New Windows 11 update breaks the Start menu because Microsoft hates us all

Microsoft admits Windows 11 update breaks the Start menu

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

It looks likeMicrosofthas once again shipped dodgyWindows 11updates, with reports suggesting that the two latest cumulative updates have been causing serious issues with the Start menu.

The updates in question are KB5015882 and KB5015814, and it looks like they’ve introduced a bug which causes to Start menu to disappear when you click to open it.

That’s a pretty major issue, considering how integral the Start menu is toWindows 11, and it’s an unwelcome reminder of the dark days ofWindows 10updates, where for a time Microsoft was bringing out updates that seemed tocause more issues than they fixed.

Windows 11 updates have thankfully been a lot more dependable, but we’d hate to see Microsoft slipping back into its old ways.

AsWindows Latest reports, Microsoft has at leastacknowledged there’s an issue, posting that  “we have received reports that a small number of devices might be unable to open the Start menu. On affected devices, clicking or selecting the Start button or using the Windows key on your keyboard might have no effect.”

This is a good sign, as it shows that Microsoft is aware of the issue and is actively working on a fix.

How to fix Windows 11 Start menu problems

If you have a device that’s experiencing this issue, you can hold tight, as Microsoft has released a server-side emergency update which should fix the issue automatically – but that could take up to 24 hours to arrive on your device.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

If you can’t wait that long, you can download theWindows 11 21H2 KB5014668 220721_04201 Known Issue Rollback(the link downloads direct from Microsoft’s site), which will rollback the update to fix the problem.

Microsoft also suggests restarting your device, which could help get the emergency fix faster.

While we commend Microsoft for its speedy response to this, let’s hope this broken update is just an unfortunate one-off, and not a hint of moreWindows 11 problemsto come.

Matt is TechRadar’s Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there’s no aspect of technology that Matt isn’t passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide - and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he’s reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.

Alt + Tab trouble: Windows 11’s 24H2 update turns time-saving shortcut into ten-second headache

Windows 11’s Paint and Notepad apps are getting smart new AI features – though one of the best will be for Copilot+ PCs only

NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Sunday, November 10 (game #252)