Fix Windows 11 retains Windows 10 taskbar & breaks Start Menu after Upgrade

Microsoft has released Windows 11 for the Public and is available for eligible devices. Some users who upgraded from Windows 10 reported they have not received the new taskbar and the Start menu is not working. The same issue was reported during Windows 11 beta version also by insiders, now the bug affected the production version as well. If you’re also impacted, here are potential fixes you can try.

Windows 11 comes with a centered taskbar and Start Menu. Users may get a fresh experience when they clean install Microsoft’s new OS than when they chose to upgrade.

With the upgrade, in some cases, Start Menu and the taskbar don’t get updated where the taskbar looks with Windows 10 style, and the Start Menu appears broken, it just doesn’t work at all.

Fix Windows 11 still shows Windows 10 taskbar

Fix Windows 11 displays Windows 10 taskbar

Sometime back, Microsoft itself suggested the following fix to affected insiders running the Beta channel.
Here is what you need to do:

  1. Open Settings > Windows Update> Update History
  2. Uninstall latest Cumulative Update, KB5004300
  3. Restart your device when prompted
  4. Visit Windows Update and check for updates again, when KB5004300 is offered, reinstall it again. This brings back centered Windows 11 taskbar and Start Menu to a normal and working state.

If the above steps helped you to regain Windows 11 taskbar, but the Start Menu is still broken, try the below steps

Windows 11 Start Menu not working

Windows 11 Start Menu not working

1. Open Task Manager
2. Click File > Run new Task
3. Type Powershell and check “create this task with administrative privileges
4. In the PowerShell window, copy and paste the following and press enter
Get-appxpackage -all *shellexperience* -packagetype bundle |% {add-appxpackage -register -disabledevelopmentmode ($_.installlocation + "appxmetadataappxbundlemanifest.xml")}

5. Let the instructions complete and restart the system after that.

If the above steps don’t help,

  • Create a local user account with administrative privileges and move everything into that account.

As stated in the beginning, this issue doesn’t affect users who have clean installed Windows 11, that could be your last option you can try if nothing works.

What problems did you face after upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10? Have you got the new taskbar and fully-functional Start Menu? Let us know in the comments below.

More on Windows 11:

Increase Privacy in Windows 11 w/ O&O ShutUp10++

Chrome gets Windows 11 design improvements for Menus

Disable Windows 11 taskbar Search icon from showing recent searches on hover over

How to disable Recommended Section in Windows 11 Start Menu

Venkat Eswarlu

Venkat is an independent technology journalist and the founder of Techdows. He has been covering web browsers, Windows, and software news since 2009. His exclusive scoops on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge features have been cited by Forbes, TechCrunch, Wired, CNET, and other major publications.

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