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How to Fix Windows 11 Taskbar Not Working

How to Fix Taskbar Not Working in Windows 11

The taskbar is an integral part of Windows operating systems. However, the taskbar in Windows 11 is prone to various issues, such as the taskbar disappearing, not showing icons, or becoming unresponsive. If you’re experiencing issues with your Windows 11 taskbar, follow the instructions in this article to fix it.

Windows 11 taskbar Not Working

Why is My Taskbar Not Working?

Many users reported that their taskbar stopped working after upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10 and previous versions. While many of the initial issues have been ironed out, some users still experience problems with the taskbar.

  • The taskbar often stops working due to a glitch in the Windows Explorer service. Restarting Windows Explorer usually fixes it.
  • Sometimes, the taskbar may stop working due to a faulty Windows update. You may fix the issue by uninstalling all recent updates installed before your taskbar stopped working. Update KB5006674 is known to cause problems with the taskbar.
  • Sometimes, Windows services don’t properly start causing the taskbar not to work. Restarting your PC should fix this.
  • Corrupted system files might be the reason your taskbar stopped working. Running DISM and SFC scans will help you repair them.

We’ve compiled a list of troubleshooting methods known to fix the Windows 11 taskbar not working.

Video Guide on How to Fix Windows 11 Taskbar Not Working

Table of Contents:

Method 1. Restart the Windows Explorer Service

The taskbar may get stuck and become unresponsive due to a glitch. A common solution to this issue is to restart the Windows Explorer service, which is responsible for running UI components such as the taskbar.

1. Hold down Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.

Right-click Windows Explorer and click Restart

2. In the processes tab, right-click Windows Explorer and click Restart.

Right-click SearchIndexer.exe, SearchHost.exe, RuntimeBroker.exe, and ShellExperienceHost.exe and click End task

3. Then, click the Details tab.

4. Locate the following services:

ShellExperienceHost.exe

SearchIndexer.exe

SearchHost.exe

RuntimeBroker.exe

5. Right-click each of them and click End task.

Click End process

6. Click End process to confirm the action. The services will restart automatically.

7. Close the Task Manager.

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Method 2. Run the Deployment Image & Servicing Management (DISM) and System File Checker (SFC) Scans

The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a command-line tool designed to prepare, modify, and repair system images, while the System File Checker (SFC) is intended to identify corrupted or missing system files and download new files from Microsoft. Note that running these tools will take some time.

1. Hold down Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.

Click File and select Run new task in Task Manager

2. In the toolbar, click File and click Run new task.

Type in CMD, mark Create this task with administrative privilages and click OK

3. In the Create new task window, type in CMD, mark Create this task with administrative privileges and click OK.

Run DISM /ScanHealth and /RestoreHealth commands and SFC /ScanNow Command

4. In the Comand Prompt window, type in DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth and press Enter.

5. Type in DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter.

6. Then, type in SFC /ScanNow and press Enter.

Select Restart

7. Hold down Alt+F4 keys to open Shown Down Windows and select Restart.

Click OK to restart

8. Click OK.

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Method 3. Reinstall UWP (Universal Windows Platform)

Reinstalling UWP (Universal Windows Platform) can help you fix your Windows taskbar not working, particularly if the taskbar has disappeared. The instructions below will show you how to reinstall UWP using Windows PowerShell.

1. Hold down Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.

Click File and select Run new task in Task Manager

2. In the toolbar, click File and click Run new task.

Type in PowerShell, mark Create this task with administrative privilages and click OK

3. In the Create new task window, type in PowerShell, mark Create this task with administrative privileges and click OK.

Run the command in PowerShell to reinstall UWP

4. In the PowerShell window, type in the following command:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

5. Press Enter to execute the command.

Select Restart

6. Hold down Alt+F4 keys to open Shut Down Windows and select Restart.

Click OK to restart

7. Click OK.

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Method 4. Create a XAML Value in Windows Registry

You might fix the taskbar not working by creating XAML (Extensible Application Markup Language) value in the Windows Registry Editor.

1. Hold down Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.

Click File and select Run new task in Task Manager

2. In the toolbar, click File and click Run new task.

Type in Regedit in the Create new task dialog box and click OK

3. In the Create new task window, type in Regedit, and click OK.

4. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Right-click Advanced, select New and click DWORD (32-Bit) Value

5. Right-click the Advanced folder, click New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Name the new value as EnableXamlStartMenu and save the new name

6. Name the new file EnableXamlStartMenu and save the new name.

Right-click EnableXamlStartMenu and click Modify

7. Right-click EnableXamlStartMenu and click Modify.

Set Value Data to 0 and click OK

8. In the Value data line, type in 0 and click OK.

Select Restart

9. Hold down Alt+F4 keys to open Shut Down Windows and select Restart.

Click OK to Restart

10. Click OK.

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Method 5. Delete the IRIS Service

Deleting the IRIS service is an official fix Microsoft issued when the issue started occurring in September 2021 due to a buggy update. This fix still seems to work for most users.

1. Hold down Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.

Click File and select Run new task in Task Manager

2. In the toolbar, click File and click Run new task.

Type in CMD, mark Create this task with administrative privilages and click OK

3. In the Create new task window, type in CMD, mark Create this task with administrative privileges and click OK.

Run the command in Command Prompt to delete the IRIS Service

4. In the Command Prompt window, type in the following command:

reg delete HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\IrisService /f && shutdown -r -t 0

5. Press the Enter key to execute the command.

6. Your PC will restart automatically. The taskbar should work after your system boots up.

Did this article help you fix your Windows 11 taskbar not working? Let us know by leaving a comment.

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About the author:

Rimvydas Iliavicius

Rimvydas is a researcher with over four years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. He attended Kaunas University of Technology and graduated with a Master's degree in Translation and Localization of Technical texts. His interests in computers and technology led him to become a versatile author in the IT industry. At PCrisk, he's responsible for writing in-depth how-to articles for Microsoft Windows. Contact Rimvydas Iliavicius.

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