


While this is a known issue, going by Reddit tonight, it's a widespread one, not just a few random computers. To workaround this if you are impacted, please try going to Windows Update > Update history, uninstalling the latest cumulative update for Windows, and the reinstall it by checking for updates. We're investigating reports from Insiders in the Beta Channel where after upgrading to Windows 11, they are not seeing the new Taskbar and the Start menu doesn't work. The issue is listed in the release notes, and states:

But for most users, this is nothing short of a nightmare. You can still run apps from the Taskmanager, and if you're fluent in CMD can get a lot done. You restart your PC and are greeted with a barren desktop. Turns out, today's Windows 11 Beta Channel release ( build 22000.176) is wreaking havoc on many more PCs than previously. There are known issues, and then there's one helluva known issue. Update #1 September 2: Microsoft has published its own fix, which requires modification of the registry. Learn more about extensions and themes.Update #2 September 3: A new report suggests a pop-up for Microsoft Teams may have caused the problem, not the Insider builds themselves.
