Let us show you how you can simply restart the Start Menu to get it working again. We shall also be discussing how you can reset the Start Menu to default settings. This refers to resetting the tiles and icons within the Start Menu to their default settings, without resetting the entire Windows Operating System.
How to Restart the Start Menu in Windows 10
Like any other program or feature in Windows 10, the Start Menu also has a process running in the background. If the Start Menu behaves abnormally or is completely inaccessible, you can simply restart its associated process without rebooting the computer.
How to Restart the Start Menu using the Task Manager
You can simply stop the associated process from the Task Manager and then re-run it to restart the Start Menu in Windows 10. Follow the steps below to do so: The Start Menu will disappear. The Start Menu process should restart automatically within the next few seconds. If not, select Run new task from the Task Manager and run the following command: The Start Menu should now respond normally, as it should.
How to Restart the Start Menu using Command Prompt
You can also achieve the same task as above using the Command Prompt. Follow the guide below: Both of the above-mentioned approaches can be adopted in case the Start Menu is not responding or is malfunctioning in Windows 10.
How to Reset the Start Menu in Windows 10
Resetting the Start Menu is a completely different scenario, which is often confused with restarting it. As we mentioned earlier, resetting the Start Menu refers to resetting it to the default configuration, which you might have changed voluntarily, or it might have automatically changed by downloading new applications, or through the Preview Builds in the Insider Program. If your Start Menu has gotten too complicated for you to navigate through, use the steps below to reset it and then reconfigure it from the beginning, according to your preference.
Let us warn you that the process involves changing the Windows Registry settings. Therefore, it is recommended to backup and create a restore point for your system. You shall now notice when re-opening the Start Menu that all the tiles have been reset to their default settings as on a fresh installation of Windows.
Closing words
It is convenient to know the shortcuts to achieve tasks in a Windows 10 environment without having to go through the trouble of performing the lengthy processes. Restarting the Start Menu without rebooting the computer or resetting it without resetting Windows 10 entirely is a cool trick to know in case it stops responding while performing time-critical tasks. Also see:
3 Ways to Restart Windows Explorer in Windows 10How To Customize Quick Access In Windows 10 (Navigation Pane And Toolbar)How to Add Programs to Startup in Windows 11/10Delete Windows User Profile to Safely Reset Your AccountHow to refresh icon cache without restarting windows
