FIX: Start Menu won’t show up in Windows 10

by Ivan Jenic

Troubleshooting Expert

March 19, 2020

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One of the most iconic features of Windows as an OS is the Start Menu from which pretty much every other program is launched. However, some errors and issues can prevent it from appearing, even when you try to access it.

And if it somehow doesn’t show up due some system error, that could be a huge disappointment. Fortunately, there’s a solution if your Start Menu doesn’t show up in Windows 10.

How do I make the Start menu appear again?

1. Use PowerShell commands

1. Go to Search and type powershell
2. Right-click on the PowerShell icon and select Run as Administrator
3. In PowerShell enter the following key and press Enter:
   • Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}
4. Wait for PowerShell to execute the command
   • A few errors might show up, ignore them
5. When everything is finished try to open Start Menu again

There are a lot of factors in your system that could prevent your Start Menu from showing up, but Windows PowerShell could solve them for just a few moments.

2. Use the Registry Editor

1. Press Windows key and R at the same time and type Regedit
2. Open Registry Editor and navigate to the following key:
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersion ImmersiveShellLauncher
3. Click Edit > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it UseExperience
4. Double-click the newly created item and set the value to 0
5. Click OK, close the Registry Editor and then restart your computer

If the PowerShell solution somehow didn’t work for you, you can try to fix your problem with Registry Editor, because your problem may lay somewhere in the registry.

Can’t access the Registry Editor? Things aren’t as scary as they seem. Check out this guide and solve the issue quickly.

If you follow these methods, you should be able to solve your annoying Start Menu problem in Windows 10.

If you have any additional comments or suggestions, please write them down in the comments section below.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2015 and has been since revamped and updated in March 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.