Start button quit working on Windows 11

Run DISM and System File Checker from Task Manager first, because this repairs Windows components without requiring the Start menu or Settings.

1. Repair Windows system components

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Select Run new task. If necessary, first select More details, then File > Run new task.
3. Enter cmd.
4. Check Create this task with administrative privileges, then select OK.
5. Run these commands in order:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

Do not close the window until both commands finish. DISM repairs the Windows component image that SFC uses, and SFC then checks and replaces damaged protected system files.^1^

Restart without using Start by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete, selecting the power icon, and choosing Restart. Test both Start and Settings afterward.

2. Re-register the Start menu package

If Start still does not open:

1. Open Task Manager again with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Select Run new task, enter powershell, and leave Create this task with administrative privileges unchecked.
3. Run:

Get-AppxPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost

• If package details appear, run:

Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\AppxManifest.xml" `
  -Register -DisableDevelopmentMode

This command must run in a non-elevated PowerShell window so the package is registered for your current user rather than the administrator account.^2^

Restart Windows and test again.

• If the first command returns nothing, open an administrator PowerShell task and run:

Get-AppxPackage *StartMenu* -AllUsers

If that returns package information, close the administrator window and perform the registration command above from a non-elevated PowerShell task. If it returns nothing for every user, do not download AppX files from third-party sites; Microsoft recommends restoring a known-good configuration or reinstalling Windows instead.^2^

3. If both Start and Settings remain broken

Perform an in-place repair installation. This reinstalls Windows while preserving personal files, installed applications, and settings when the correct option is selected.^3^

Back up important files first, then:

1. Download Windows 11 installation media from: https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
2. Create the media, or download and mount the Windows 11 ISO.
3. While signed in to Windows, open the media in File Explorer and run setup.exe.
   Do not boot from the media, because that leads toward the clean-install path.
4. Approve the User Account Control prompt.
5. Select Change what to keep.
6. Select Keep personal files and apps.
7. Confirm that the Ready to install page explicitly says your files and apps will be kept, then select Install.

A clean installation removes personal files and applications, so do not select Keep nothing or boot into a clean installation for this repair.^3^

Managed or enterprise PC exception

If this is a managed Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 device provisioned with updates from July 2025 onward, Start and Settings can fail because required XAML packages were not registered in time. That issue primarily affects a limited number of enterprise or virtualized environments and is unlikely on an ordinary personal PC. Install the latest applicable cumulative update or have the IT administrator apply Microsoft’s documented workaround.^4^

References

1. Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files | Microsoft Support
2. Start menu troubleshooting guidance
3. Reinstall Windows with the installation media | Microsoft Support
4. KB5072911: Explorer, the Start menu, and other XAML-dependent apps might not start or close unexpectedly on some enterprise devices | Microsoft Support