Reset Windows 10 Start Menu to Default via Registry

This guide shows you how to reset the Windows 10 Start Menu to its original factory layout and settings using the Registry Editor. This is useful when the Start Menu is corrupted, missing tiles, or behaving erratically after a customization gone wrong. You will need to be logged in as an administrator, and it is strongly recommended to back up your registry before making any changes.

What You’ll Need

• An administrator account on the Windows 10 PC.
• Access to the Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
• A backup of your registry (recommended, see Step 1).

Step-by-Step

1. Back up your registry (strongly recommended). Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. In the Registry Editor, click File > Export. Choose a location, give the file a name, ensure All is selected under Export range, and click Save. This creates a .reg file you can double-click to restore if something goes wrong.
2. Close all apps and save your work. The next steps will restart the Start Menu and possibly the Explorer shell, so close any unsaved documents.
3. Open the Registry Editor. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
4. Navigate to the Start Menu registry key. In the left pane, expand the folders in this order: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > CloudStore > Store > Cache. You should see a subkey named DefaultAccount.
5. Delete the Start Menu layout data. Right-click on DefaultAccount and select Delete. Confirm the deletion when prompted. This key stores the current Start Menu tile layout and settings.
6. Restart the Start Menu process. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Find Windows Explorer in the list under Processes. Right-click it and select Restart. Your taskbar and desktop icons will disappear briefly and then return. This reloads the shell with the default Start Menu settings.
7. Check the Start Menu. Click the Start button. It should now show the default Windows 10 layout with the standard set of tiles (Mail, Calendar, Store, etc.). If the layout is still not default, proceed to the next step.
8. Reset via PowerShell (alternative if step 7 fails). If the Start Menu still looks customized, open PowerShell as administrator (right-click Start > Windows PowerShell (Admin)). Type the following command and press Enter: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq "Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost"} | Reset-AppxPackage. Wait for it to complete. This command resets the Start Menu app itself.
9. Restart your PC. After either method, a full restart is the safest way to ensure all changes are applied. Click Start > Power > Restart.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping the registry backup. Editing the registry is risky. Without a backup, a wrong deletion could cause system instability.
• Deleting the wrong key. The path must be exact. Deleting CloudStore itself (instead of DefaultAccount inside it) can cause other issues.
• Not restarting Explorer. The Start Menu changes won’t take effect until the shell is reloaded. Simply closing and reopening the Start Menu is not enough.
• Using the wrong PowerShell command. The command is case-sensitive and must include the full package name. Copying it directly from this guide is the safest approach.

Tips

• Pin your apps again. After the reset, you will need to re-pin your frequently used apps to the Start Menu. Right-click an app in the All Apps list and select Pin to Start.
• Use a local account for testing. If you are troubleshooting a corporate or shared PC, test this on a local administrator account first to avoid disrupting other users.
• Consider a full system restore point. Instead of just a registry export, create a System Restore Point (Control Panel > System > System Protection > Create). This is more comprehensive and easier to undo.
• Check for group policy. If the Start Menu resets but then reverts to a custom layout, your organization may have a Group Policy that enforces a specific Start layout. This registry method will not override that.

Troubleshooting

Start Menu is still not default. If after deleting the key and restarting Explorer the layout is unchanged, the issue may be a corrupted user profile. Try creating a new local user account (Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC) and check if the Start Menu is default there. If it is, you may need to migrate your files to the new account.

Start Menu won’t open at all after the reset. This is rare but possible. First, restart the PC. If it still won’t open, open PowerShell as administrator and run the command from Step 8 again. If that fails, run the System File Checker: open Command Prompt as administrator and type sfc /scannow, then restart.

Registry key not found. On some Windows 10 versions, the DefaultAccount key may not exist. This is normal. In that case, skip to Step 8 (PowerShell) directly. The PowerShell command works independently of the registry key.

Taskbar icons disappeared and didn’t return. This can happen if Explorer crashed during restart. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click File > Run new task, type explorer.exe, and click OK. This should bring the taskbar back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this remove my installed apps? No. This only resets the Start Menu layout and its settings. Your installed programs, files, and personal data remain untouched.

Does this work on Windows 11? No. This guide is specifically for Windows 10. Windows 11 has a different Start Menu structure and a different registry path. Do not attempt this on Windows 11.

Is there a way to reset only the tile layout, not the settings? The registry key deletion resets both the layout and the settings. There is no built-in way to separate them. If you only want to reset tiles, you could manually unpin each tile, but that is tedious.

Do I need to be an administrator? Yes. Both the Registry Editor and the PowerShell command require administrator privileges. Standard users will get an access denied error.

Will this affect my desktop wallpaper or theme? No. The Start Menu registry key only controls the Start Menu’s own tiles and layout. Your personalization settings (wallpaper, colors, themes) are stored elsewhere and will not be changed.

How often should I back up the registry? At minimum, before any manual registry edit. For regular maintenance, creating a System Restore Point monthly is a good habit, especially before installing major updates or new software.

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