How to Fix Start menu is unresponsive in Windows 11
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How to Fix Start menu is unresponsive in Windows 11, Some readers contacted us and said that their “Start” menu was no longer available after upgrading to Windows 11.
Fix Start menu is unresponsive in Windows 11
Start menu problems on Windows are not unheard of. Whether you’re on Windows 10 or Windows 11, you might have faced situations where the Start menu becomes slow or unresponsive. Whatever the case may be, there are some troubleshooting methods that you can try to get the Start menu back to its glory on Windows 11.
Restart Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer (also known as File Explorer) is an important component for browsing and managing files on the PC. In addition, it also controls some other elements on Windows, including the taskbar and start menu. Therefore, restarting the Windows Explorer process may help resolve issues related to the Start menu.
Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys and select Task Manager from the list. In the Task Manager window, under the Processes tab, scroll down to find Windows Explorer. Select it and then hit the Restart button at the bottom.
Now go ahead and see if the Start menu is working fine now.
Restart your PC
If this happens while using Windows 11, try restarting your PC. After the “Start” menu fails, you can switch to the Windows 11 desktop by pressing the Windows key + D on your keyboard, and then press Alt + F4 to perform this operation. A window will appear, you can select “Restart” and click “OK“.
Check for updates
Windows 11 is still in its early stages, and it will take time to fix bugs and problems (for example, the Start menu does not work). As Microsoft regularly rolls out updates, these errors will gradually be fixed. Therefore, you should develop the habit of keeping your PC updated.
Thus, you should make a habit of keeping your PC updated.
To check for updates on Windows 11, open the Settings app and go to Windows Update. Then click on Check for updates button on the right.
After updating your PC, see if the Start menu problem is fixed.
Log in with a local administrator account
If the start menu issue is caused by the Microsoft account you are using on your PC, then you can try to log in with your local administrator account.
To do that, press Windows Key + I to quickly launch the Settings app. Now navigate to the Accounts tab and click on the Your info option in the right window-pane.
Under Account settings, click on Sign in with a local account instead.
Signing in with a local account has seemed to work well for many users while fixing start menu problems on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Disable antivirus software
Generally speaking, it is well known that the third-party antivirus software installed on your PC will interfere with the Windows process from time to time. While fixing the start menu issues on Windows 10 and Windows 11, disabling them has been successful.
To ensure it, you can try temporarily disabling or suspending the antivirus program to see if it solves the problem. If so, then you should consider switching to other antivirus software or using the built-in Windows Defender for a seamless experience.
Run DISM and SFC
If the start menu still does not respond after restarting, you may need to use DISM (Deployment Image Service and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) tools.
To do so, press Windows Key + R to open the Run box, and type in: CMD
Then, press Ctrlr + Shift + Enter to open the Command Prompt in with Administrator privileges (which you’ll need to run these tools).
In the Command Prompt, enter the following: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
This should clean up any corrupt files from the Windows 11 upgrade, and may take some time.
Once it has finished, enter the following text into the Command Prompt: sfc /scannow
Press Enter on your keyboard and the tool will scan to check all the files are correct. Once done, your Start menu should work again.
Reset computer
If all other methods fail, resetting your PC is likely to be your last option. Sometimes, wrong updates or wrong software installations can cause problems such as these, which can ruin your PC experience. In other words, resetting your PC will help in this situation.
Please note that resetting your Windows computer will delete all data and delete all installed applications, except for pre-installed applications. It will keep your computer as it was when you first purchased it.
To reset your PC, open the Settings app on your PC and navigate to System > Recovery.
Under Recovery options, click on Reset PC. Now follow the onscreen instructions to finish resetting your PC.
Once done, the Start menu should work fine now.
More: How to Disable Automatic Brightness In Windows 11.
