Windows 10 Start Menu doesn't open (Only 11 style is working)

[fillionlee9-lgtm]

Before reporting your issue

• I have confirmed that this issue does not happen when ExplorerPatcher is not installed
• I do not have "register as shell extension" enabled
• I have tried my best to check existing issues

Repro ExplorerPatcher versions

I've tried multi Explorer releases and none work.
70.2
70.3
70,4

Repro Windows Versions

Edition Windows 11 Business
Version 25H2
OS build 26200.8893
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.334.0

Third-party tweak software installed

none

Describe the bug

Start Menu Win10 style doesn't open when you click the start button. Nothing happens
Only windows11 style works.

I've tried using both 10 and 11 taskbar styles. still nothing.
The console doesn't throw any error when clicking start button.

Expected outcome

windows 10 start menu should open.

Actual outcome

win10 start menu does not open

Additional info

No response

Crash Dumps

No response

Media

No response

[pyrates999]

Check what happens when using the console in explorer patcher. Open up the properties application for explorer patcher, go to advanced, and click on enable console. Click on Restart File Explorer on the left side. Copy and paste the results here.

[fillionlee9-lgtm]

Running on Windows 11, OS Build 10.0.26200.8893.
[Symbols] Symbols for "StartDocked" are not available.
Attempting to download symbol data; for now, the program may have limited functionality.
Setup user32 functions done
CAppResolverCacheBuilder::_AddUserPinnedShortcutToStart() = 4B4D8
Setup explorer functions done
Setup uxtheme functions done
[SMA] matchVtable = 767990
[SMA] matchSingleViewShellExperienceFields = 231974
[SMA] matchAnimationHelperFields = 2319E3, +0x278, +0x298
[SMA] matchTransitioningToCortanaField = 3904A4, +0x300
[SMA] CStartExperienceManager::GetMonitorInformation() = A4500
[SMA] CExperienceManagerAnimationHelper::Begin() = 2B2E04
[SMA] CExperienceManagerAnimationHelper::End() = 202D14
[SMA] matchHideA in CStartExperienceManager::Hide() = 231E54
[SMA] matchHideB in CStartExperienceManager::Hide() = 231E94
[SMA] Advertising successful animations patching.
[JVP] matchOffsetTrayStuckPlace = 232C55
[JVP] matchOffsetRcWorkArea = 232CF7
[JVP] matchEnsureWindowPosition = 3944C8
Setup twinui.pcshell functions done
[TB] Using 'ep_taskbar.ge.dll'
Setup combase functions done
Setup twinui functions done
[SSO] pguidTarget = 4AAD8
[SSO] pssoEntryTarget = 44180
Setup stobject functions done
Setup bthprops functions done
Setup shell32 functions done
Setup windows.storage functions done
[IME] Context menu patch status: 1
Setup inputswitch functions done
Setup peopleband functions done
Installed hooks.
Open Start on monitor thread
Started "Signal shell ready" thread.
EP Service Window thread
Started "Open Start on current monitor" thread.
Initialized taskbar centering module.
UtcToTzTime() = timedate.cpl+26090
Registered Win+A, Win+B, and Win+N
[Positioning] Added settings for monitor 0000000000010001 : 0 hr=0x00000000
Progman: 262614
Progman hook: 129961331
[Positioning] Removed settings for monitor: 0000000000010001 hr=0x00000000
[Positioning] Added settings for monitor 0000000000010001 : 0 hr=0x00000000
Setup sndvolsso functions done
Ended "Signal shell ready" thread.
[Updates] Starting daemon.
[Updates] Configured update policy on this system: "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them".
[Updates] Path to module: C:\windows\dxgi.dll
[Updates] Using hardcoded hash.
[Updates] Checking against hash "26100.8457.70.4.d06fb96967957321"
[Updates] Update URL: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/releases/latest/download/ep_setup.exe
[Updates] Hash of remote file is "26100.8457.70.3.cd35c832096968bc" (valid).
[Updates] Local version obtained from hash is 26100.8457.70.4.
[Updates] No updates are available.
[Symbols] Started "Download symbols" thread.
[Symbols] Attempting to download symbols for OS version 10.0.26200.8893.
[Symbols] Downloading to "C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\ExplorerPatcher".
[Symbols] Downloading symbols for "C:\windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\StartDocked.dll" ("1d85a8ed93da4b82feabba0cf0865d81")...
[Symbols] Reading symbols...
[Symbols] Failure in reading symbols for "C:\windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\StartDocked.dll".
[Symbols] Finished gathering symbol data.
[Symbols] Finished "Download symbols" thread.

[pyrates999]

did you try reinstalling ExplorerPatcher 70.4?

[fillionlee9-lgtm]

yes i've already said. i've tried multiple releases

[pyrates999]

Please wait for a developer to respond.

[pyrates999]

Please update to this: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/servicing/os/windows-11/2026/08/kb5121003-windows-11-24h2-25h2-security-update

EP was tested on x86-64 26200.9168 and ARM64 26200.9168. Could not reproduce.

If you debloated your setup, windows 10 start menu won't work with certain services disabled such as text input host.

[fillionlee9-lgtm]

i've updated to 26200.9168
still no Win10 menu

Edition Windows 11 Business
Version 25H2
Installed on ‎7/‎16/‎2026
OS build 26200.9168
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.344.0

[pyrates999]

Did you debloat your setup of windows?

[fillionlee9-lgtm]

possibly is there a list of services that are required for it to work?

[pyrates999]

Yes. You can't just disable windows services. Please check your windows setup and what services you disabled manually.