Simple Ways to Troubleshoot Windows Start Button Not Working

Is your Windows start button not working? Among other issues in Windows, this is one of the most common problems. Most of the time the Start button of your windows stops responding. It is the most irritating situation that abstains users from operating the menu. This document contains workarounds to fix the issue and make the Start button work as before.

There could be any reason behind the ‘Windows button not working’ problem. Before we start choosing the technical methods to troubleshoot the problem, let’s first try non-technical workarounds. When your ‘Windows start button not working’ from the screen, check if the keyboard Windows button works. If yes, simply unplug the mouse and plug-in it back. It should fix the problem if there is no other technical reason behind the problem. On conditions that it still doesn’t work, check with another mouse.

Other times, if it still does not work properly, then there are chances that your operating system is causing the issue instead. Below you will find some possible fixes to handle this complicated situation.

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Possible Solution to Fix ‘Windows Start Button Not Working’ Glitch

If after upgrading Windows 8 or Windows 10, you find that the Start button not working, these fixes can help you in troubleshooting.

Re-login Your Microsoft Account

When your Windows Start button not working, it can be a Microsoft account problem. Re-login to your account can fix the problem. Here is how to log out and log in to your Microsoft account.

Press Alt+F4 to open the Windows dialog box,
Under the dropdown list, choose signout,
Once it is done, at the login platform, enter your Microsoft password in the dialog box,
Wait until the Start Menu icon loads completely and see if you can access the Start button.

This is the prime solution that can possibly fix the error Windows button not working. There are also alternative ways to this situation that are discussed below.

Restart Windows Explorer in Task Manager

Even after re-login into your Microsoft account, if your Windows Start button not working, try restarting Windows explorer in the task manager. The following steps will help you to do so.

Open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc and select ‘more details’,
Scroll down to search Windows Explorer and select it,
Right-click and select Restart.

After performing this, try operating the Start button, probably it will work now. Otherwise, move ahead to the next method that will use the Taskkill command.

Use Taskkill Command

Taskkill command can help you in troubleshooting if you follow the precise method. The below discussed instructions will help you to use Taskkill Command.

Press the Windows+R button to open the Run Window on your screen,
Type Powershell in the search box,
To open the Powershell in Admin Code, Press Ctrl+Shift key together and click OK,
Type the following command one after another
- taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe
- Start explorer.exe

This will kill off the explorer.exe which is responsible for the Start menu and starts back up.

When you are done with this, click on the Start button and check whether it is working now or not. There are possibilities that the Start button should start working now. If the Windows Start button not working even after these troubleshoots, don’t fret! The list of solutions has not ended yet. Sometimes, the automatic updates may cause the system to hang and your Start working button gets stuck. In case you need to check the updates.

Check Automatic Updates

To check the automatic updates, follow the below-discussed steps.

Press Windows+I together to open the settings,
Choose Update & Settings,
Under the Windows check, Select the Updates,
If there is any new update available, Windows should download and update that package for you,
Restart your PC for required changes to take effect.

Now your problem ‘Windows start button not working’ should start working. In case the problem still persists, you can check by running an Antivirus scan.

Run Antivirus Scan

Regardless of which Windows version you’re using, a ‘Windows button not working’ error can occur. If the ‘Start button not working on Windows 7, you can check by running an Antivirus scan. Scanning an Antivirus can remove all bugs from the system. This is the most flexible solution that helps to fix this error on any Windows operating system. Start running the program with the help of following easy steps.

Open Windows settings by pressing the Windows+I key together,
Choose Update & Settings,
On the left navigation pane, choose Windows Security,
Now select Antivirus & Threat Protection,
Perform a Quick scan to make sure your system is free from all types of viruses and malware,
If you’re using any third-party Antivirus, make sure to scan using it as well.

Windows start button not working error can occur due to any reason or on any Windows version. Thankfully, there are multiple solutions to fix it without any technical know-how. If antivirus scan or Taskkill command do not help you, using Registry Editor is an alternative method.

Using Registry Editor to Fix Values

If you don’t know how to use the registry editor, the following steps will help you.

Open Run Windows using Windows+R together,
Type Regedit and press enter to Registry Files,
On the left side, go to the following platform,

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WpnUserService

Now look for the Registry name start and double click on the start name,
Under the value data, change the value to 4 and click OK,
Again, on the left pane, navigate to the following

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Search for a registry name EnableXAMLStartMenu,
If you don’t find it, create one by right-clicking and selecting New> DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Double-click on the EnableXAMLStartMenu, change the base to Hexadecimal, and enter value data to 0,
Click OK and Restart your PC.

The Windows start button not working problem will get fixed now.

Hopefully, this post helped in fixing your non-functional Start button on Windows. Let us know if the above-mentioned methods don’t work for you or if you have suggestions to make the guide more helpful.