Windows 10 or 11 start menu button not working? (5 solutions)

Windows 10 or 11 start menu button not working? Here are a few solutions you can try to fix the problem.


How to fix the Windows 10 start menu button


Solution 1: Restart the 'Start' process

  1. Open Windows Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc (Escape) keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
  2. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you may need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  3. In the 'Processes' tab, you right-click on Start.
  4. Click on End task.
    Restart the Windows Start process
  5. Windows 10 will automatically start the 'Start' process again. You can now close the Task Manager window.
  6. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If not, try the next solution.

Solution 2: Restart the 'Windows Explorer' process

  1. Open Windows Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc (Escape) keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
  2. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you may need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  3. In the 'Processes' tab, you right-click on Windows Explorer.
  4. Click on Restart.
    Restart the Windows Explorer process
  5. Windows 10 will restart the 'Windows Explorer' process. You can now close the Task Manager window.
  6. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If not, try the next solution.

Solution 3: System File Checker

To fix problems on Windows 10, you can use the DISM and SFC tools to replace missing and corrupted system files.

System File Checker (SFC) is a Windows utility that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore corrupted files.

  1. Press the Windows Windows key + X keys on your keyboard to open the WinX menu.
  2. In the WinX menu, you click on Command Prompt (Admin).
  3. When the User Account Control (UAC) window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  4. In the Command Prompt window, you type sfc /scannow.
    Windows sfc /scannow command
  5. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  6. The System File Checker tool will scan all protected system files, and replace corrupted files with a cached copy. This process may take a while. Wait for the process to finish.
  7. When the System File Checker is finished, you close the Command Prompt window.
  8. Restart your PC.

Note: If the System File Checker tool is unable to fix corrupt files, go to the following page: How to fix 'SFC unable to fix corrupt files' in Windows 10 and 11.


Solution 4: DISM

DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a tool for troubleshooting and repairing Windows 10 system images.

  1. Press the Windows Windows key + X keys on your keyboard to open the WinX menu.
  2. In the WinX menu, you click on Command Prompt (Admin).
  3. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you may need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  4. In the Command Prompt window, you type the following command. 
    
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  5. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  6. Wait for the command to finish.
  7. Type the following command. 
    
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  8. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  9. Wait for the command to finish.
  10. Type the following command. 
    
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  11. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  12. When the DISM scan is complete, you close the Command Prompt window.
  13. Restart your PC.

Solution 5: Reset PC

Windows 10 has a feature that allows you to reinstall and update the Windows operating system in just a few clicks.

Important! Even though it says that it allows you to keep your files, I still recommend backing up your files, and if you have paid software, you should also retrieve and back up the license keys. Just in case something goes wrong.

Steps

  1. Open settings by pressing the Windows Windows key + I keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
  2. Click on Update & Security.
  3. Click on Recovery in the left menu.
  4. Under 'Reset this PC', you click on Get started.
  5. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you may need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  6. In the 'Reset this PC' window, you choose one of the two following options: Keep my files or Remove everything.
    Windows 11 Reset PC options
  7. In the next window, you choose the Cloud download option.
    Windows 11 reinstall options
  8. In the next window, you can check your choices. Click Next to continue.
    Reinstall Windows 11
  9. In the next window, you can check your choices again. Click Reset to continue.
    Reset this PC
  10. Follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall Windows 10.

How to fix the Windows 11 start menu button


Solution 1: Restart the 'Start' process

  1. Open Windows Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc (Escape) keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
  2. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you may need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  3. In the 'Processes' tab, you right-click on Start.
  4. Click on End task.
    Restart the Windows Start process
  5. Windows 11 will automatically start the 'Start' process again. You can now close the Task Manager window.
  6. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If not, try the next solution.

Solution 2: Restart the 'Windows Explorer' process

  1. Open Windows Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc (Escape) keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
  2. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you may need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  3. In the 'Processes' tab, you right-click on Windows Explorer.
  4. Click on Restart.
    Restart the Windows Explorer process
  5. Windows 11 will restart the 'Windows Explorer' process. You can now close the Task Manager window.
  6. Check if the Windows start menu is working. If not, try the next solution.

Solution 3: System File Checker

To fix problems on Windows 11, you can use the System File Checker tool to replace missing and corrupted system files.

System File Checker (SFC) is a Windows utility that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore corrupted files.

  1. Press the Windows Windows key + X keys on your keyboard to open the WinX menu.
  2. In the WinX menu, you click on Terminal (Admin).
    Open Windows Terminal as an administrator
  3. When the User Account Control (UAC) window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  4. In the Terminal window, you type sfc /scannow.
    Windows sfc /scannow command
  5. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  6. The System File Checker tool will scan all protected system files, and replace corrupted files with a cached copy. This process may take a while. Wait for the process to finish.
  7. When the System File Checker is finished, you close the Terminal window.
  8. Restart your PC.

Note: If the System File Checker tool is unable to fix corrupt files, go to the following page: How to fix 'SFC unable to fix corrupt files' in Windows 10 and 11.


Solution 4: DISM

DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a tool for troubleshooting and repairing Windows 11 system images.

  1. Press the Windows Windows key + X keys on your keyboard to open the WinX menu.
  2. In the WinX menu, you click on Terminal (Admin).
    Open Windows Terminal as an administrator
  3. When the User Account Control (UAC) window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you might need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  4. In the Terminal window, you type the following command. 
    
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  5. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  6. Wait for the command to finish.
  7. Type the following command. 
    
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  8. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  9. Wait for the command to finish.
  10. Type the following command. 
    
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  11. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  12. After the DISM scan is complete, you close the Terminal window.
  13. Restart your PC.

Solution 5: Reset PC

Windows 11 has a feature that allows you to reinstall and update the Windows operating system in just a few clicks.

Important! Even though it says that it allows you to keep your files, I still recommend backing up your files, and if you have paid software, you should also retrieve and back up the license keys. Just in case something goes wrong.

Steps

  1. Open settings by pressing the Windows Windows key + I keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
  2. Click on System in the left menu.
    Open Windows 11 system settings
  3. Click on Recovery.
    Open Windows 11 Recovery settings
  4. In the 'Recovery options' section, you click on Reset PC.
    Windows 11 Reset PC option
  5. If the 'User Account Control' window appears, you click Yes. Depending on your settings, you may need to enter your administrator password first and then click Yes.
  6. In the 'Reset this PC' window, you choose one of the two following options: Keep my files or Remove everything.
    Windows 11 Reset PC options
  7. In the next window, you choose the Cloud download option.
    Windows 11 reinstall options
  8. In the next window, you can check your choices. Click Next to continue.
    Reinstall Windows 11
  9. In the next window, you can check your choices again. Click Reset to continue.
    Reset this PC
  10. Follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall Windows 11.

Windows

References:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/repair-a-windows-image?view=windows-11

https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/how-to-use-dism-to-repair-local-image-on-windows-11

https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/windows-operating-systems/how-to-repair-a-windows-11-using-dism-command-tool

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/reset-your-pc-0ef73740-b927-549b-b7c9-e6f2b48d275e