[How To] Fix Critical Error In Windows 10 – Start Menu & Cortana Not Working (Solved)

Many of you must have upgraded your Windows 8/8.1 into Windows 10? How was your experience with it? If you are reading this post, I don’t think it was a great experience. Are you facing the most common problems that most of the Windows 10 users are facing? Did you receive a popup message saying that ‘Critical Error in Windows 10- Start Menu and Cortana aren’t working? You are not the only one who is facing this problem, many others are there and, therefore, we have come up with all the possible solutions for the Critical Error in Windows 10.

Possible Solutions To Fix Critical Error in Windows 10

Attempts have been made to escape the problem by rebooting the system, refreshing the system, creation of a new account, but the sad news is that it has failed most of the times. So, the solution that we offer is a bit different. We would like to inform you that there is no permanent fix/solution for the Critical Error in Windows 10 that most of the users are facing.

Microsoft is still trying to sort the problem and as there is no permanent fix of the Critical Error in Windows 10. We have come up with a temporary fix to solve the problem of Critical Error in Windows 10 that is preventing the Start Menu and Cortana from working.

First Temporary Fix For Critical Error in Windows 10

Here comes our first troubleshooting step to fix critical error in Windows 10. Most of the users have solved this error with this fix. check your luck.

Step 1:

Since your start menu isn’t working, you need to hold down the Shift key, while pressing the power option. The restart icon will appear, click on that.

Another way of doing it is by entering the Window Recovery Environment > Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Setting > Restart.

If normal Restart didn’t work, try the below-mentioned step which will restart your machine in safe mode. 99% of users found this trick working.

You can also restart your PC/laptop by pressing the “Windows key and R” key together. The Run command box will open, type ‘msconfig’.

It will automatically open the System Configuration module and then click on the ‘Boot‘. Now tick the box beside ‘Safe Boot‘ and pick ‘Networking’.

Click Apply. This will restart your system in a Safe Mode with Networking.

Once you are restarted in Safe Mode with Networking, run the same ‘msconfig‘ command in Run box and now uncheck ‘Safe Boot‘ under the ‘Boot‘ tab and click Apply.

Now your PC/Laptop will restart normally and hopefully, you won’t see the critical error in Windows 10 anymore.

Second Temporary Fix For Critical Error in Windows 10

Step 1: Search PowerShell and right-click on PowerShell icon and select “Run as Administrator”.

Step 2: Paste the script mentioned below.
Get-AppXPackage –AllUsers | Foreach {Add –AppXPackage –DisableDevelopmentMode –Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}

Step 3: You need to wait as PowerShell will take a few minutes to carry out the process.

Step 4: Ignore if any error message is displayed on the screen.

Step 5: When the process is completed, press on the start menu to check whether it is working or not.

Third Temporary Fix For Critical Error in Windows 10

Microsoft has come up with Windows 10 Cumulative Update KB3093266. Try installing the update but it’s my duty to tell you that this alone won’t fix the problem. You have to wait for further updates from Microsoft to fight against the Critical Error in Windows 10.

The Microsoft team has come up with a statement saying, ‘This update contains more improvements for anyone who’s been seeing issues with start menu reliability or the critical error dialogs mentioning start and/or Cortana-def jump on it if you’re one of those impacted. Team continues to actively investigate other underlying causes for these issues, we appreciate your patience.’

Yeah, my friend, you read it write the Critical Error in Windows 10 is a test of your patience, so you need to show some patience.

Fourth Temporary Fix For Critical Error in Windows 10

To carry out this temporary fix for Critical Error in Windows 10, you need to have Avast antivirus on you computer.

Step 1: Go to My Computer and open C Drive (your installation directory)

Step 2: Navigate to Program Files.

Step 3: Open the Avast folder.

Step 4: Run Avast UI.

Step 5: Go to the ‘Setting’ option and click on ‘Update’.

Step 6: Restart your PC/ laptop after the update is done.

Some users in Reddit claimed, Avast antivirus is the culprit in their cases. So it is advised to uninstall or update Avast on your machine to solve critical error in Windows 10.

Check this gudie from WikiHow to uninstall Avast Antivirus completely to fix critical error in Windows 10

Fifth Temporary Fix For Critical Error in Windows 10

Step 1: Turn off your PC/ laptop.

Step 2: When your PC/ laptop starts rebooting again, press F8 repeatedly in a quick succession.

You might hear a few beeps while pressing the F8 key again and again. Chances are there that when your Windows 10 starts operating, there will be no pop up about a problem stating Critical Error in Windows 10. (This particular fix for critical error may not work on all laptop brands)

Sixth Temporary Fix For Critical Error in Windows 10

Step 1: When the Critical Error in Windows 10 message appears, click on ‘logout’ there.

Step 2: The Power button in the bottom right, has ‘Restart’ option, click on it and hold down the Shift key.

Step 3: Keep on pressing the Shift key till your PC/ laptop shuts down and restarts again.

Step 4: Windows menu will appear on the screen, the last option on the menu has to be pressed as it will enable you to return to the previous version of the Windows.

Step 5: If the Login Window appears again, then repeat the above steps until the menu appears on the screen.

Seventh Temporary Fix For Critical Error in Windows 10

This fix might sound silly to many of my readers, but it has worked for few users. As there is no harm in trying, give it a shot. Turn PC on. When the error message regarding Critical Error in Windows 10 is shown, disconnect the power supply. Wait for few minutes and then turn your PC on again. The Critical Error in Windows 10 has magically disappeared for few users after this step.

This silly trick will only work on desktops/PC. For laptops, you may remove the battery if your machine allows it. Just give it a try and we can’t assure this fix for critical error in Windows 10 will work for all.

Bonus:  For Critical Error in Windows 10 [Solved]

If nothing worked for you, try the System Restore feature in Windows 10. This will surely solve the Critical error in Windows 10 magically in a matter of minutes. Please note this may lead to few data lose but I don’t think you have a better choice.

This will only work if you have already created any restore point before critical error rises.

I know how you might be feeling without any permanent fix for Critical Error in Windows 10. But don’t we all know that something is better than nothing? Then, why not try the above temporary fixes for Critical Error in Windows 10 until Microsoft comes up with a permanent fix to solve the problem? Comment below if any of the above mentioned temporary fixes worked for you.