How to make Windows 11’s Win+X menu to work without crashing Explorer

Microsoft has released new Windows 11 build 22563.1 to insiders in the dev channel with new features, improvements, and a handful of bug fixes. The build has brought a new taskbar for Surface and other devices that use as tablets. Seems the feature has broken the desktop devices where when you press Win+X or right-click on the Start button, the explorer crashes. here is how you can fix it right now.

Win+X menu in Windows 11

Win+X menu is often used by Power users. The menu includes shortcuts to open Device Manager, Task Manager, File Explorer, and other Windows Tools.
Micorsoft has redesigned the menu and updated it to support it in Windows 11.

Win+X menu supports access keys. Here is what this means: for instance when you open the menu and press D, it opens Device Manager. Similarly, when you press W while the Win+X menu was open the Network options window appears.

Microsoft’s introduction of a “tablet-optimized taskbar” probably caused issues with the taskbar for non-tablet users where right-clicking on the start/Windows button or pressing Win+X is crashing the Explorer. This could be a side effect of a new feature that Microsoft needs to acknowledge and Fix.

Win+X crashes Explorer Windows 11 build 22563

Make Win+X menu on Taskbar to work in Windows 11 without crashing

  1. Download Vivetool from Github
  2. Extract files to Windows/system 32 folder
  3. Open command as administrator
  4. Run the following command:
    vivetool addconfig 26008830 2

This should fix the issue. Now open Task Manager, find Explorer, right-click on it, and select ” Restart”

Now the Win+X menu opens without crashing Explorer.

Running the above command puts the fixed taskbar back in Place on Windows 11 and most issues with Taskbar should now be resolved.

Note: Vive tool is a third-party app, use it at your own risk

Do note currently the issue can be observed only in build 22563.

The dev channel is quite buggy and you should expect instability and crashes when Microsoft tests new features. Expect Microsoft to acknowledge and address it in future builds.

Do you use the Win+X menu? Are you running Windows 11 Dev channel build? Are you affected by this issue? Let us know in the comments below.

More about Windows 11:

How to enable new App Picker on Windows 11

How to get rid of the ‘System requirements not met’ watermark on Windows 11 Unsupported PCs

Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge Scrollbars to get Fluent design

How to enable or disable new Task Manager in Windows 11

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.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *