How do I open anything when the Start menu is frozen?

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc for Task Manager, Win+R for the Run box, or Ctrl+Alt+Del for a menu with sign-out and restart. These work without the Start menu.

Why does shutting down not fix it but restarting does?

On many PCs, shutdown with fast start-up saves part of the system state for a quicker next start, so a fault can carry over. A restart does a full reload. Choose Restart, not Shut down, when troubleshooting.

It began right after an update. What should I do?

Check for a newer update that fixes it first. If you must, you can uninstall the most recent update from Windows Update history, but note that this removes security fixes, so reinstall updates when a fix is available.

What do SFC and DISM do?

They are built-in tools that check and repair Windows system files. You run them from a command prompt opened as administrator: sfc /scannow, and then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. They can take a while.

How do I know whether my profile is damaged?

Create a new local user account and sign in to it. If the Start menu and taskbar work there, your original profile has a problem, and you can move your files to the new account.

Windows Start Menu or Taskbar Not Working or Frozen? Fixes From Easy to Repair

Written by the Yorozuya IT editorial team, based in Japan. Last updated above. Menus, apps, and rules change, so check the date.

You click the Windows button and nothing opens. Or the taskbar freezes, icons vanish, and the clock stops. It is alarming, because these are how you do almost everything. Fortunately, the fixes run from a few seconds to a few minutes, and the first one works surprisingly often.

When Start is stuck, these still work:

Ctrl+Shift+Esc opens Task Manager.
Win+R opens the Run box, where you can type a program name.
Ctrl+Alt+Del shows a menu with options to sign out, restart, and open Task Manager.

The ladder, from easy to repair

1. Restart Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer draws the desktop, the taskbar, and the Start menu. If it hangs, restarting it often restores everything.

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
Find Windows Explorer in the list of processes.
Right-click it and choose Restart.

The screen may flicker for a moment, then the taskbar returns.

2. Restart the PC properly

Choose Restart, not Shut down. On many computers, shutting down with fast start-up keeps part of the system state, so a problem can survive. A restart does a full reload. Save your work first.

3. Install updates, or consider the one that broke it

Install pending updates. A known problem may already have a fix.
If it began right after an update, look for a newer update. As a last resort, uninstall the latest update from Windows Update history, and install updates again when a fix is released. Note that removing an update removes its security fixes.

4. Run the system repair tools

If problems continue, check the system files. Back up important files first.

Search for Command Prompt, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator.
Run sfc /scannow and wait for it to finish.
Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and wait for it to finish.
Restart and test again.

These can take a while, and progress can look stuck. Let them run.

5. Test a new user account

This tells you whether Windows or your profile is at fault.

Create a new local user account from Settings, Accounts, or from a command line if you cannot reach Settings.
Sign in to it and test the Start menu and taskbar.
If they work there, your original profile is damaged. Move your files to the new account and use it.
If they fail there too, the problem is in Windows itself, and a repair or reset may be needed.

Other things that cause it

The Windows key is disabled, by a gaming mode or a keyboard setting. Check for a Win key lock on keyboards that have one, and for a game mode switch.
A recently installed program that changes the interface. Uninstall it, or test in Safe Mode.
Corrupted system files or a damaged component, which the repair tools can fix.
Not enough memory or disk space, which makes the shell slow or unresponsive. See laptop slow after an hour.
Malware or a faulty driver. If other things behave oddly, scan the computer and update drivers.

Safe Mode as a test

Starting Windows in Safe Mode loads only essential components. If the Start menu works in Safe Mode, an add-on program or a driver is the likely cause. You can then uninstall recent software one by one.

Common mistakes

Pressing the power button and forcing a shutdown at the first freeze.
Skipping a backup before repair or reset.
Downloading "Start menu fixer" tools from unknown sites.
Resetting Windows before trying Explorer, a restart, and the repair tools.
Using Shut down instead of Restart while troubleshooting.
Ignoring updates for months, so a bug stays unfixed.

Habits that prevent it

Restart weekly, and use Restart rather than Shut down now and then.
Install updates with the computer plugged in.
Keep free disk space and watch memory use.
Install software from trusted sources only.
Keep backups of your files, so a repair is never a risk. See sync is not a backup.
Note the date a problem starts, and what changed just before.

If it will not recover

If the Start menu and taskbar fail after all the steps, consider Reset this PC, with the option to keep your files, after you back up. For a computer from work, ask your IT team.

Quick checklist

Ctrl+Shift+Esc, restart Windows Explorer.
Restart properly, and install updates.
Run sfc /scannow and the DISM command from an administrator prompt.
Test a new user account.
Back up before any repair or reset.

Save this cheat sheet

Screenshot this or save the image. It is the short version of the guide, and it is easier to find in a hurry than a web page.