Windows 11 25H2 desktop shell broken after January updates
Hello, We are seeing a repeatable issue after upgrading users to Windows 11 25H2 and installing the January 2026 cumulative updates, and I’m trying to determine if this is a known or emerging regression. Affected machines are on OS Build: (10.0.26200.7623) Issue Summary After the update, some users experience a broken Desktop shell: Desktop folder icons do not open when double-clicked Recycle Bin does not open from the Desktop Right-click context menus appear, but Open / double-click does nothing The same folders open normally when accessed via File Explorer using the full path Issue affects only certain users, but we have now seen it on multiple machines Recycle Bin being affected suggests this is not a file or OneDrive issue, but a Desktop shell / namespace problem. Environment Windows 11 25H2 January 2026 cumulative updates installed Microsoft 365 environment OneDrive in use with Desktop Known Folder Move enabled Issue appeared after the 25H2 + January CU combination Troubleshooting Already Performed Restarted Explorer, ShellExperienceHost, StartMenuExperienceHost Cleared Explorer Bags / BagMRU (HKCU) Reset icon and thumbnail caches Forced OneDrive files to be local (“Always keep on this device”) Renamed affected folders (removed special characters) Verified desktop path resolution Confirmed issue persists across reboots In at least one case, clearing Explorer Bags caused the Desktop to fail to re-render until reboot, further pointing to shell state corruption. Observed Behavior Desktop icons visually render Click handlers do not fire Recycle Bin (CLSID object) is non-functional from Desktop File Explorer itself continues to work normally Expected Behavior Desktop icons and shell objects (including Recycle Bin) should open normally. Question Has anyone else seen reports of: Desktop shell / namespace issues Recycle Bin not opening Desktop icons becoming non-interactive after Windows 11 25H2 + January cumulative updates, particularly in environments using OneDrive Known Folder Move? If this is a known issue or being investigated, any confirmation or guidance would be appreciated. Thanks.
"Start Menu -> All Apps" Some installed Apps are not showing; Do not show up in Search
Hi, I just got myself a new Windows 11 machine running 22H2. When installing some applications, I noted that they had been successfully installed, and can be run up manually from their "Program Files" folders respectively. Also checked under "Settings -> Apps -> Installed Apps" that these application had been installed successfully. However, when I try to look them up from Start Menu -> All Apps, I noticed that some applications did not show in this menu. In addition, when I do a search from the Start Menu for these affected apps, these apps could not be found. I tried going to their respective .exe files to "Pin to Start" and they do appear on the Start Menu's pinned section and now show up when I perform a search from the Start Menu. But they still do not show up when I try to find them on "All Apps". Obviously, once I remove the pin, they do not show up from the search menu anymore. Is there anyway I can resolve this? Thanks!
Windows 11, Phone paired and connects for a few seconds before disconnecting again.
Device: Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-72 Issue: Bluetooth was working fine for the first week after setup, but it now fails to stay connected with any smartphone. I need Bluetooth for features like Dynamic Lock. When connecting from the laptop to a phone, the connection briefly succeeds and then disconnects. When connecting from the phone to the laptop, the phone says: "Can't connect to [device name]". Troubleshooting steps already attempted: Uninstalled all Bluetooth drivers using Device Manager and reinstalled the latest from Acer’s support site Unpaired and restarted both laptop and phone before trying again Removed old ibtusb driver files using pnputil /enum-drivers Ran the Bluetooth Troubleshooter in Windows Settings Installed all available Windows Updates Disabled Fast Startup in Power Options Checked that Bluetooth services are running in services.msc Tried multiple phones to confirm it’s not a device-specific issue Used Intel Driver & Support Assistant to check for missing drivers (none found) Temporarily disabled antivirus to check for software interference Would appreciate any guidance or additional steps I can try to fully resolve this. Thanks in advance.How do I completely wipe an SD card and make it unrecoverable?
I heard that a simple format of an SD card doesn't actually erase the data and that files could be recovered. Currently, I am working on a data disposition project and require authoritative guidance on secure SD card sanitization. Could you elaborate on the distinction between software-based overwriting methodologies and hardware-based cryptographic sanitization via the ATA Secure Erase command? What are the specific tool recommendations and procedural considerations for dealing with wear-leveling and reserved sectors on modern flash media? I need to clear or completely wipe an SD card and make the SD card unrecoverable. Your detailed technical insight will be instrumental in establishing a compliant and verifiable data destruction workflow. Thank you for your contribution to this critical operational security matter.
How to efficiently clean up disk space in windows 11?
Hi, I don't know why my disk is full. The c drive takes about 100 GB storage after Windows 11 update. I've already used Disk Cleanup and Storage Sense, but I'm still struggling with low disk space. Are there any advanced methods or tools to efficiently clean up disk space in windows 11? I suspect there might be hidden large files or old Windows update leftovers taking up space. Thanks in advance for your help!
My Cursor disappears when writing in Word, editor or any Office program.
Hello, while writing in Word, Wordpad, Libreoffice and editor, my cursor Disappears. I tried every option, resetting my setting to an older date, updating my drivers, disabling the option in the properties of my Mouse, switchting to "beam_r". I dont know but nothing helpes. I would be Happy if someone could help because Microsoft Tech support couldnt help me and send me to this place. and sorry if I have choosen the wrong Labels, idk which one would fit in here.
