the bottom button Add a new user for this computer.

This action will take us to the data entry window for a new Windows 10 user. In our case, this user is “Alexander 2”. By confirming the entered user data with the Next button, a new account will be created.

You can switch between users in the menu " Start", but in our case this will not work. Therefore, we will use the key combination ALT + F4. You need to perform this combination on the active desktop, that is, not in any running program. After this action, a window will appear in which you need to select the “”.

Now let’s start changing the user with the OK button, after which we will be taken to the change user window. Enter the password in it and go under the account of the new user “Alexander 2”.

After a little setup of the user account, we will be taken to the desktop of the new PC user. In this example, restore the functionality of the menu " Start“You can absolutely. But for many experienced PC users, creating a new account will not solve the problem. Judge for yourself, the settings of all other programs will remain in the old account. Therefore, the previous option with the PowerShell console will be the most optimal.

Solving the problem with the Start button by editing the registry

To solve this problem, we will open a notepad and type in the text shown below (download the file, do not forget to rename the extension).

It is also worth noting that you cannot launch notepad through Start, so you should use the utility Execute. You can launch this utility using the combination WIN + R. In the utility line you need to enter “ notepad" and run this command. After setting the registry settings, we will save our file with the extension “ REG" In our case, this file is called Start.REG. Now let's run this file and confirm the message that appears.

After writing new data to the registry, reboot the computer. After a reboot, Start should work again.

Another way to solve the problem with Start

For this method, first go to the “” window using the key combination Win + Pause/Break.

At the bottom of the window "" follow the link "" and open the tab " Service»

Now you need to enable system maintenance by pressing the button start service. After this action, the system maintenance process will begin, which will help solve our problem with Start. This example is based on recommendations from people online who suggested it to solve this problem. If this method does not help, we still recommend that you return Start to working using PowerShell.

Alternative option

If none of the options helped you, and problems with Start continue, then we advise you to use programs that return the classic menu " Start" One such program is. You can download this utility on its official website www.startmenu10.com. Installing Start Menu 10 is very simple and any PC user can handle it. After launching the utility, it will be built into the notification panel and will also replace the “ Start"on your own.

If you open the program settings, you can customize the design new Start, set Hotkeys and even change main icon. After digging a little into the settings of Start Menu 10, we replaced the standard Start icon.

We also changed the design of the menu itself.

The Start Menu 10 utility is very easy to use, so even a novice user can handle it. I would also like to note that in addition to Start Menu 10 there are also such utilities as Start Menu Reviver And StartIsBack++, which allow you to return to the classic menu "Start» . These utilities, like Start Menu 10, have a considerable range of settings and can also be used for free.

Let's sum it up

Since the new operating system from Microsoft is still very raw and problems such as the Start menu not opening in Windows 10 or Microsoft Edge not starting will continue to occur very often. Microsoft itself promises to constantly improve system components and their functionality. And we, in turn, hope that our article will help our readers restore the menu " Start” when it stopped starting or disappeared completely.

Video on the topic

With Windows 10, Microsoft has gone back to basics and, by popular demand, has brought back the Start button. Moreover, it has undergone significant changes, becoming more functional, beautiful and user-friendly.

Windows 10 is constantly updated and there are often cases when, when installing a new update, the Start button stops working and does not respond to clicks with either the mouse or the keyboard. If your Start button does not work in Windows 10, then most likely the culprit is either a crooked update or changes in the registry.

There are several simple ways to solve this problem. Let's look at all the solutions, starting with the easiest and ending with the most difficult.

Restart explorer.exe

The Explorer program (also known as the explorer.exe process) is one of the main ones in the Windows operating systems and many other programs depend on it. Restarting Explorer can be done in two ways.

Press the Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination on your keyboard and select “Task Manager”. You can also call it by right-clicking on the taskbar.

In the Task Manager window that appears, in the “Processes” tab, find “Explorer” (Windows Explorer in the English version of Windows 10). Right-click on it and click “Restart”. You can also restart it by clicking the button in the lower right corner.

After that, try launching the Start menu. If the method does not help, then read on.

Restoring the Start menu by editing the Windows registry

The essence of this method is to edit the registry parameter responsible for the operation of the Start menu.

Press the Win+R key combination. In the window that appears, write the command to call the regedit registry and click OK.

In the registry window that opens, go to the following branch:

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

Now we need to create a new parameter. To do this, right-click anywhere in the right window and select “New” - “DWORD Value (32 bits).”

Name the new parameter EnableXAMLStartMenu. Double-click on this parameter and assign a value to it 0 .

After this, you need to restart your computer. Make sure that after rebooting the Start button starts working.

Using PowerShell to solve a problem with the Start menu

Click on the magnifying glass icon next to the Start menu and write PowerShell there. The search will find the Windows PowerShell application. Right-click on it and run as administrator.

In the PoweShell window that opens, paste the following code:

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

Press Enter and restart your computer. Check the operation of the Start button.

Official Microsoft utility that fixes a problem with the Start menu

The guys from Microsoft are aware of the problems that arise with the Start menu in Windows 10 and even released a special utility that almost always works.

The Start Menu Problem Search window will appear.

If there are no problems with the Start menu, the following message will appear. If there were problems, the utility will automatically fix them and nothing should interfere with the launch of the Start button.

Creating a new user with a working Start menu

If none of the methods helped you, then you can solve the problem radically and create a new computer user.

When you log in as a new user, a new registry branch will be created that is responsible for the settings of this new user and, accordingly, the Start menu should work under it.

All you have to do is transfer files from the old account to the new one.

To create a new account, search for “Control Panel” and click on it.

Go to the "User Accounts" menu.

Select "Manage another account."

Click "Add new user".

On the next page, specify that you do not have new user login information so that you do not have to provide an email address or phone number to log in to your computer.

Windows insists that we link our account to their services. Click that you want to add a user without a Microsoft account.

And finally we have reached the final point. Specify the username and password of the new computer user.

After this, restart your computer and log in as a new user. Check the operation of the Start button. If everything works, then simply transfer the files from the old user’s folder to the new computer user’s folder.

Video solving problems with the Start button

Especially for those who find it easier to perceive material not in text form, I suggest you watch the video on how to return the “Start” button to functionality.

Although the tenth modification of Windows is said to be an innovative development, many problems often arise with its installation and performance. One of these is the situation when the Windows 10 Start button does not open (or is even missing altogether). You can eliminate this failure using several simple methods, which are offered for review.

Why won't Start open in Windows 10?

At the moment, the cause of this failure has not been precisely established. However, most experts are inclined to believe that the culprit is clumsy updates, errors in the operation of the graphical interface, system settings crashes, and inheritance of errors from the previous OS (if the tenth version was installed on top of the seventh and eighth as an upgrade).

Naturally, the situation is not pleasant. Let's see what can be done to fix the problem. The proposed actions are quite simple and understandable for users of any level of training.

Start won't open in Windows 10: what to do first?

Let's assume that initially everything worked as it should, but at some point an unexpected software glitch occurred. Symptoms are that the button does not work or is missing, the Start menu does not open in Windows 10 (and it may be impossible to access the main menu even by pressing the Win key).

If the user knows exactly when the failure occurred, there is nothing easier than returning the system to the state before the problem occurred. There are two options here. You can enable recovery and select the expected checkpoint (for convenience, you can expand the list to view all available dates, and not just those when critical updates for the system were installed).

But if the problem that Start does not open in Windows 10 is related specifically to installed updates, this technique will not help. By default, the installation of updates is in an active state, so new packages will be installed again even after a rollback. In this case, you should view the update log and uninstall the latest ones. Then a manual search for updates is performed, and packages removed by the user that are found again are excluded from the installation list.

Restart the Explorer service

However, as practice shows, this is not the reason for the failure in which the Windows 10 Start panel does not open or the button is missing.

It is believed that this situation may be partially caused by disruptions in the Explorer service, which is responsible for the system's graphical interface. Alternatively, you can try restarting it. Since there is no response from the button or Win key to open the menu, you should call the “Task Manager” through keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl + Del + Alt, Shift + Ctrl + Esc or through the Run program execution console with the taskmgr command.

In the tree of active processes on the services and processes tabs, you need to find the Explorer line and use the restart command from the RMB menu, followed by confirmation of the action.

Creating a new registration record

But the methods described above may not give the desired effect. The user is again faced with the fact that Start does not open in Windows 10. We'll have to see what the situation will be like if we create a new account and log in under it.

Since the menu does not function, you can get to the desired section using the “Run” console. For the “Control Panel”, enter the control command, and for direct access use netplwiz.

Here you need to add a user and then include him in the Administrators group. After rebooting the system, you should log in under the new registration and check the functionality of the “Start” button and the corresponding menu. If everything is in order, the previous registration can simply be deleted.

Actions with the system registry

If this does not help, and again “Start” does not open in Windows 10, you will have to take drastic measures, which involve several actions in the system registry editor, which is called from the same “Run” menu with the regedit command.

Here you need to find the EnableXAMLStartMenu key, which is located in the HKLM branch with a transition through the Microsoft directory to the CurrentVersion directory. If such an entry does not exist, you must first create it using RMB in the free space of the right field. Double-clicking opens the parameter setting menu, where zero is indicated as the current value. After this, you should restart the system.

Using PowerShell Toolkit

Almost similar actions can be performed in the PowerShell console, which can be called with the command of the same name.

Here you need to enter the command that is shown in the image above. By the way, both the registry editor and the PowerShell console must be launched exclusively with system administrator rights.

Start Menu utility and system maintenance

Finally, as an additional solution, you can use the Start Menu utility from Microsoft, which was specifically designed as a tweaker to fix this problem. You can download it directly from the corporation’s website. User intervention in the operation of the program consists only of launching it. Everything else is done automatically.

Another remedy is to activate system maintenance. This tool can be accessed from the properties menu, called up via RMB on the “This PC” line in “Explorer”. Here you just need to expand the section and click the start button. Perhaps this solution will work, since the system will perform a full scan to detect existing and possible problems.

In general, at the moment it is impossible to name the true reason for the inoperability of both the Start button and the corresponding menu. Therefore, to eliminate failures, you will have to try all the methods given above. Something will definitely work.

The Start menu and taskbar in Windows 10 are one of the most significant features of the Microsoft operating system. After all, with the help of this menu you can quickly find this or that program, launch the application, editors, administrative functions, and the taskbar provides excellent usability for comfortable work. But what should you do if the Start menu or taskbar stops working? If your Windows 10 Start button or Taskbar has disappeared, is not responding to clicks, is not working, will not open, or you are receiving a critical error message, then follow the below methods to fix and find solutions to this problem.

Fix Taskbar and Start Menu Not Working in Windows 10

Whenever you receive any error related to various functions in Windows, the first thing to do (besides restarting your computer) is to check for damaged files using a “checker”, which will automatically try to fix any errors in the system files.

To do this, open a command prompt as administrator ( Win+R, enter cmd) and enter the command in the line sfc /scannow. The scan will check Windows for damaged files and then fix them if possible.

If all else fails, still at the command prompt, use the Deployment and Maintenance Management tool, which can repair the corruption that was preventing SFC from doing its job. At the command prompt, enter:

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

This will launch the tool DISM, wait for the process to complete. Then run an SFC scan back (sfc /scannow) to fix any problems. If the start button or taskbar is still not working, then let’s dive into the solutions.

1. Start Menu Repair Tool for Windows 10

Microsoft is well aware of Start menu and taskbar issues, and it has released the Troubleshooter to fix many common Start menu problems in Windows 10. Download the tool. troubleshooter Microsoft to fix problems.

2. Restart Windows Explorer

The next simple try is to restart the File Explorer process, which is not only responsible for the Start Menu and Taskbar in the Windows 10 system. Press the button combination Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open task manager. In the "processes" tab, find the process named " conductor" and press restart.

3. Configure the registry

This is a new method that appeared recently and has helped many users fix the error so that the Start and Taskbar work in Windows 10. To begin with, I recommend it, because we will edit the registry.

Press Win + R and enter regedit to open Registry Editor. In Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WpnUserService
Next, in the field on the right, find the parameter Start, click on it twice and set the value 4 .
Keep the registry open and follow the instructions below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
On the right, if you don't have the EnableXamlStartMenu option, then right-click on the empty field and New > DWORD Value (32-bit).
Name the new parameter EnableXamlStartMenu, then double-click on it and give it a value 0 .
Restart your PC and check if the Start menu button works and opens in Windows 10.

4. Disable account information for automatic login

If you have noticed that the "taskbar" and "start" are not working when you have windows updates or after rebooting your computer, then several people have suggested that disabling account information when you boot your PC could be a solution to this problem.

Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in Options and turn off "Use my login details..."

5. Start Application Identity Service

Application identification in Windows 10 is used by a service called Applocker to determine which applications are and are not allowed to run on your computer. Usually this function knows what your PC needs to start, but when there is a problem that the start button does not work in Windows 10, you can check the service.

To launch the service identity application, click Win+R, enter services.msc, this will allow you to open Device Manager Services.

Find a service Application Identity, right-click on it and Launch. Restart your computer or laptop, after which the Start button should work.

6. Boot in safe mode with network drivers loaded

Many users have reported that booting Windows into Safe Mode using Network and then booting into regular Windows can fix a broken Start Menu and a broken Taskbar. To press Win+R, enter msconfig, then in the "System Configuration" window, open the "tab", check the "checkbox", click " Net", then " OK". When you boot into safe mode, do not forget to remove the boot options to boot back into normal Windows mode.

7. Register or reinstall the Start menu in Windows 10

You must be logged in as an administrator. Next, open PowerShell and run it as administrator.

Then enter the below command into the PowerShell window, copying it.

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

Restart your computer.

8. Reinstall your Windows applications

UWP Windows apps, if you have a lot of them installed, can create clutter and latency that causes the Start menu to freeze and the taskbar to lag. That's why Windows has one handy command that allows you to reinstall and restore all the stock Windows 10 UWP apps at once.

Type in "search" PowerShell, right-click on it and run as administrator.
Enter the following command into the window that opens to reinstall all Windows applications:
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach (Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”)
You will see processes begin to load and a lot of red, alarming text. Ignore this, wait for the process to finish, and restart your computer to launch the Start menu again.

9. Dropbox, Anti-Virus and AMD Graphics Drivers

Windows 10 users complained that Dropbox was interfering with the Start menu by blocking certain user account files that were essential to its operation. Dropbox claims to have addressed this issue in an update released last year, but if you have Dropbox, it may be worth uninstalling to see if the problem with the Windows 10 start button not working persists.

Some AMD graphics card services may be connected to the start menu. Some users reported that disabling them fixed the problem. You can check this by clicking win+r and enter services.msc, then find the services associated with the video card and disable them for a while to check if the problem is resolved.

Other users have reported that antivirus programs such as Avast, Malwarebytes, and various third-party Windows Store apps are causing startup and taskbar issues in Windows 10. Try uninstalling them to identify the culprit.

Some users find that their Start button and taskbar no longer function properly after major Windows updates. If you are one of such users, then a proven solution is to create a new Windows Administrator account.

Click Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open task manager.
Next, click "File" > " Start a new task".
In the window that opens, enter net user yourname yourpassword /add. (yourname is your account name, and yourpassword is the password for the new account).

Sign in to your new account. If the start button works, then you need to follow these steps to transfer your settings and applications to the newly created account.

Log in to your old account, then go to Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings > Advanced tab, then under " User Profiles"click" Options".
In the User Profiles window, select the newly created account from the list and click " Copy". (This will create folders documents, videos, music, etc.) If for some reason you were unable to create a profile, then click on the “Accounts” link below and follow the instructions.

In the new Windows 10 OS, which relatively recently became available in a free version to users of licensed versions 7 and 8, users are faced with the unpleasant problem that the Start button does not work. Windows 10 offers several methods to resolve this situation. But to use them in some cases you will have to be patient, and without special knowledge it is not recommended to use them at all.

Why the Start button doesn't work: Windows 10 and system updates

As a rule, after upgrading an existing operating system to a “top ten” or a so-called “clean” installation, the new OS does not cause any complaints. The problem that the Start button stopped working (Windows 10) appears much later. In particular, this is due to the installation of certain update packages, which cause such failures.

As in any other system, in the tenth modification, automatic updating is activated by default. Depending on which package was installed, the problem that the Start menu button (Windows 10) does not work after installing the update may appear earlier or later. The following solutions will help solve this problem.

Start button not working (Windows 10): solution to restart GUI

The first solution to correct the situation is the simplest. The problem is that, except for using the Win key, it is impossible to open the start menu itself. It does not work in Windows 10 (there is no “Start button” icon in the bottom panel).

Thus, you will have to try to restart the system’s graphical interface, for which the Explorer.exe service is responsible (not to be confused with the standard Explorer). To do this, call up the “Task Manager”. You can use the combinations Alt + Del + Ctrl, Shift + Esc + Ctrl, or the “Run” section, which can be called through the shortcut Win + R, with the taskmgr command. Here, on the processes tab, you need to find “Explorer” (aka Explorer) and select the restart (restart) command from the right-click menu. Next you need to confirm the restart. But this method does not always help.

Rolling back the system to a previous state

Let's say the Start button doesn't work again. Windows 10 can be rolled back to a previous state or similar steps can be taken to return to a clean system (on some laptops this function is available in the menu called up with special buttons).

For standard recovery, the corresponding section of the “Control Panel” is used, which in the simplest case, without pressing the main menu button, can be called from the Run application launcher with the control command. In this case, however, you need to at least approximately know exactly when the failure occurred, and based on this, select the appropriate rollback point.

New account registration

When the Start button does not work (Windows 10), you can try to create a new registration entry and see if the problem is observed when logging in under it.

To do this, in the “Control Panel”, use the user accounts section, in which you select the creation of a new registration.

Restoring functionality through the system registry

Now, for a situation where the Start button does not work (Windows 10), let's consider a more complex method for fixing the problem. First, we use the program execution console (Win + R) and use the regedit command to call the system registry editor. In it you should follow the HKLM branch, and through the Software and Microsoft subfolders get to the CurrentVersion directory, which contains the Explorer directory and the Advanced folder in it.

On the right is the EnableXAMLStartMenu parameter, the value of which should be changed to zero by double-clicking editing or using the right-click menu. After this, you need to save the changes and completely reboot the system.

Note: If there is no such key, you must first create a DWORD value with the specified name.

Using PowerShell

If, after the above steps, the Start button does not work, Windows 10 allows you to use another tool - the PowerShell console, which can be called from the Task Manager or entered a command of the same name in the Run menu (started as an administrator).

The following line is written in the console window: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach (Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml")

Then the enter key is pressed. After the operation is completed, everything should fall into place.

If for some reason it is impossible to start with administrator rights, you will need to go to the System32 directory located in the system directory, find the PowerShell folder there, and then go to the v1.0 subfolder, where the file you are looking for is located. It needs to be launched via right-click, where start as administrator is selected (this, by the way, applies to starting all executable programs in the Run section, when it is not possible to use administrator rights).

Using the Microsoft Remediation Utility and Other Methods

In principle, we can recommend a few more simple solutions, which, however, do not help in all cases.

For example, you can go to the official resource of Microsoft Corporation, where in the downloads section you need to download a special troubleshooting utility in the form of a CAB file called StartMenu, then run it and wait for the end of the testing process and automatic correction of failures.

Sometimes the problem may be related to renaming a user folder using Cyrillic characters, although its name should contain only Latin characters. You can change the path to the directory and rename it in the computer management section.

In some situations, activating automatic system maintenance may help. To call this tool, use the right-click menu on the computer icon in Explorer, where the properties line is selected. In the new window, the section you are looking for is at the very bottom left. In it you need to expand the service point and press the start button. After this, the system will perform a full scan for failures and problems, the duration of which depends on the amount of free system resources.

Results

Based on the foregoing, in terms of preferences for the methods used, editing the registry and using the PowerShell console can be called optimal. As a rule, they are the ones who fix the problem once and for all.

For those who do not want to deal with such things or simply do not have the necessary knowledge or skills, it is better to use the official diagnostic program from Microsoft, activate maintenance, or use other easier methods that were described at the very beginning. This approach is also applicable if even an experienced user does not want to edit registry entries solely for the reason that careless actions can accidentally delete something. But, alas, it is impossible to undo the changes made or not save the completed results in this editor. Therefore, here too it is necessary to observe, so to speak, certain safety rules.

In any case, at least one method will work, and problems with the main menu and the button responsible for calling it will disappear. You can, of course, also uninstall updates, but no one can guarantee that with automatic updates enabled they will not be installed again or will not lead to new problems. And it is not recommended to disable them in the tenth modification, although Microsoft experts previously stated that no updates would be released for this system. In particular, they relate to the OS security system and other company products like Office.