The start menu tiles on Windows 10 make it easy to access pinned apps. Encountering blank tiles start menu windows10 instead of the logo of apps makes it hard to access the apps.
On top of that, some users are also seeing blank tiles that are not even showing app names.
Want to fix this? Keep on reading to learn the tricks.
What Are the Causes of Blank Start Menu Tiles on Windows 10?
- Corrupted icons database
- Missing or corrupted system files
- Windows Explorer glitches
How To Fix Blank Tiles Start Menu in Windows 10?
- Restart Your Computer
- Restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager
- Delete Icon Cache
- Check System Files
- Update Windows
- The Start Menu Troubleshooter
- Pin the Tiles to the Start Menu Again
- Create a New Profile
1. Restart Your Computer
Sometimes, bugs and glitches create weird problems like blank app tile shortcuts. The solution to these problems can be as simple as a system reboot. Save your work and restart your PC to get live tiles back.
2. Restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager
In case you don’t want to restart your computer but want to fix blank tiles immediately start menu Windows 10, restart Windows Explorer instead.
- Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager. Or Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut to open Task Manager.
- When it opens, you’ll be in the Processes tab. Click ‘Name’ to arrange the Windows processes in alphabetical order.
- Type ‘windows explorer to find the process.
- Right-click it and select ‘End task’ on its context menu.
- This will restart Windows Explorer.
3. Delete Icon Cache
The icons and tiles on Windows are also saved on the drive so quick access in the cache folder. Corrupted files in this data will lead to no icons on the desktop and empty tiles on the start menu.
As a potential fix, delete the icon cache folder and let Windows rebuild it:
- Launch File Explorer from the taskbar.
- Click ‘View’ on the menu bar and choose ‘Folder options’.
- Switch to the ‘View’ tab and then select ‘Show hidden files, folders, and drives’.
- After this, open File Explorer and go to Local Drive C > Users > your username > AppData > Local.
- Delete the file ‘IconCache.db’ by right-clicking and selecting ‘Delete’.
- Then, delete it from the Recycle Bin.
- Restart your computer.
4. Check System Files
You should run a system file checker (SFC scan) to detect and fix these files.
- Click the Cortana button, type cmd in the search box, and select ‘Open as administrator’. Or Press the Win key + X hotkey and choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- On the command prompt window, input the following command and press the Return key:
- DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
- Then, type sfc /scannow and hit enter. This system file scan may take 20-30 minutes. Files are scanned and Windows Resource Protection fixes them.
- After its completion, restart your PC.
5. Update Windows
Windows updates can fix many bugs and issues like the blank tiles start menu in Windows 10. So, try updating your Windows:
- Go to Settings > Update & Security
- Click the ‘Check for updates’ button.
6. The Start Menu Troubleshooter
Many people on the internet are suggesting a start menu troubleshooter by Microsoft. That troubleshooter is discounted and no longer accessible on the Microsoft website.
Some websites provide a copy of the tool uploaded on their own or a third-party server. If you want to use it, run a search on Google ‘start menu troubleshooter’. I don’t recommend downloading it from unofficial sources. Use it at your own risk.
- Open it and select ‘Apply repair automatically’.
- Click the Next button to fix the start menu.
7. Pin the Tiles to the Start Menu Again
Try to unpin one tile from the start menu and pin that app again. If this brings back live tiles and notifications for that app, then do this for all the empty tiles.
8. Create a New Profile
Your existing user account may have corrupted files causing blank app tiles. Create a new user account on your computer and make it your primary account (administrator account).
- Disconnect from the internet to create a profile without a Microsoft account.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Family & users > Add someone else to this PC
- Enter the username and password and create the account.
- Set the new account as an admin account and click the Finish or OK button.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned solutions will fix blank tiles and start the menu in Windows 10. If all else fails, pin the apps again to the start menu or create a new user account.