Since the launch of Windows 10, many updates are released by Microsoft which brings a lot of good features but due to some of the system updates or installation of a corrupted application, many errors or problems get introduced to windows. In recent times users are encountering an issue with the start button in Windows 10.
Many users are encountering issues such as :
Start Menu freezes after opening.
Windows 10 Start Menu and Cortana not working.
The start menu button does not do anything on click.
These problems can be caused by:
outdated or corrupted temp data files.
Cortana temporary files are corrupt or out of date.
A windows 10 glitch of the start menu.
Whatever issue you have with your Windows start menu, here are some quick and easy fixes for it.
How to Solve a Broken Windows 10 Start Icon Issue
There are many different ways to help resolve the problem with the Windows icon, but the one that works will depend on the reason the Start icon stopped working in the first place. The methods you should try are explained step by step to ensure you solve the issue quickly and get your system back to normal.
Solution 1: You can try re-logging Into Your Microsoft Account
This is the easiest way to fix many problems, so make sure you try this first. This method works best if the start menu issue occurs only occasionally. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Press ‘Ctrl’ + ‘Alt’ + ‘Delete’ keys at the same time and choose to Sign out from the options that appear.
Step 2: After the system reboots, go to the Login screen box and enter your password to log in once again.
Step 3: Test the Start menu icon to see if it is working now and if you can open Windows Explorer. If the problem persists, you have to go to our next solution.
Solution 2: Restart Windows Explorer
File Explorer is the app that is used to browse or open any kind of program or file. File explorer also controls Start Menu, the taskbar, and other applications.
If you encounter an issue with the start menu, it can be an issue with the file explorer.
You can solve the crashing of the start menu or any other errors in windows explorer by restarting the File Explorer in the task manager by following these steps-
- Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys together.
- Click on “More Details” to see all running processes and programs.
- Scroll down until you find the “Windows Explorer” process.
- Right-click on the “Windows Explorer” task and select “Restart”:
The Windows Explorer will restart along with the Start menu and taskbar. After it restarts, Check the start menu if it is working or not. If it still doesn’t work normally, you can try one of the other solutions below.
Solution 3: Check for Windows Updates
If you are still encountering the problem, then it may be caused by a bug or an outdated driver file, so you can fix this by updating your system and downloading all the critical updates.
Follow these steps to update your system:
Step 1: Go to the settings menu. You can press the Windows key and [ I ] together open settings.
Step 2: Select Update & Security option at bottom.
Step 3: In the Windows Update window options, look for the option to install all critical updates. Download any other optional updates available.
After the installation, restart your computer and test the Windows Start menu again.
Solution 4. Scan for Corrupt System Files
One more reason for the start menu to not work normally is corrupted or damaged system files. You can fix any errors or problems by running a system file scan and by repairing all those corrupted system files.
Follow these steps to find and fix those files:
Step 1: Press Windows Key + R together to open the Run window.
Step 2: In the run window, type “cmd” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt as administrator.
Step 3: DISM AND SFC are two commands that you should use in the proper sequence to fully scan your system and repair corrupt or damaged files.
In the command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter.
“DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” (without quotations, with spaces)
This can take up to 30 minutes.
After this process gets completed, a message will appear saying that the operation was completed successfully.
Step 4: After the completion of the previous command, type the following command and press Enter.
“sfc /scannow”
After the completion of the process, “Verification 100% complete” will appear.
The processes are now complete and you can close your Command Prompt. After the compilation of the process, restart your computer and test the start button to check if it is working now.
Final Solution: Resetting Your Computer
If none of the solutions mentioned above works for you, you can contact Microsoft customer support or you can reset your device. Before resetting your Windows 10 operating system, make sure you backup all your system files and programs.
This process will reset your windows to the factory version, It will fix all the issues in windows explorer including the start menu.
Step 1: Open the settings menu by holding down the [Windows key] and [ I ] at the same time.
Then choose the ‘Update & Security option in the Window’s Settings window.
Step 2:In the ‘Update and Security’ window, select ‘Recovery’ from the menu on the left side of the window. This will give you the option to ‘Reset this PC.’ Click on ‘Get Started.’
Step 3:Once you choose the ‘Get Started’ option, you will see a screen that lets you choose to ‘Keep my files’ or ‘Remove everything.’ If you choose ‘Remove everything,’ all your documents and files will be deleted with the reset.
Step 4: After choosing an option, follow the on-screen instructions.
This process will reset your Windows 10 to its factory condition. A list of the applications that the system will erase will be shown to you before reset. You will have to confirm your choices before proceeding.
Click restart to see if the start menu, not working issue has already been fixed.