On Windows 11, you can use a PowerShell command to reset the Start menu components to fix common problems. The command will come in handy when the menu doesn’t open, freezes, or doesn’t work as expected.
The Reset-AppxPackage command option allows you to reset the Start menu and other components and built-in apps (such as Mail and Calendar, Microsoft Store, Windows Security, and others) to fix issues when it’s impossible to uninstall or reset the component using the Settings app.
In this guide, I’ll teach you the steps to reset the Start menu components to resolve issues on Windows 11.
Reset Start menu with PowerShell on Windows 11
To reset the Start menu to fix problems on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Open Start on Windows 11.
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Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
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Type the following command to reset the Start menu components and press Enter:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost | Reset-AppxPackage
Once you complete the steps, the Start menu app will reset without affecting the custom settings you may have configured.
Restart Start menu process
Alternatively, you can also restart the Start menu service through PowerShell to resolve issues:
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Open Start.
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Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
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Type the following command to stop the Start menu service and press Enter:
Stop-Process -Name "StartMenuExperienceHost" -Force
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Type the following command to confirm the service restarted again and press Enter:
Get-Process -Name "StartMenuExperienceHost"
After you complete the steps, the service should restart, and the Start menu should start working again.
Update May 2, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].