Your Windows 11 Start Menu Not Working? Here’s How To Fix It

Windows 11 Start Menu Not Working

Windows 11 Start Menu Is an Important Component

Windows Start menu refers to the graphical user interface element to provide quick accesses to lots of items on a computer: apps, files, settings, and more. It is always an important part of the Windows operating systems over the years. By using the Start menu, users can open what they want accurately and quickly within just a few clicks.

The Windows 11 Start menu is changed a lot when compared to that in Windows 10. For instance, the user interface is simplified and cleaner, but the functionality remains the same; the location of the Start menu is moved from the lower left corner to the bottom middle part. However, some users said they have found their Windows 11 Start menu not working suddenly while they try to use it. What a terrible experience!

Attention:

You are allowed to get back the classic Start menu in Windows 11 if you don’t like the new changes.

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Windows 11 Start Menu Not Opening, Stuck, or Frozen

Please don’t get too upset when you’re in face of Windows 11 Start not working. It is not a rare situation; on the contrary, you’ve got a lot of companions. You may run into one of the following issues indicating Start menu not working in Windows 11:

• Windows 11 Start menu not opening
• Windows 11 Start menu stuck or frozen
• Windows key not opening Start menu

Fixes to Try When Your Start Menu Doesn’t Work on a Windows 11 PC

The following methods are very useful for fixing Windows 11 Start menu not working.

Fix 1: Restart Your PC

The first thing to try when meeting most errors on a computer is restarting. Restarting a computer is very helpful for fixing random bugs. There are 3 easy ways available to restart Windows 11 even if you find the Start menu not opening.

The 1^st way:

1. Right click on the Start button or press Windows + X.
2. In the WinX menu, navigate to Shut down or sign out.
3. Click Restart from the submenu.

How to fix WinX menu not working?

The 2^nd way:

1. Minimize all opening windows on your PC.
2. Press Alt + F4 to open the Shut Down Windows pane.
3. Select Restart from the drop-down men and click OK.

The 3^rd way:

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete on the keyboard simultaneously.
2. Click on the Power icon in the lower right corner.
3. Select Restart from the pop-up menu.

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Fix 2: Restart the File Explorer

How to restart the Windows 11 File Explorer:

1. Open Task Manager on your PC. The most direct way is pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Look for the Windows Explorer option under the Processes tab.
3. Select it and click on the Restart button at the bottom right.

Fix 3: Sign in with Local Administrator Account

1. Press Windows + I.
2. Select Accounts in the left pane.
3. Click Your info in the right pane.
4. Click on the Sign in with a local account instead link.

Fix 4: Force Restart Iris Service

1. Press Windows + S.
2. Type cmd.
3. Right click on Command Prompt.
4. Select Run as administrator.
5. Copy & paste this: reg delete HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\IrisService /f && shutdown -r -t 0.
6. Press Enter and your computer will restart.

10 Other Useful Fixes

• Run Windows troubleshooter
• Run DISM and SFC scan
• Restart Windows background services
• Boot into safe mode to try the Start menu
• Revert registry changes used to get back classic Start menu
• Reset your PC or perform a system restore
• Rebuild search index
• Disable Antivirus
• Check for updates
• Uninstall recent updates like the KB5004300 update

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