How to Reset the Windows Start Menu Layout

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Close the Windows Explorer process

   Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Locate Windows Explorer in the list, right-click it, and select End task to stop the shell from modifying files while you work.

   Note: Your taskbar and desktop icons will temporarily disappear after this step.
2. 30 sec

   Open the Command Prompt

   In Task Manager, click Run new task. Type cmd and press Enter. This provides the environment necessary to delete the layout database.

3. 1 min

   Delete the layout database file

   Copy and paste the following command into the prompt: del /f %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\appsFolder.itemdata-ms. Press Enter to execute the deletion.

   Note: If you receive a file not found error, ensure the path matches your specific user profile directory.
4. 1 min

   Restart the Windows Explorer process

   In the Command Prompt, type explorer.exe and press Enter. The taskbar and desktop icons will reappear, indicating the shell has successfully reloaded.

5. 30 sec

   Confirm the reset

   Open the Start menu by pressing the Windows key. The pinned applications will revert to the default Windows installation layout.

   Note: You may need to restart your computer once to fully refresh system caches if the layout does not update immediately.