Forum Discussion
The Start menu opens correctly but refuses to accept keyboard input
My Start menu opens normally when I click it, but it completely ignores my keyboard. I can't type to search for apps or files, and arrow keys don't move the selection either, so I have to use the mouse for everything.
2 Replies
If typing works in Notepad but neither typing nor arrow keys work in Start, the Start menu or Windows text-input process may be stuck.
Try these two fixes first:
- Press Win + R, enter ctfmon.exe, and press Enter. This starts a Windows text-input component. Open Start and test typing again.
- If that does not help, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. On Windows 10, click More details if needed. Open the Details tab, select StartMenuExperienceHost.exe, and choose End task. Windows normally restarts it automatically; then reopen Start and test.
If it still ignores the keyboard, save your work and sign out of Windows, then sign back in. This restarts the user’s Start and input processes more completely than closing the menu.
If these steps only fix it temporarily, install available Windows updates. If you use a keyboard-remapping tool or a Start menu replacement, temporarily disable it and test again. Rebuilding the search index is not the first fix here, because arrow-key navigation is failing too.
I recommend to re-register Start with following PowerShell command:
Get-appxpackage -all *shellexperience* -packagetype bundle |% {add-appxpackage -register -disabledevelopmentmode ($_.installlocation + "\appxmetadata\appxbundlemanifest.xml")}
If the keyboard is not working with other apps as well, open Device Manager, locate the keyboard device, right click > Uninstall. Then click Action > Scan for hardware changes.
