Start button left click nothing happens

Have a Dell XPS 11.
Clicking left on start button should open Cortana and Start Options.
Nothing happens.
There's a hamburger on the top left which will bring up the start menu, Most Used, Recently Added and File Explorer, Settings, etc. At the bottom, Power Symbol and a half hamburger that brings up all Apps.
It does not open the Cortana search.
Don't know what the owner did but all was OK at setup.
No Restore Points available.
Pete

If I understand you correctly, you are not alone.

Start menu button and search stopped opening/working Win 10Black screen after login



Seems like all we can do is wait for MS to fix, but there are some fixes you might try in those threads.

Hi, there are various ways of disabling Cortana, which you can easily find on the internet and then investigate. A search for 'Cortana not working' yields many results; perhaps one will help you.

What happens when you hit Win S? (Should launch Cortana). It is also possible to adversely affect Cortana by changing various privacy settings. Some have found the 'reset to default' (or similar) in O&O shutup's freeware program has helped.

I'm not quite clear what you're saying- it sounds like you do have a start screen, and missing Cortana is your main issue- can you confirm/ post a screen shot?

Also check the Action Centre, and check if e.g. Location is shaded out.

(System Restore is not enabled by default in Win 10)

I didn't explain this right.
Booting up comes to a screen that would normally be there when I clicked on the Start button.
Left clicking the Start button does nothing.
Right clicking in what little space does nothing.
Can be used by clicking on bottom left symbol opens all Apps.
Clicking on top left hamburger opens what would would be normal Desktop and tiles slide over.

Instead of the Desktop, the Life at a glance and Play and explore tiles are there.
Its got to be a setting somewhere.

Pete

 

Hi, is it as simple as you being in tablet mode when you expect to be in desktop mode?
Settings: System, Tablet Mode

Is that enough said?

I've set up a few 2-in-1s but I guess I never looked at the Tablet mode.

Thanks. I probably won't make this mistake again.

Pete

It's ok, others have done the same. Too many new settings..

Hi, is it as simple as you being in tablet mode when you expect to be in desktop mode?
Settings: System, Tablet Mode

Uhhh.... how do you get to "settings" if you can't open the "Life at a glance"... that is where the settings button is.

E.g. Rt click start button (or Win key + R) to open a Run box.
Then type or cut and paste
ms-settings:display
Then navigate to 'Tablet'.

QED