Operating systems from Microsoft cannot boast of impeccable work - sometimes when using Windows, errors and problems appear in the most unexpected places, including the "Start" menu. From this article, you will learn about what to do when the sad emoticon has occurs in the mentioned menu on devices running Windows 10.
Methods of error correction with sad smile in the "Start" menu
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the described problem occurs if you use the Startisback ++ program. It is a specialized software that allows you to change the appearance and functionality of the standard "Start" menu in Windows 10. We wrote about this application within one of the reviews.
Read more: Setting the appearance of the "Start" menu in Windows 10
In practice, the error described in the article looks like this:
There are three basic methods that will allow you to get rid of the sad emoticon when you open the "Start" menu.
Method 1: Software Reactivation
The previously mentioned program Startisback ++ applies to a fee basis. It can be used for free only one month. The emoticon that appears can symbolize the completion of the test period. Check and fix it is easy.
- Click on the "Start" button with the right mouse button, and then select "Properties" from the context menu.
- On the left side of the window that opened the window, go to the "About Program" section. In it, pay attention to the upper area. If you see the inscription there, which is shown in the screenshot below, then the case is true in the activation of the program. For its further use you need to buy the key or find it on the Internet. After that, click the "Activate" button.
- In a new window, enter the existing license key, then click the "Activation" button.
- If everything went successfully, the key will be counted, and you will see the appropriate entry in the "About Program" tab. After that, a sad smile will disappear from the Start menu. If the application initially was activated, try the following method.
Method 2: Repeated Installation
Sometimes sad smile can be observed even in the STARTISBACK ++ activated program. In this case, you should try to delete software with all data and install it again. Please note that as a result, it will be necessary to enter the license key again, so make sure it is available before proceeding to perform the actions described. We also note that this method in some cases allows you to reset the test period.
- Click on the keyboard combination "Windows + R". In the Opening window of the "Run" snap window, enter the Control command, and then press the "OK" or "ENTER" button on the keyboard.
Method 3: Changing the date
One of the reasons for the appearance of a sad emoticon may be an error in the time and date. The fact is that the mentioned program is very sensitive to such parameters. If, due to the system error, the date has begun, Startisback ++ can recognize similar as the termination of the license period. In this case, you only need to set the date correctly. About how to do it, you can learn from our separate article.
Read more: Time changes in Windows 10
Thus, you learned about the basic solutions of the problem with the sad emoticon in the Start menu on Windows 10. As a conclusion, we would like to remind you that there are quite a lot of free analogues of the Startisback ++ program, for example the same Open Shell. If nothing helps at all, try using it.