Unselectable UI issue

Question

Since a recent Windows 11 update, I have had some significant issues with the system UI. Although when I use my mouse or touchpad, the cursor moves normally, the UI elements no longer indicate that the cursor is over them and cannot be clicked on. I have restarted the computer several times, and sometimes for a few minutes after the UI is functional, but it inevitably stops working again soon until the next restart. I haven’t downloaded or run any sketchy files recently, so I doubt the problem is related to a virus. Is this a known issue?

Answer 1

Hello Stau1123

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

The issue you're experiencing with unselectable UI elements in Windows 11, where UI elements don't indicate cursor hover or allow clicks, is not a widely recognized or common issue inherent to Windows updates.

However, it sounds like a problem that could be related to system files, drivers, or configuration settings that may have been inadvertently altered or corrupted during or after an update.

Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve this issue:

1. Update Drivers: Ensure all your drivers, especially those for your mouse, touchpad, and graphics card, are up to date. You can update drivers through the Device Manager or by visiting the manufacturer's website for the latest versions.
2. System File Checker (SFC): Run the System File Checker to repair corrupted system files. Open Command Prompt as administrator and type sfc /scannow, then press Enter. This process will scan for and attempt to fix any corrupted files it finds.
3. DISM Scan: If SFC doesn’t solve the issue, you can use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool to repair the Windows system image. Open Command Prompt as administrator and type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then press Enter.
4. Safe Mode: Try booting into Safe Mode to see if the issue persists there. If the UI works normally in Safe Mode, it's likely that a third-party application or driver is causing the issue. You can then perform a clean boot to identify the problematic software.
5. You can create a new local account by following the steps below and switch to the newly created account to see if the function is normal. Because this cannot be ruled out due to the wrong configuration. Visit****Create a local user or administrator account in Windows - Microsoft Support****for more details.
   1. Create a local user account
   2. Select Start> Settings> Accountsand then select Family & other users. (In some versions of Windows you'll see Other users.)
   3. Next to Add other user, select Add account.
   4. Select I don't have this person's sign-in information, and on the next page, select Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   5. Enter a username, password, or password hint—or choose security questions—and then select Next.
   6. Change a local user account to an administrator account
   7. Select Start > Settings>Accounts.
   8. Under Family & other users, select the account owner name (you should see "Local account" below the name), then select Change account type.
   9. **Note:**If you choose an account that shows an email address or doesn't say "Local account", then you're giving administrator permissions to a Microsoft account, not a local account.
   10. Under Account type, select Administrator, and then select OK.
   11. Sign in with the new administrator account.
   Note: If the new account is normal, please do not delete the old account before backing up the data of the old account to avoid any data loss. Note: If the new account can install the feature normally, and you want to use the new account, then you need to understand that the user data in the old account (under the C:\user<your user name> directory) will not be synchronized To the new account, you can only restore the data as much as possible by copying all the data (files, folders) under the old account to the new user folder and replacing the files/folders under new user account, then there is no guarantee of 100% success, including your User data from some Windows apps and all third-party apps in the old account won't sync. So please proceed with caution.

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6. Rollback Updates: If this issue started right after an update and no solution works, you could consider rolling back the latest Windows update. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery, and under "Go back to the previous version of Windows 10/11," click "Get started." (Note: This option is only available for a limited time after updating.)

Disclaimer: Please back up important data in advance before performing any actions that may cause data loss.

If there is anything not clear or I can't understand your problem, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Best Regards

Patch - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

Hello

I am very honored to be able to help you solve your troubles. To help other customers who may be facing the same issue, please vote ‘Yes’ underneath the post that had the solution for you. This highlights the information for other customers. Thanks for your cooperation.  

Best Regards

Patch - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 3

Thanks for the thorough response! SFC/DISM seems to have worked