Start menu won't open or doesn't respond when clicked

Symptoms

• Clicking Start button does nothing
• Windows key on keyboard also doesn't open it
• Menu may flash briefly before disappearing
• Search bar and other taskbar functions may also be affected

Likely causes

• CommonWindows Explorer/shell process needs restartingThe Start menu is part of the shell, and a glitch there commonly causes exactly this symptom.
• CommonCorrupted Start menu cache or related system filesDamage to specific files backing the Start menu can prevent it from displaying.
• PossibleA recent Windows update affecting shell componentsCertain updates have introduced temporary Start menu bugs on some systems.
• PossibleCorrupted user profileProfile-specific corruption can affect just this one function for your account.
• Less commonThird-party 'Start menu replacement' software conflictingSome customization tools can interfere with the native Start menu.

What to do

1. Restart Windows Explorer via Task Manager: press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, find Windows Explorer, right-click, and choose Restart.
2. If that doesn't help, run Windows PowerShell as administrator and enter the command 're-register all apps,' specifically: 'Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}', then restart the computer.
3. Run 'sfc /scannow' in an administrator Command Prompt to check for and repair corrupted system files.
4. Check for and install any pending Windows updates, since a Start menu bug fix may already be available.
5. Try signing into a different or new user account to see if the problem is specific to your profile.
6. If you use any third-party Start menu customization software, temporarily uninstall it to rule out a conflict.
7. If the issue is profile-specific, back up your files and create a new profile, migrating personal folders across as needed.

When to call a pro

If restarting Explorer and re-registering apps doesn't restore the Start menu, a technician can perform a more thorough shell repair or profile migration.

Safety