Windows 10 Start Menu resets at log off / log on

[EktoHunter]

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 Version 26100.4946.69.6

When logging off and then logging back on after, restarting the pc or shutting it down, the start menu layout will reset to the default as seen below in the screenshots / media section

It also causes an error to try and use the Export-StartLayout powershell command so I can't save the layout and write a script to automatically re-use my previous layout.

Repro Windows Versions

Windows Verison: 11 25H2 Build 26200.7840 AMD64

3rd party tweak software installed

Lively Wallpaper

Describe the bug

1. Enable the Windows 10 start menu
2. Customize it with your apps, or just remove the apps added by default
3. Once you're done, log off, restart or turn off the computer
4. Turn the computer back on or log back on

Expected outcome

The tiles should retain and be saved when I log back on

Actual outcome

The tiles reset to their default, original state the microsoft store and some recommended Office365 apps

Additional info

No response

Crash Dumps

No response

Media

[pyrates999]

can you post the error when you use the powershell command? https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/startlayout/export-startlayout

[EktoHunter]

Sure, here's the error:

Additionally, sometimes after logging back in, some of these empty/broken boxes appear as well with Links such as W~com.squirrel.Teams.Teams, P~Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoftl and P~Microsoft.Office.OneNote_8wekyb3d8bbwe!microsoft

[pyrates999]

The file is 0 bytes, so it is not saving the start menu layout for you. Can you try in your users directory: C:\users<your username>. You should have write access to that.

[EktoHunter]

There seem to be some PowerShell components that no longer exist within Windows 11

ProcMon Log:
10:50:37,5108056 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5112294 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5113886 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5117705 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.psd1 NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5124942 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.psm1 NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5126316 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.cdxml NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5128964 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.ni.dll NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5133088 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.dll NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5137628 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.exe NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5138659 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.psd1 PATH NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5154897 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.psm1 PATH NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5157491 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.cdxml PATH NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5162225 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.ni.dll PATH NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5166479 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.dll PATH NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a 10:50:37,5167602 pwsh.exe 22540 CreateFile C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\StartLayout\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands\Microsoft.Windows.StartLayout.Commands.exe PATH NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a

[pyrates999]

that may be why it's not working for you then.

[EktoHunter]

Maybe. I guess that when Microsoft deprecated Import-StartLayout, that they probably also deprecated Export-StartLayout even if it isn't listed in the learn article. However, that only affects import/export of the StartLayout, this shouldn't be causing the issues of the StartLayout not getting saved. Something during the login process must be replacing the layout in question, and I wonder if anyone else on the insider preview build of Windows 11 25h2 Build 26200.7840 can replicate this issue.

Correction: Just checked on a computer running Windows 10 21H2, the files don't exist there, either

[pyrates999]

that is no longer an insider preview build: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/february-10-2026-kb5077181-os-builds-26200-7840-and-26100-7840-f0fa9e54-a22a-4a06-96b6-bf5b2aded506

[EktoHunter]

In that case, maybe someone else with the same build can hopefully still reproduce the issue.

[pyrates999]

I would try creating a new account in windows, and install EP there. Then see if it is working or not.

And you're not using one of those custom versions of windows 11, or ran a script that removed some features from windows 11?

[EktoHunter]

I would try creating a new account in windows, and install EP there. Then see if it is working or not.

And you're not using one of those custom versions of windows 11, or ran a script that removed some features from windows 11?

Nope, I am using a normal Windows 11 ISO. The only special thing is that I am an active directory user.

[pyrates999]

Ok, thanks. Try creating a new account that is not active directory with EP installed and see if it is occurring still.

[Amrsatrio]

Can't repro on freshly installed & updated 26200.8037. Tiles persist after logoff and logon. I think I have to enroll my install into AD to see if they're somehow linked.