How to fix the Start button not working on Windows 11 [2024 fix]

Windows 11 is the latest operating system by Microsoft and like every new system, Windows 11 is filled with bugs and glitches.

One of the major problems users faced was that the Start menu button(Windows logo) was not working properly for some users worldwide. This happens for various reasons.

So, let us discuss this issue, why does the Start button or menu not work on Windows 11?

One of the many reasons your Start button is not working could be that the Windows explorer crashed and you need to restart or close it. You can fix this easily by opening the task manager and then closing the Windows explorer in this case.

It must be very frustrating not to be able to use the Start button or menu to do regular tasks. Thankfully I have written the best and easiest methods to fix this problem. I have conducted thorough research to check the legitimacy of the processes so you can trust them.

Read the full post to know more on how you can fix the Start button on Windows 11.

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How to fix the Start button not working on Windows 11 easily

There are multiple ways you can follow to fix this annoying problem. The Windows Start button is an essential piece for easy access to the installed apps on Windows and not being able to use it is clearly irritating.

I can clearly understand your frustration, so I have written the best methods that you can follow to fix the Start button on Windows. The techniques given below are simple and straightforward, so keep calm and go through them.

Here are the methods to fix the Start button on Windows 11:

1. Reboot or Restart your Device

Yes, I know this is a very basic method that most people follow, even people that are not tech-savvy. It is still worth a shot as it will make it clear that the problem is not a very basic one.

You most probably know that rebooting any device is simple, but still I have given the steps on how you can reboot your Windows 11 device.

Also, check out our separate post to disable SuperFetch in Windows 11.

Here are the steps to reboot your Windows 11 device to fix the Start button:

Press the Alt and F$ buttons on your keyboard at the same time. Another menu will be displayed to you.
Select Restart or Shutdown.
Wait for your pc to restart or turn your pc back on if you have shut it down.
Check whether the Start button is working.

If this method did not work for you, do not worry as I have given the other methods in this post.

Keep reading the post to know more details.

2. Reopen Windows Explorer

The Windows Explorer is a tool provided with every version of Windows. IT keeps track of the running apps and processes, so it is entirely logical to close and reopen it to fix the Start button.

Sometimes the Windows Explorer might crash and this might also result in the Windows Explorer not to run properly.

Thankfully it is very easy to restart the Windows Explorer.

Here’s a complete guide to turn off Touchpad Clicks on Windows 11.

Here are the steps to restart Windows Explorer to fix the Start button on Windows 11:

Open the Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl, Alt and Delete buttons at the same time on your keyboard and select Task Manager. The Task Manager will be displayed to you.
Click on More details.
Go to the Processes
Right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart.
Close the Task Manager and check whether the Start button is working or not.

Sadly, if restarting Windows Explorer did not fix the Start button on your Windows 11 device, do not worry, as there are other methods that you can use.

The other methods are given below in this post, so kindly go through them.

3. Update Windows 11

Not having the latest update installed for your Windows 11 device can cause more significant problems. It is a good habit to keep your Windows updated. Although being notified about the updates constantly can be annoying, you can schedule when the update will start.

Updating Windows 11 is very easy, so there is no need to panic, keep calm and go through the steps given below.

Quickly check out our latest fix for Bluetooth Toggle Missing On Windows 11.

Here are the steps to update Windows 11 to fix the Start button:

Press the Windows and I keys together on your keyboard. You will be taken to the Settings menu
Click on Windows Update from the left pane.
Click on the Check for updates
Start updating if there are any updates shown to you.
Restart your pc.
Check whether the Start button is fixed or not.

If this method did not work for you, do not be sad and go through the other methods given below in this post.

Here’s a complete guide on how to enable Telnet on Windows 11.

4. Rollback to previous Windows 11 Update

As Windows 11 is relatively new, there are some bugs that need to be fixed. For this reason, when Windows 11 gets updated, some problems arise. In this case, you can just roll back or go back to the previous Windows 11 update.

If you are facing problems after an update, take a virtual high five from me because I shared your pain a couple of weeks back.

The good thing is that rolling back to the previous update is relatively easy. Just follow the steps given below and you will be good to go.

Here are the steps to rollback to the previous update to fix the Start button on Windows 11:

Press the Windows and I keys at the same time on your keyboard. You will be taken to the settings menu.
Click on Windows Update from the left pane.
Select Advanced options.
Click on Recovery.
Select Go Back to roll back to the previous version of Windows 11.
Click on the Go back to earlier build
Wait for the process to finish, follow the on-screen prompts and restart your pc.
Check whether the Start button got fixed or not.

If this method did not fix the Start button, kindly follow the other procedures given in this post.

Check our latest post on how PC won’t go to sleep mode in Windows 11.

5. Reset your Windows 11 device

Resetting your pc practically means going back to a time where your pc was more functional or reinstalling Windows. It is very easy to do and the process should not take long.

Here are the steps to reset your pc to fix the Start button on Windows 11:

Press the Windows and I keys on your keyboard at the same time. You will be taken to the Settings menu.
Click on System from the left pane.
Click on Recovery.
Follow the on-screen prompts.
Restart your pc.
Check whether the Start button got fixed or not.

Conclusion

As Windows 11 is relatively new, it has some bugs that need to be ironed out. It can be expected that by the middle of the following year, Windows 11 will be in a much better state in my opinion.

I hope that by now you have fixed the Start button on your Windows 11 device. It is hard to navigate in Windows 11 without the Start button, so I tried my best to give you the best and easiest methods that you can follow to fix the Start button.

I wish you luck in whatever you do in the future. Take care!