Solved: Taskbar/Start Button Not Working Windows 10

Taskbar/Start Button on Windows 10 Is Not Working

"I have Windows 10, it was working great since upgraded. Today I turn it on and now when I click the Start button or Windows key, the mouse just looks like it is loading, the taskbar flashes, and nothing comes up. I'm not able to use the search bar, and I can't right click apps pinned to the taskbar, either. Also, something else I think might be worth adding. I had Microsoft Edge pinned to the taskbar, when I turned my computer on and tried to open it, the icon of Edge went black and then just removed it self from my Taskbar. Now nothing works. Can anyone help me fix taskbar/start button not working issue on Windows 10?"

How to Solve Taskbar/Start Menu Not Working in Windows 10

Many Windows 10 users are experiencing issues with the Start and Taskbar menu, and computer technicians and experienced users have suggested several fixes. To resolve this problem, users can try six different solutions, and it's hoped that at least one of them will work for their specific case.

Fix 1. Try Restarting the Operating System

Hit Alt + F4 to open the Shut-Down Windows dialog box.

Fix 2. Close/Uninstall Antivirus Program

20% of victims were able to easily resolve the issue by completely quitting or uninstalling the AVG antivirus program running on their Windows 10 computer.

Fix 3. Use Command Prompt

1. Press the Windows + S keys, type cmd, and open the Command Prompt that shows up in the search results.
2. Type and enter: Powershell.
3. Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Fix 4. Create a New User Account

To create a new account, open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I, then follow the instructions to create a new user account.

To avoid running out of space on your Windows 10, consider creating a new User Account, which won't have this issue. However, be sure to copy your files from Desktop, Downloads, and Documents to the other Local Drive to prevent losing them.

FIX 5.Update Windows 10 with New ISO

To fix the issue with the Windows 10 Taskbar and Start button not working, ensure that your Windows build is up to date. Manually downloading and installing the latest updates, rather than relying on auto-update, is recommended. If updates are not available, you can download the Windows 10 ISO file directly from the official Microsoft website using the Media Creation Tool, which can be accessed at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10.

To resolve the issue, download and run the Media Creation Tool, which will download the Windows 10 ISO file to your Desktop. Then, open the ISO file with Windows Explorer, run the executable file, and choose to download and install updates or skip them for now, which should fix the problem.

FIX 6. Restore to the Previous Version of Windows

If methods 1-5 don't work, you may need to choose between updating to Windows 10 or restoring to an earlier system point that didn't have the Start/Taskbar issue. System restore becomes simpler if you've created a system backup image using Qiling system backup software, allowing for a one-click recovery process.

Step 1. To start a system backup, click the "System backup" button on the main page.

Step 2. Qiling Backup will automatically select your system partition, so you only need to choose where to save the backup.

Step 3. Both local drive and NAS are available for saving backup files.

Step 4. After completing the backup process, you can check the backup status, recover, open, or delete the backup by right-clicking the backup task on the left.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure