Fix ‘Critical Error: Your Start Menu Isn’t Working’ in Windows 11

“Critical Error – Your Start menu isn’t working. We’ll try to fix it the next time you sign in.” pops up in Windows 11, and now the Start button and the Windows key do nothing. It usually means the Start experience (the StartMenuExperienceHost app, or something it depends on) failed to load for your user account, and you can fix it without Start by using the keyboard shortcuts below.

Before You Start: Open Tools Without the Start Menu

Every fix below uses one of these shortcuts. They still work when Start and Search are dead:

• Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. If Task Manager opens in the small view, click More details.
• Run dialog: Press Win + R. Type a command such as ms-settings:, msconfig, or rstrui and press Enter.
• Power User menu: Press Win + X or right-click the Start button. You’ll find Terminal (Admin), Settings, Task Manager, and Shut down or sign out here.
• Settings directly: Press Win + I.
• If Win + X also fails: Open Task Manager, click Run new task, type wt (Windows Terminal) or powershell, tick Create this task with administrative privileges, and click OK.

Test Start after every fix below. Press the Windows key, click the Start button, and try typing a search. Stop as soon as it works.

What the Critical Error Message Actually Means

The Windows 11 Start menu isn’t part of File Explorer anymore. It runs as its own app package, Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost, and it loads separately for each user account. When that package can’t start, Windows shows the Critical Error dialog and offers a Sign out now button.

That’s why your taskbar, open apps, and File Explorer often keep working while Start and Search are broken. Start, Search, the shell, and your profile’s app registrations can each fail on their own, which is why the fixes below test one layer at a time.

The usual causes are:

• A half-finished or buggy Windows update that left a system file in a bad state.
• Corrupted system files that the Start package depends on.
• A broken app registration for your account only.
• Third-party software that hooks into the shell, such as Start menu replacers, taskbar tweakers, or some antivirus tools.
• A damaged user profile, which is the most stubborn cause.

None of the fixes below delete your personal files. The last two roll back or reinstall Windows system files, and both keep your documents. Back up anyway before the heavier fixes.

Symptoms and Fixes at a Glance

Symptom	Likely Cause	Quick Fix
Critical Error dialog at sign-in, Start dead	Start package failed to load this session	Fix #1: Sign out and restart
Start stops working mid-session, taskbar still visible	Explorer or StartMenuExperienceHost hung	Fix #2: Restart Windows Explorer
Error appeared right after an update	Partial or buggy update	Fix #3 or Fix #6
Start and Search both broken, PC generally glitchy	Corrupted system files	Fix #4: DISM and SFC
Error returns after every restart	Broken package registration	Fix #5: Re-register the package
Started after installing a new app or antivirus	Software conflict	Fix #7: Clean Boot
Only one account has the problem	Profile corruption	Fix #8: New user profile
Nothing works	Deep Windows corruption	Fix #9 or Fix #10

Fixes for the Critical Error, Simplest First

Fix #1: Sign Out, Sign Back In, Then Restart

Symptoms:

• The Critical Error dialog appears right after you sign in.
• Clicking Start or pressing the Windows key does nothing.

Why it happens: The Start package sometimes fails to load during sign-in because of a timing glitch. The dialog’s own advice (sign out) clears this up surprisingly often.

Fix:

• Click Sign out now in the Critical Error dialog. If the dialog is gone, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and choose Sign out.
• Sign back in and test Start.
• If Start is still broken, press Win + X and choose Shut down or sign out > Restart. A restart clears more than a sign-out does.
• Sign in and test Start again.

Verify: Start opens, and typing after pressing the Windows key brings up search results.

Fix #2: Restart Windows Explorer and the Start Menu Process

Symptoms:

• Start worked earlier today but stopped responding.
• The taskbar may be frozen or flicker.

Why it happens: Windows Explorer (the process that runs the taskbar and desktop) or StartMenuExperienceHost has hung. Restarting them takes seconds and doesn’t close your other apps.

Fix:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• On the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer. Type “explorer” in the search box at the top if the list is long.
• Select Windows Explorer and click Restart task at the top of the window. You can also right-click it and choose Restart.

• Your taskbar will disappear for a moment and come back. Test Start.
• If Start still fails, click the Details tab in Task Manager.
• Find StartMenuExperienceHost.exe, right-click it, and choose End task. Windows normally relaunches it the next time you open Start. If Start stays dead, sign out and back in (Fix #1).
• Test Start again.

Verify: The Start menu opens within a second or two of clicking it.

Tip: If Windows Explorer isn’t listed at all, click Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter.

Fix #3: Install Pending Windows Updates

Symptoms:

• The error keeps coming back after restarts.
• You see an update notification or a restart prompt you’ve been ignoring.

Why it happens: Microsoft regularly ships Start and Search bug fixes in cumulative updates. A half-installed update can also leave the Start package mismatched with the rest of Windows until the update finishes.

Fix:

• Press Win + I to open Settings.
• Click Windows Update.
• Click Check for updates.

• Install the updates listed. Under Advanced options > Optional updates, an optional cumulative (preview) update is worth installing only if its notes mention a Start, Search, or taskbar fix. On a work or school PC, updates may be managed by your IT department, so check with them first.
• Restart when prompted, even if it doesn’t force you to.
• Test Start after you sign back in.

Verify: Settings > Windows Update shows “You’re up to date,” and Start opens normally.

Fix #4: Repair System Files With DISM and SFC

Symptoms:

• Start and Search are both broken.
• Other built-in things act up too, like Settings pages that won’t open or Windows Security crashing.

Why it happens: The Start package relies on shared Windows system files. If those are corrupted, restarting processes won’t help. DISM repairs the Windows image, then SFC uses that repaired image to fix individual files.

Fix:

• Press Win + X and choose Terminal (Admin). Click Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
• Run this command and wait for it to reach 100%. It can take 10–20 minutes and may look stuck at 62.3%. That’s normal.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• When DISM finishes, run the System File Checker:

sfc /scannow

• Read the result. “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them” means the fix did something.
• Restart the PC and test Start.

Verify: Run sfc /scannow a second time after the restart. It should report “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.”

Tip: DISM downloads repair files from Windows Update, so connect to the internet first. A wired Cat6 Ethernet cable makes this faster and more reliable than spotty Wi-Fi.

Fix #5: Re-register the Start Menu Package With PowerShell

Symptoms:

• The Critical Error dialog returns after every sign-in.
• DISM and SFC found nothing wrong.

Why it happens: Windows keeps a per-user record of which app packages are registered. If that record for StartMenuExperienceHost gets damaged, Windows can’t launch Start for you even though the files are fine. Re-registering rebuilds that record. It’s a safe, built-in operation. It doesn’t download anything or change your settings.

Fix:

• Press Win + X and choose Terminal. Run it as your normal account so the fix applies to you, not to a separate admin account.
• Check that the package exists:

Get-AppxPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost

• You should see details including Status : Ok and an InstallLocation, usually a folder under C:\Windows\SystemApps. If nothing appears, jump to Fix #4 or Fix #10, because the package files themselves are missing.

• Re-register the Start menu package. This command reads the InstallLocation from step 3, so you don’t have to type the folder name yourself:

Get-AppxPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost | ForEach-Object { Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml" }

• Re-register the Shell Experience Host package too, since it handles related taskbar flyouts:

Get-AppxPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | ForEach-Object { Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml" }

• Restart the PC and test Start.

Verify: Start opens and your pinned apps appear. If the command shows a red error mentioning “deployment failed,” note the error code (such as 0x80073CF6) for the Getting Help section below.

Tip: Skip online advice that tells you to re-register every app with Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers. It’s slow, it throws dozens of harmless red errors that scare people, and it rarely helps more than the targeted commands above.

Fix #6: Uninstall the Most Recent Update or a Conflicting App

Symptoms:

• Start broke the same day an update installed.
• Or Start broke right after you installed a Start menu replacer, taskbar customizer, or new antivirus.

Why it happens: Occasionally a Windows update ships with a Start bug. More often, a third-party tool hooks into Windows Explorer and breaks after Windows updates itself.

Fix (recent update):

• Press Win + I and go to Windows Update > Update history.
• Scroll down and click Uninstall updates.
• Find the most recent Cumulative Update for Windows 11 and note its KB number and install date.

• Click Uninstall next to it and confirm. Cumulative updates include security fixes, so treat this as a temporary test, not a permanent fix.
• Restart and test Start.
• If Start now works, go to Settings > Windows Update and click Pause updates for a week or two so it doesn’t reinstall immediately. Microsoft usually fixes known issues in the next release.

Fix (conflicting app):

• Press Win + I and go to Apps > Installed apps.
• Sort by Date installed using the Sort by dropdown.
• Click the … next to any recent shell tool, Start replacer, or security suite and choose Uninstall.
• Restart and test Start.

Verify: Start works across two or three restarts.

Fix #7: Use Safe Mode or a Clean Boot to Find the Culprit

Symptoms:

• You can’t tell which app is causing the conflict.
• Start breaks a few minutes after sign-in, once background apps load.

Why it happens: Startup apps and third-party services load alongside Start. Turning them all off shows whether Windows itself is the problem or something you installed.

Fix (Clean Boot):

• Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• Click the Services tab.
• Tick Hide all Microsoft services. Don’t skip this step.
• Click Disable all.

• Click the Startup tab, then Open Task Manager.
• Right-click each enabled startup app and choose Disable.
• Close Task Manager, click OK in System Configuration, and restart.
• Test Start.

If Start works now, a third-party item is to blame. Go back into msconfig, re-enable half the services, restart, and test. Keep halving until you find the one that breaks Start. Then uninstall or update that app.

Fix (Safe Mode): If you can’t even get a Clean Boot to work, use Safe Mode, which loads only core Windows drivers.

• Press Win + X and hover over Shut down or sign out.
• Hold Shift and click Restart.
• Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
• Press 4 for Enable Safe Mode.
• Sign in and test Start.

If Start works in Safe Mode but not normally, suspect a driver or third-party service. Graphics drivers are a common offender, so reinstall the latest one from your GPU maker’s site.

Verify: When you’re done, open msconfig again, select Normal startup on the General tab, and restart.

Fix #8: Create a New Local User Profile to Test for Corruption

Symptoms:

• Start is broken on your account but works on another family member’s account.
• Every fix above failed.

Why it happens: Your Windows user profile stores per-user app data and registrations. If that profile is damaged, no system-wide fix will reach it. A fresh test account is the fastest way to tell “my account” problems from “whole PC” problems.

Fix:

• Press Win + I and go to Accounts > Other users.
• Click Add account next to Add other user.

• Click I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
• Click Add a user without a Microsoft account.
• Enter a name like “TestUser,” set a password, and click Next.
• Leave it as a Standard User. A standard account is enough to test whether Start works.
• Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, choose Sign out, and sign in as the new account. The first sign-in takes a minute or two.
• Test Start.

If the Add account button won’t open, use Terminal (Admin) instead. The * makes Windows prompt you for the password, so it never appears in the command line or your command history:

net user TestUser * /add

How to read the result:

• Start works in the new account: Your original profile is damaged. Copy your files from C:\Users\YourOldName (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Downloads) into the new account, then make that your main account. Back everything up to an external SSD or USB drive first.
• Start is broken in the new account too: The problem is system-wide. Move on to Fix #9 or Fix #10.

Verify: Start opens instantly in whichever account you’ll keep using.

Fix #9: Roll Back With System Restore

Symptoms:

• Start broke recently and you know roughly when.
• Your PC has restore points from before that date.

Why it happens: System Restore rolls back system files, drivers, installed apps, and registry settings to an earlier snapshot. It doesn’t touch your documents, photos, or other personal files. Don’t confuse it with the newer Point-in-time restore option in Windows Recovery, which reverts the entire PC, personal files included.

Fix:

• Press Win + R, type rstrui, and press Enter.
• Click Next. Tick Show more restore points if it’s there.
• Pick a restore point dated before the Critical Error started.

• Click Scan for affected programs to see which apps will be removed. Note them so you can reinstall later.
• Click Next > Finish, then confirm.
• Let the PC restart. Don’t interrupt it. On a laptop, plug in the charger. On a desktop, a UPS protects against a power cut mid-restore.
• Test Start.

Verify: Windows shows “System Restore completed successfully” after signing in, and Start works.

If System Restore says no restore points exist, System Protection was turned off. Go straight to Fix #10.

Fix #10: Run a Repair Install That Keeps Your Files and Apps

Symptoms:

• Every fix above failed.
• Start is broken in every account, including a brand-new one.

Why it happens: Something in Windows’ core files is too damaged for DISM and SFC. A repair install replaces all Windows system files with a fresh copy of your current version. It keeps your files, apps, and most settings.

Fix:

• Back up your important files to an external drive or OneDrive first. This fix is designed to keep them, but a backup costs you nothing.
• Press Win + I and go to System > Recovery.
• Under Fix problems using Windows Update, click Reinstall now.

• Confirm and let it download. This takes 30–90 minutes and restarts several times.
• Sign in and test Start.

If Reinstall now isn’t on your Recovery page, use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s download page. Run setup.exe from inside Windows and choose Keep personal files and apps. A spare USB flash drive (8GB or larger) is handy if you create installation media.

Verify: Start, Search, and pinned apps all work after the upgrade finishes.

Avoid Reset this PC unless the repair install fails too. Reset removes your installed apps, even with Keep my files selected.

Error Messages Quick Reference

Message or Code	What It Means	Where to Go
“Critical Error – Your Start menu isn’t working. We’ll try to fix it the next time you sign in.”	The Start experience failed to load for your account	Fix #1, then Fix #2
“Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them”	SFC couldn’t repair files from the local image	Run DISM again (Fix #4), then SFC
“Error: 0x800f081f The source files could not be found”	DISM couldn’t reach repair files	Connect to the internet, run Fix #3, retry Fix #4
“Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CF6”	Package registration failed	Fix #4, then retry Fix #5
“Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073D02”	Package is in use	Restart, then run Fix #5 before opening other apps
“We couldn’t find a restore point” / no points listed	System Protection was off	Fix #10
Start works in Safe Mode only	Third-party driver or service conflict	Fix #7

Windows 10 vs. Windows 11 Differences

On Windows 11: The Start menu runs from Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost. The paths and commands in Fix #5 match this version. Task Manager’s Restart task button sits in the top command bar.

On Windows 10: The same Critical Error dialog appears, and Fixes #1–#4 and #6–#10 work in a similar way, although menu names and layouts differ by release. Task Manager’s Restart button is at the bottom-right instead. On older Windows 10 builds, Start was tied more closely to ShellExperienceHost, so the second command in Fix #5 matters more there. The Fix problems using Windows Update option may be missing, so use the Media Creation Tool for a repair install.

Settings That Look Like a Broken Start Menu

These settings don’t cause the Critical Error, but they can make Start look broken when it isn’t:

• Automatically hide the taskbar: Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. If this is on, the taskbar and Start button slide off-screen until you move your mouse to the bottom edge.

• Taskbar alignment: Same Taskbar behaviors section. Set to Left and the Start button moves to the far left corner. People sometimes think it vanished.
• Account type: Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info. If it says Standard user, you can’t run Terminal (Admin), DISM, or SFC. Sign in with an administrator account or ask whoever manages the PC.
• Tablet posture on 2-in-1 devices: Folding the screen back can change taskbar behavior. Check Taskbar behaviors for tablet-related options.

Getting Help

If you need to ask for help on a forum or from a technician, collect this information first:

• Your exact Windows version: Press Win + R, type winver, and press Enter. Note the version and OS build number.
• Start menu errors: Open Event Viewer (Win + R, type eventvwr.msc) and check Windows Logs > Application for errors around the time Start failed. Also check Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > Shell-Core > Operational.
• Package registration errors: In Event Viewer, go to Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > AppXDeployment-Server > Microsoft-Windows-AppXDeploymentServer/Operational.
• SFC log: C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log
• DISM log: C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log

Microsoft’s own references are useful for checking current known issues:

• Microsoft Learn: Troubleshoot Start menu errors
• Microsoft Support: Fix problems with the Start menu
• Microsoft Q&A community, where you can post your build number and error codes

If Start keeps breaking after a repair install, or your PC also freezes, blue-screens, or throws disk errors, get the drive checked. A failing drive can corrupt system files over and over, and an SSD upgrade may be the real fix.

Prevention Tips

• Let updates finish: Don’t force a shutdown during “Working on updates.” That’s a common way to end up with half-installed files.
• Protect against power cuts: A UPS on a desktop PC stops sudden outages from corrupting Windows mid-update.
• Be picky with shell tweakers: Start menu replacers and taskbar mods break often after big Windows updates. Update them before installing a feature update, or uninstall them.
• Keep System Protection on: Search for “Create a restore point” in Control Panel (or run sysdm.cpl and open the System Protection tab) and make sure protection is On for your C: drive.
• Keep a spare admin account: A second local administrator account gives you a way in if your main profile breaks.
• Back up regularly: Use OneDrive or File History to an external drive so profile corruption never costs you files.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Critical Error: Your Start menu isn’t working” actually mean?

Windows tried to launch the Start menu app for your account and it failed. The rest of Windows is usually fine. It’s the Start experience (and often Search) that can’t load.

Will I lose my files if I try these fixes?

No. Fixes #1 through #10 all keep your personal files. That applies to classic System Restore (rstrui), not to Point-in-time restore, which rolls back files too. System Restore may remove apps installed after the restore point, and it shows you the list first. Only Reset this PC removes apps, and it’s not one of the recommended fixes here. Back up anyway before Fix #9 or Fix #10.

How do I open Task Manager or Settings if I can’t click Start?

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc for Task Manager and Win + I for Settings. Win + X opens a menu with Terminal, Settings, and restart options. Win + R opens the Run box for tools like msconfig and rstrui.

Is this caused by a Windows update?

Sometimes. If the error appeared the same day an update installed, try Fix #3 first to finish or complete updates, then Fix #6 to remove the update if needed. Plenty of cases have nothing to do with updates, though. Profile corruption and third-party apps cause it too.

How do I know if the problem is just my account or the whole PC?

Create a new local account (Fix #8) and sign into it. If Start works there, your profile is the problem. If Start is broken there too, it’s system-wide, and you need Fix #9 or Fix #10.

What is StartMenuExperienceHost and is it safe to re-register it?

It’s the built-in Windows app that draws the Start menu. Re-registering it (Fix #5) just tells Windows to rebuild its record of the app for your account. It uses files already on your PC and doesn’t change your pins or settings. It’s safe.

When should I do a System Restore instead of a Repair Install?

Use System Restore when you have a restore point from before the problem started. It’s faster, usually 15–30 minutes. Use a Repair Install when there are no restore points, System Restore fails, or the problem has been around so long that rolling back would undo too much.

Do I need to reinstall Windows entirely to fix this?

Almost never. A Repair Install (Fix #10) replaces Windows system files without wiping your files or apps. A full clean install is only worth it if the repair install fails too, and at that point, suspect failing hardware.

Can antivirus software cause this error?

Yes. Some third-party security suites hook deeply into Windows Explorer and can block the Start package from loading, especially right after a Windows update. Uninstall the antivirus temporarily (Windows Security takes over automatically), restart, and test Start. If that fixes it, reinstall the latest version or switch products.

Wrapping Up

Restarting Windows Explorer (Fix #2) or re-registering the Start package (Fix #5) fixes this for most people. I’d reach for those before anything heavier. If Start works in a new account but not yours, stop fighting the old profile and move your files over. If the Critical Error keeps coming back even after a repair install, or your PC is also crashing or showing disk errors, suspect a failing drive or malware rather than Windows itself.

Step	Action	Applies To
Fix #1	Sign out, sign in, restart	Error right after sign-in
Fix #2	Restart Windows Explorer and StartMenuExperienceHost	Start froze mid-session
Fix #3	Install pending updates	Error returns after restarts
Fix #4	Run DISM and SFC	Start and other built-in features broken
Fix #5	Re-register the Start package	Error on every sign-in
Fix #6	Uninstall recent update or app	Broke after an update or install
Fix #7	Clean Boot or Safe Mode	Unknown software conflict
Fix #8	Test a new user profile	Only one account affected
Fix #9	System Restore	Recent problem, restore points exist
Fix #10	Repair Install (keep files and apps)	Everything else failed

Last updated: September 27, 2026 | Applies to the Start menu on Windows 11 (notes for Windows 10 included)