Windows 10 Start Menu and task bar does not work

Hi Roger,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

I understand that Start menu and taskbar are not working and I will be happy to answer your query. Let's try the following methods and check.

Method 1: Restart Windows Explorer

This can be your first solution. Restarting windows explorer may solve windows 10 start menu not working problem. To do it –

• Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete from you Keyboard.
• Then click on Task Manager.
• Now find Windows Explorer from process list of windows task manager.
• Right click on Windows Explorer & select Restart.

Method 2: Fix from Windows PowerShell

To fix start menu not working from Windows PowerShell follow the steps below.

• From task manager, click on File and Run new task.
• Then type PowerShell and hit Enter.
• After that, Windows PowerShell will be opened. Just right click on the powershell from taskbar and select Run as Administrator.

But if you can’t right click on your taskbar, there is another way to open powershell in Administrator mode. To do it –

– Open task manager in fewer view mode.

– Then you will see the list of running apps. Right click on Powershell and select Open file location.

– Then you will see the original location of Windows PowerShell. Just right click on it and select run as administrator.

In poweshell paste the command given below and hit enter.

_{Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}}

• Wait for completing the process. You may see some pop up errors. Just ignore them.

Method 3: Fix from Command Prompt

• Right click on Start Button (Windows Logo) and select Command Prompt (Admin). Or run it as administrator like powershell, If your can’t right click on taskbar.
• Then type the following command and hit enter.

ren %windir%\System32\AppLocker\Plugin*.* *.bak

• Restart your PC.

Method 4: Fix from Services

• Open Run from Windows task manager as before.
• Type SERVICES.MSC and hit enter.
• Find Application Identity.
• Right click on that and select Start.

Hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to reply in case you face any other issues with Windows in future.

Thank you for your answer but, as others have written in these forums, none of these is a true permanent fix.  it fxes the issue for a day and then the computer goes back to the same issue.  I;ve tried several times to get I touch with Microsoft support only to get disconnected, or never provided a promised call back.

at this point I've given up and asked HP support to help me get my computer back to Windows 8.1....at least it works.

i'll try again with windows 10 in  a year to see if all issues have been resolved.   Overall very disappointing so far

Hi,

Thanks for replying to us with the status of your issue.

As the issue still persist, I suggest you to create a new user account and check if the issue still persists.

Refer to the below link:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/getstarted-set-up-accounts

Hope it helps, reply to us with the status of your issue. We will be happy to assist you.

This worked for me finally after trying so many other methods!

Method 4: Fix from Services

• Open Run from Windows task manager as before.
• Type SERVICES.MSC and hit enter.
• Find Application Identity.
• Right click on that and select Start.

I have tried all of the options on this page and nothing works at all.

My taskbar looks like this:  Windows Start icon, Cortana Icon.  Notifications icon.  I don't have any time/date displaying.  The start button just flashes when I click on it and nothing happens when I right-click on it.

Creating a new user has the same problem, only difference being that the time/date shows at the bottom right but there is still no functionality at all.

I have no idea how to get Windows Updates checked, it isn't present in Control Panel when I have managed to open this up.

All in all, I seriously regret upgrading to Windows 10 because it has made my computer completely unusable.

Hi,

Thanks for replying to us with the status of your issue.

As the issue still persist, I suggest you to start you system in safe mode and check if the issue persist. If in safe mode, issue didn’t persist then, perform a clean boot and check if it helps.

Follow the below steps:

Step 1: To start your system in safe mode with Networking, follow the below steps:

1. Press and hold Shift key and restart your Computer.

2. Select Troubleshoot.

3. Select Advance Option.

4. Select Startup Settings.

5. Follow the on Screen instruction.

6. Select Safe mode with Networking, from the list of options

Step 2: Perform Clean boot.

A clean boot is performed to start Windows by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/929135

Note: Steps mentioned for Windows 8/8.1, will work fine with Windows 10.

Disclaimer: Please go through the section: How to reset the computer to start as usual after troubleshooting with clean boot of the Kb article to boot the computer in normal startup after fixing the issue.

Hope it helps, reply to us with the status of your issue. We will be happy to assist you.