Start Menu Keeps Crashing

Question

When I click on the start menu or use the Windows key, the start menu will open momentarily then close or crash. I checked the event viewer and found the following messages repeated.

Faulting application name: StartMenuExperienceHost.exe, version: 10.0.26100.7019, time stamp: 0xa6258ab3

Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 10.0.26100.7019, time stamp: 0x9c8f8241

Exception code: 0xc000071f

I tried doing the following with no luck:

sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | reset-AppxPackage

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost | reset-AppxPackage

The issue persisted after doing a full reinstall as well.

Any ideas what the fix is for this?

I running Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (OS Build 26200.7171)

Answer 1

It appears you're facing persistent issues with the Start menu crashing, specifically with the StartMenuExperienceHost.exe. Here are several troubleshooting steps you can consider:

1. Verify Process Status: Check if the StartMenuExperienceHost process is running by executing the following PowerShell command in an elevated prompt:

      get-Process StartMenuExperienceHost -IncludeUserName
   

   Ensure that it is active for your user session.
2. Event Viewer Analysis: Since you've already checked the Event Viewer, continue to monitor for Event IDs 1000 and 1001 related to StartMenuExperienceHost.exe. These logs can provide further details on the crashes and their causes.
3. Boot in Safe Mode: Try booting your system into Safe Mode. This can help determine if third-party applications or drivers are interfering with the Start menu functionality.
4. Use Windows Error Reporting: Utilize Windows Error Reporting tools to generate crash dumps, which can help diagnose the underlying issues causing the crashes.
5. Ensure System is Updated: Confirm that your Windows 11 installation is up to date with the latest Feature and Cumulative Monthly updates, as these updates can often resolve known issues.
6. System File Checker and DISM: Although you've run sfc /scannow and DISM commands, double-check that they completed successfully and review any error messages that may have been reported.
7. Re-register Start Menu Packages: If the Start menu package exists on your machine, you can attempt to re-register it using the following command in a non-elevated PowerShell prompt:

      Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\AppxManifest.xml" -Register -DisableDevelopmentMode
   

   Make sure the path is correct for your installation.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for more specialized assistance, especially since the problem persisted even after a full reinstall.

Answer 2

Hi Eddie, thanks for sharing your concern here.

I can see how annoying it is when the Start Menu keeps closing like that. Based on the error details, the crash is tied to StartMenuExperienceHost.exe and ntdll.dll, which usually means something in the system files or user profile is corrupted, or a recent update caused a conflict.

Since you’ve already tried SFC, DISM, and even a reinstall, the next steps would be to re-register the Start Menu components using PowerShell, check if the issue happens in Safe Mode, and test with a new user account to rule out profile corruption.

Also, did this start after a recent update? If yes, rolling back that update might help. Let me know if you want the exact PowerShell commands or guidance on creating a new profile.

Regardsm

Rez

Answer 3

Here’s the PowerShell command you can run to re-register the Start Menu component:

Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\AppxManifest.xml" -Register -DisableDevelopmentMode

If you also want to re-register ShellExperienceHost, use this:

Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\AppxManifest.xml" -Register -DisableDevelopmentMode

Run these in an elevated PowerShell window (right-click PowerShell and choose “Run as administrator”). After that, restart your PC and check if the Start Menu works properly.

Let me know what you get.

Answer 4

That makes sense, Eddie. KB5068861 is a recent cumulative update, and it looks like it introduced a bug affecting StartMenuExperienceHost. Rolling it back was the right move. For now, I’d recommend pausing updates temporarily so Windows doesn’t reinstall it automatically, and keep an eye out for the next patch.

Answer 5

Thanks to reddit member MetalliMyers.

This fixed my problem.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WindowsHelp/comments/1pj9kyg/windows11_start_menu_freezingcrashing/

go to Settings > Personalization > Start.

I toggled off several options, including 'Show Recently Added Apps'... Then, I toggled them back on one by one, and it will keep working.