[26xxx.8474+] Windows 10 Start menu is no longer available

[zeldaoot6969]

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

ExplorerPatcher 26100.4946.69.6

Repro Windows Versions

Windows 11 Insider Preview Beta 26220.8474 x64

3rd party tweak software installed

None

Describe the bug

Install ExplorerPatcher
Enable Windows 10 start menu
Click restart file explorer

Expected outcome

Explorer starts normally and the Windows 10 start menu works

Actual outcome

The desktop loads normally, but the taskbar takes about 20 seconds to load, and when clicking on the start button, it looks like it was clicked but nothing happens.

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. Copy and paste the results here.

[zeldaoot6969]

Running on Windows 11, OS Build 10.0.26220.8474.
Loaded symbols
Setup user32 functions done
CAppResolverCacheBuilder::_AddUserPinnedShortcutToStart() = 4A5B8
Setup explorer functions done
Setup uxtheme functions done
[SMA] matchVtable = 749268
[SMA] matchSingleViewShellExperienceFields = 236084
[SMA] matchAnimationHelperFields = 2360F3, +0x278, +0x298
[SMA] matchTransitioningToCortanaField = 392BF4, +0x300
[SMA] CStartExperienceManager::GetMonitorInformation() = 8BFB8
[SMA] CExperienceManagerAnimationHelper::Begin() = 2B6384
[SMA] CExperienceManagerAnimationHelper::End() = 2061A4
[SMA] matchHideA in CStartExperienceManager::Hide() = 236562
[SMA] matchHideB in CStartExperienceManager::Hide() = 2365A2
[SMA] Advertising successful animations patching.
Setup twinui.pcshell functions done
Setup combase functions done
Setup twinui functions done
Setup stobject functions done
Setup bthprops functions done
Setup shell32 functions done
Setup windows.storage functions done
Setup inputswitch functions done
Setup peopleband functions done
Installed hooks.
Open Start on monitor thread
EP Service Window thread
Started "Open Start on current monitor" thread.
Initialized taskbar centering module.
Progman: 263102
Progman hook: 133523
[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 "26100.4946.69.6.4c0cd564d448ea65"
[Updates] Update URL: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/releases/latest/download/ep_setup.exe
[Updates] Hash of remote file is "26100.4946.69.6.4c0cd564d448ea65" (valid).
[Updates] Local version obtained from hash is 26100.4946.69.6.
[Updates] No updates are available.
0 0
[EnsureXAML] 31 ms.

[pyrates999]

And what does the console output show when you try to click on the windows 10 start menu?

[hongnan01]

I also have this problem after 226220.8474

[Windblade-GR01]

And what does the console output show when you try to click on the windows 10 start menu?

Nothing.
Testing on my end on 26220.8474 the user above shows the whole log.
Nothing else is printed when it crashes.

After that explorer patcher crashes without any error message. It straight up closes as a whole taking explorer.exe with it.
Then it restarts and the whole process repeats in an endless loop.

Something tells me is related to the massive changes the taskbar did have in this version.
As seen in the changelog: https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2026/05/15/announcing-new-builds-for-15-may-2026/

[pyrates999]

Explorer crashing is something new then.

Please post the latest dump file related to the affected exe in %LOCALAPPDATA%\CrashDumps, which should be explorer.exe.

then rename the file extension to .txt and upload it to here. If it's too big, compress it into a zip file and upload it to here.

[Windblade-GR01]

Ok. Here is 2 clear dumps.
Made while explorer was open and no other stuff was.
DUMPS.zip

Also, to note, this only happens if Win10 taskbar and/or start menu is selected.
Start menu crashes explorer.exe on click, taskbar crashes just by existing.

[pyrates999]

Thank you. Please wait for a developer to respond.

[SbiriJJ]

Then problem is the Win 10 taskbar. I suggest to use Win11 taskbar until the developer update it.
Not required uninstall Explorer Patcher.

[Anorak-Kairos]

seem i have the same issue with windows new update it crashes 3 times then just disables exploere patcher
allso is for my system as well
Windows 11 Insider Preview Beta 26220.8474 x64
explorer.exe.1076.zip

i put my crash log in to help with dev on getting it updated.

[zeldaoot6969]

Sorry for the delay
I am using the windows 11 taskbar, and explorer doesnt crash or anything. Just that the start menu doesnt open. Also the log I posted is after I tried clicking a few times on the start button. Also I noticed that there are a few crash dumps from StartMenuExperienceHost, but nothing from explorer. It creates a few of these every time explorer starts.

StartMenuExperienceHost.exe.1808.zip

[pyrates999]

Thank you for the crash from StartMenuExperienceHost.exe then. That is probably what is crashing with the windows 10 start menu.

[Amrsatrio]

Everyone please hold tight.

I am preparing a new release right now that stops the crashing, but there are couple chores left that I have to do.

The Windows 10 Start menu backend has been nuked in this build. Your options now:

• Go back to Release (buys you 1 month)
• Swap C:\Windows\System32\StartTileData.dll with a version from 26xxx.8457 (x64; ARM64). You'll have to do this every update or after every sfc /scannow. You can do this now by changing owner to Everyone, giving Administrators full access to the file, renaming it to another name like StartTileData-.dll and then placing the file from 8457.
  • Update after 26300.8553 drop: Doing this would make the Start menu page in Settings crash.
• Wait until I have reimplemented the nuked bits. ETA: 1 month.

I don't need crash dumps and console output. Everything's sorted out already in my working tree.

Please, I beg you all to be patient. It was expected that they would nuke the unused bits, but I was unsure which bits exactly in the 6MB jungle so I decided to leave it until they've done it and act accordingly.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. 🙏