Restoring the Start menu in Windows 10. Why doesn't the Start button work? Switch the desktop from classic view to full screen and vice versa

Good day!

I don’t know about many people, but in my opinion, for working on a laptop/PC with a regular mouse, the menus that were in Windows 7 are much more convenient (classical formation) rather than a tiled interface. Classic is more compact, less overloads the visual space, and easier to navigate.

Of course, the issue is debatable. Much depends on your screen and type of device; the same “tile” is more convenient when controlled from the screen (for example, on tablets). In general, why doesn’t Microsoft make a custom menu (whichever is more convenient for you)?..

Windows 7 START menu in new Windows 8/10

To immediately clearly demonstrate what we're talking about, I’ll give a screenshot below: on the left is the tiled menu (before it was changed using the utility), on the right is what it became. The menu is almost identical to the one that was in Windows 7 (convenient, more informative, and more responsive (in my humble opinion)).

One small utility, Start Menu 8, allows you to do this (the link to it is given below).

Start Menu 8

The utility is intended for those users who can’t get used to the new tiled interface. Allows you to go to classic menu START.

In addition, it has quite a lot of settings in its arsenal, which allow you to flexibly customize it for yourself.

Downloading and installing the utility I'm omitting (everything is standard, nothing interesting). After installation, the first menu (main) will appear in front of you, in which you are asked to return to the classic interface: just select the “Flat” style and click OK. See screenshot below.

In principle, everything basic has already been done: now, when you enter START, you will see an interface very close to the classics. But I can’t help but note that Start Menu 8 allows for significantly more...

For the thin utility Start Menu 8 - open the START menu and go to its settings (for this there is a small “gear” in the corner of the menu, see example below).

In the "Style" section, in addition to "Flat", there is another alternative style: "classic" (exactly the same one that is in Windows 7). See the example below.

By the way, you can also change the icons and the START button - but I decided not to consider this, because... It’s unlikely that anyone would want to get confused again...

In the "General" section you can configure the size of icons, sorting of programs, the number of shortcuts displayed when opening a menu, etc. (if you have big screen- it is quite possible to install 15-25 pieces).

Also in the "User Interface" section you can specify the font size, set your photo, background color, etc.

For example, I slightly changed the background color in my menu (made it darker), and set the classic sorting of programs (when everything goes in order). The screenshot below shows what it looks like: quite convenient, without unnecessary advertising and clutter that was in Windows menu 10...

Disadvantage of the Start Menu 8 utility: all features and features are available only in paid version(but in principle, everything basic is free).

That's all for now...

Additions are welcome.

Windows 10 has undergone many changes compared to previous versions operating system. As a result, some controls have changed. The Start menu was left without any changes.

How does the Windows 10 Start menu differ from previous versions?

Windows 10 has significantly changed the design of the Start menu. This is now a dark window, occupying one fourth of the screen by default. It has two new blocks - “Events and Communication” and “Entertainment and Recreation”. They contain news, weather information, popular posts from Twitter and Facebook, and advertisements for games and applications.

Blocks with advertising, games and news appeared in the Windows 10 Start menu

The list of applications installed on the computer has become smaller. It now has a “Popular” block, where frequently used programs are placed. Below is the “Recommended” section, where they are located promotional offers from official store Microsoft Store. The rest of the column space is reserved for full list applications sorted alphabetically.

The Windows 10 Start menu sorts apps by alphabet and block

As before, from the Start menu you can quickly go to computer settings, account settings, and choose how to turn off the device.

In Windows 10, from the Start menu you can quickly open Settings, shut down your computer, and open Account Settings

Another important change is that the system search bar has been moved to a separate window. This was done for optimization: the menu began to open faster, since it does not have to scan and search for elements.

The search string is placed in separate menu, which had a positive effect on the speed of work

The Windows 7 menu is shown below. By comparing it with the new one, you will see how significant the differences are and can choose which option you like better. But you need to keep in mind that the Windows 10 menu can be modified through standard settings systems.

The Windows 7 Start menu is significantly different from the version found in Windows 10

Bringing back menu design from Windows 7

If for some reason you don't like the new menu, use third-party applications to return old design. There are many programs that allow you to quickly and safely change the menu appearance: Classic Shell, StartIsBack++, Start10, etc. But there is another option, described below in more detail, - to remove unnecessary blocks from the menu without returning the design from Windows 7.

Using the Classic Shell program

This program allows you not only to return old look Start menu, but also roll back Explorer, and also replace Microsoft browser Edge on Internet Explorer.

1. If other than return the same look If you are not interested in anything from the Start menu, then install only the Classic Start Menu part, and for the remaining components set the value to “Will be completely unavailable”.

   Select only the Classic Start Menu section if you only need to return the old look of the Start menu

2. When the installation is complete, click on the “Start” menu and the program will launch. Or right-click on it and select the “Options” section in the context menu that opens to launch Classic Shell. On home page specify which style to use (there are three options to choose from) and click OK. After a few seconds, the Start menu will change.

   Select a style and apply the changes by pressing the OK button

3. Go to the "Basic Settings" tab. There you can configure what action will be performed when you press a particular key or combination.

   We assign actions that will be performed by certain keys or combinations

4. Click on the “Cover” tab. It contains a list of additional styles that allow you to diversify the appearance of the menu.

   Choose Extra options style to diversify the appearance of the menu

5. In the “Customize the Start Menu” tab, remove unnecessary ones and add new items to the menu. Using the mouse, drag and drop the elements to give them the most comfortable order. Even more settings can be obtained by checking the box next to “Show all parameters”.

   Check the box next to “Show all parameters” to open additional settings

Using the StartIsBack++ utility

The StartIsBack ++ program is just as convenient as the previous option, but has a limitation - 30 days free, and then you have to pay 125 rubles for the full version.

Via the Start10 app

The Start10 program has the same functions as the applications described above. It's free for the first 30 days, and full version costs $4.99. Simple design and a large number of settings allow you to get desired result very fast.

Start10 has a simple design and a large number of settings that make it easy to achieve optimal type start menu

By removing unnecessary blocks

If you want to return the menu from Windows 7 just because there were no blocks with advertising in it, then you shouldn’t rush into it, because you can deactivate unnecessary blocks using standard using Windows 10.

Video: removing tiles and returning menus from Windows 7

Personalize the Windows 10 Start Menu

Opportunities for change appearance The Windows 10 Start menu goes beyond removing extra slabs and warping the scale.

1. Open system settings. They can be found through the Windows search bar.

   Find and open system parameters

2. Select the “Personalization” block.

   Among the parameters, find and open the “Personalization” section

3. In the “Colors” sub-item, select the one you want to use to design the entire system. How the selected color will look in the Start menu can be seen in the small window on the right.

   Choosing a color for the menu and other blocks

4. In the “Start” sub-item, enable and disable individual elements menu. For example, you can remove the list of recently used apps and recommendations from the Microsoft Store. This is where it is activated and deactivated. full screen mode.

   Remove unnecessary elements or add new ones

5. Go to full screen mode to see all the same menu sections, but evenly spaced across the entire screen, rather than parts of it.

   If you remove all unnecessary items from the Start menu, the remaining ones will be evenly distributed across the entire screen

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

Some users are faced with the fact that the menu stops opening, and pressing a button or the Start key does not cause any response. The cause of this problem is a system failure or corruption system files. But you can fix the error yourself.

Restarting the computer

First of all, you need to try the simplest method - restart the computer. Perhaps restarting all services and processes will fix the problem.

Using the official program from Microsoft

The problem of the Start menu not working is so common that Microsoft has released special application, which can be downloaded from their official website.

Manually restarting Explorer

Explorer is responsible for the interaction of system files, so a failure in it can block the menu from launching. Therefore, restarting it will solve the problem.

Changing the registry

Using PowerShell

Create a new account

The Start menu may not launch if the account name is written in Russian letters, because the name is used in system processes, but not all of them work correctly with Russian letters. Therefore, it is worth creating a new user with the correct name by following these steps:

Open the “Manage another account” section by selecting the appropriate item

Go through the procedure of creating a new user and give him administrator rights. The main thing is that the name must be written in English letters.

Create a new account and give it administrator rights

Restart your computer, log in as a new user and check if the menu works. Then all that remains is to transfer all the settings and files to the created account.

Video: Ways to fix a broken Start menu in Windows 10

Despite the fact that the appearance of the Start menu has radically changed in Windows 10, developers from Microsoft left users the opportunity to remake it using flexible settings. And if you still can’t choose the appropriate option, then use third party applications You can always return the menu from Windows 7. However, startup problems that arise can be easily resolved by restarting the system, editing the registry, using PowerShell, or creating a new account.

Updates in Windows 10 constantly cause inconvenience to users, forcing them to waste time searching for the causes of problems and fixing them. Many, restarting the computer after installing the next portion unknown updates, faced with the fact that the button does not work Windows start 10.

The menu does not open by clicking on the Start icon and does not respond to the Win key (with the window logo). Sometimes, in addition to this, the “Options” menu may not open and other graphical menus may not function. To fix the problem, read this article to the end and follow the instructions contained in it.

Interestingly, in the summer of 2016, Microsoft deigned to release an application for finding and getting rid of factors blocking the appearance of Start.

Explorer.exe is a file that is a graphical shell for Windows. Thanks to it, Explorer, all windows and menus of the operating system work. During its operation, a problem may occur (for example, conflicts with addresses random access memory). If startup does not work in Windows 10, the first thing you should do is restart the “explorer.exe” process.

1. Call the “Task Manager” using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Esc or context menu taskbar.

2. Go to the “Processes” tab if the window opens in a different one.

If the dispatcher is launched in a simplified window, click on the “Details” button.

3. Find the “Explorer” or “Explorer” process and call the “Restart” command.

4. We confirm our intentions to interfere with the functioning of the system process.

The method does not always work, so you should not rely on its success.

Changing the value of one of the system registry keys

The next step that should be taken in order to get Start to work is to change the value of one of the parameters responsible for the operation of the menu (if there is no key, you will need to create it).

1. Call the registry editor integrated into the top ten (run “regedit” in search bar or command interpreter).
2. Go to the parameters section current user– H.K.C.U.
3. Go to the path Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer.
4. Find the “EnableXAMLStartMenu” key and change its value to “zero”. If there is no parameter, we create a DWORD key with a marked name and value.
5. We restart the “explorer.exe” process for the new configuration to take effect.

Other quick methods to get Start to work

Some users noticed the problem appeared after creating a new account, the path to which contains Cyrillic characters(username was in Russian). In this case, you need to use the Computer Management tool and change the path to the user directory (rename the folder in which the account information is stored).

The automatic maintenance function of the operating system also sometimes helps. To activate it, go to the “Properties” of the system, where in the menu located on the left, click on the “Maintenance and Security” link located at the very bottom. Expand the “Maintenance” item and click on the “Run” button. In the near future (the more free resources, the faster) Windows 10 will search for and fix all problems on your computer. This option also rarely helps, but it is necessary to look for the right solution.

Create a new account

It happens that the above options do not give the expected results, in particular, renaming the user directory. Try creating a new user whose name should not contain Russian characters.

1. Call up the “Run” window (press Win + R).
2. Enter “control” and execute the command.
3. After opening the applet, create a new account and log into Windows from under it.

Basically, Start and all other graphical elements work fine. If this is the case, import all the settings and transfer the files from the old account directory and delete it.

Let's use PowerShell

In the end there was less safe way make Start function. However, using PowerShell(Advanced Command Prompt) may cause problems with the app store.

Before following the steps in these instructions, it is recommended to create a system rollback point.

To run the tool, go to the “\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0” directory located in the OS folder and run the powershell.exe file as an administrator.

No less simple option call extended command line is to run the “powershell” command in a command line running with administrator privileges.

In we insert into text string PowerShell window opens next command and run it:

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

The operations will take a matter of seconds, after which check if Start opens. If we fail again, we move on.

Let's use the official utility from Microsoft, called to solve a problem with the Start menu

The tiny program works on the same principle as the troubleshooting tool, but is relatively graphic elements, in particular Start.

1. We go to the Microsoft website and download the application.
2. We launch it and click “Next”, having familiarized ourselves with the work being performed.

Any problems found will be automatically corrected, and the user will be notified about this in a window with the results of the program. You can disable this option in advance in order to fix the problem(s) yourself. Also, a message may appear in the final window that the tool has not detected any abnormalities in the system.

To get acquainted with the details of how the utility works, click on the “View additional information” link.

The latest version of the application performs the following checks:

• availability and normal functioning ShellExperienceHost and Cartans;
• checks if you have given user rights to access the registry branch in which the data necessary for the operation of the graphical Windows shell 10;
• will check the integrity of the database in which program tiles are stored;
• scans the application manifest for corruption.

You can download the utility via the direct link http://aka.ms/diag_StartMenu. Don't worry that the URL doesn't have the word "Microsoft" in it; it's just a shortened version of where the program file is stored.

Nothing helped

Even if none of the points in the article helped to return Start, you should not despair. Most users have the creation function activated control points in Windows 10, which makes it possible to roll back the system to a more recent early state. These same points are necessarily created before updating the OS, which becomes the main reason for the Start inoperability.

As a last resort, it is not prohibited to reset the “ten” or roll back to its original state.

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 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 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 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

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.