For any regular Windows user, the right-click context menu is a vital and frequently utilized feature, streamlining tasks such as resizing tiles, pinning programs, uninstalling applications, and more. It’s almost a reflex for us to rely on this quick-access menu for various functions, whether it’s to pin an app to the taskbar or to unpin a tile. However, Windows 10 users have increasingly reported an irksome glitch: the inability to use the right-click function on the Start menu or Start button. Such a hitch can significantly hinder productivity and hamper user experience. But fret not, because we have got you covered. Dive into this article, and we will guide you through a systematic approach to resolve the ‘Right-click not working or responding in Start Menu or Start Button’ issue on Windows 10. Let’s regain control over your system’s functionality!
Fix: Right-Click not working in Start Menu or Start Button of Windows 10
- Using Group Policy
- Via Registry Editor
- By restarting File Explorer
- Through Windows PowerShell
- By replacing the WinX folder
How to fix right-click not working or not responding in the Start Menu or Start Button of Windows 10 using Group Policy?
If you are running Windows 10 Home Edition, you need first to enable the Group Policy Editor; once the Group Policy Editor is enabled on the Windows 10 Home Edition, you can proceed with further instructions.
Step 1. Launch the Group Policy Editor (To run the Group Policy Editor on Windows, open the Run box by pressing Windows Logo + R keys and typing gpedit.msc).
Step 2. Click the OK button to launch the Group Policy Editor.
Step 3. Once Local Group Policy Editor is opened, navigate to the following path:-
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
Step 4. From the right-side pane, double-click on the “Disable context menus in the Start Menu” setting.
Step 5. Select Not Configured, click on Apply, and then the OK button.
How to fix right-click not working or not responding in the Start Menu or Start Button of Windows 10 via Registry Editor?
If, after changing the Group Policy, you still right-click on the Start menu or the Start button could not be activated, it might change your registry file. To enable the right-click on the Start menu, do the following:-
Step 1. Press Windows Logo + R keys from the keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2. Type regedit in the text box.
Step 3. Click the OK button to launch the Registry Editor window.
Step 4. When Registry Editor is opened, navigate to the following path:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
Step 5. From the right-side pane, double-click on the value DisableContextMenusInStart, and in the Value data field, change the value from 1 to 0.
Step 6. Click the OK button and close the Registry Editor.
Click on the Start menu and right-click on any program; it should work now.
How to fix right-click not working or not responding in the Start Menu or Start Button of Windows 10 by restarting File Explorer?
Sometimes, a quick restart of File Explorer may solve the problem. To restart File Explorer on Windows 10, do the following steps:-
Step 1. Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys from the keyboard.
Step 2. Navigate to the Processes tab in the Task Manager window.
Step 3. Look for Windows Explorer under the Processes tab. Right-click on it and then click on Restart.
The above steps will restart File Explorer and other components of Windows 10 that rely on Windows Explorer services. Since the Context Menu also depends on the explorer.exe process, it will restart, and right-click on the Start menu should start working as it should.
How to fix right-click not working or not responding in the Start Menu or Start Button of Windows 10 through Windows PowerShell?
Step 1. Open Windows PowerShell with administrative rights.
To open PowerShell with elevated rights, click on the Start menu and type PowerShell.
On the available top search results, right-click on the Windows PowerShell entry and select Run as administrator.
Step 2. Copy and paste the following command in Windows PowerShell and hit Enter from the keyboard:-
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
Step 3. A few packages will be installed on your computer, and you will also notice some errors you can ignore.
After completing the above steps, check if the issue is resolved.
How to fix right-click not working or not responding in the Start Menu or Start Button of Windows 10 by replacing the WinX folder?
If none of the above methods work for you, the contents within the WinX folder are corrupted or damaged. You need to replace the older folder content with fresh content to help you fix the issue.
Step 1. Log in to your PC with an administrator account and create a new local user account.
Step 2. Access the following path:-
C:\Users\New-User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX
Note: In the above path, replace New-User-Name with the newly created username.
Step 3. Please select all the folders, right-click them, and choose the Copy option.
Step 4. Now, open the following folder:-
C:\Users\Old-User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX
Note: In the above path, replace Old-User-Name with the username in which the Start menu or button is not working.
Right-click and select the Paste option and replace all the previous folders.
Now, right-click should start working on the Start menu.
