What to do if Windows Terminal won't start in Windows 11

Windows Terminal, which allows you to integrate Command Prompt and PowerShell in Windows 11, is a very useful tool, but sometimes it can suddenly stop starting.

For developers and system administrators, not being able to use the terminal is a serious problem that directly affects work efficiency.

This page explains how to use Windows 11Start buttonThis article explains what to do if clicking "Terminal" or "Terminal (Administrator)" in the right-click menu does not respond or an error message is displayed.

Reasons why Windows Terminal won't start and how to fix it

There are many reasons why Windows Terminal may not start, but in most cases it is due to corrupted configuration files, corrupted app itself, or a system problem.

Here we will introduce some common causes and effective solutions.

1. Windows Terminal is frozen

For example, if Windows Terminal is running in the background and has frozen for some reason, it may not respond no matter how many times you try to start it.

Open the task manager and check it once.

1.Start buttonRight click on it and open Task Manager.

2. Open the "Details" tab and search for "WindowsTerminal.exe".

3. If "WindowsTerminal.exe" exists, right-click on it and click "End Task".

4. You will be asked "Do you want to terminate WindowsTerminal.exe?", so click "End Process".

5. Once you have confirmed that "WindowsTerminal.exe" no longer exists in Task Manager, try launching the terminal from the right-click menu of the Start button.

2. Corruption of the settings file and the app itself

If the settings file or the app itself is corrupted, an error message will appear and the app will not start.

The error may be displayed directly,Event viewer,信頼性モニターIt may be recorded in.

If the app cannot be started due to corruption in the settings file or the app itself, resetting or repairing the app may resolve the issue.

1. Right-click on the Start button and click "Installed Apps".

2. "Settings" > "Apps" > "Installed Apps" will open, scroll down on the right side to find "Terminal", click "... (More options)" to the right of "Terminal", and click "Advanced options".

3. Scroll down and click "Repair" and "Reset" to execute them.

When you "Reset", the configuration file will be reset and the terminal settings will return to their initial state.

4. Once the "Repair" and "Reset" are complete, try launching Terminal from the right-click menu of the Start button.

3. Reinstall the Terminal

Usually, a "repair" and "reset" will solve the problem, but if that doesn't work, try reinstalling the terminal.

1. Right-click on the Start button and click "Installed Apps".

2. Open "Settings" > "Apps" > "Installed Apps". Scroll down on the right side to find "Terminal", click "... (More options)" to the right of "Terminal", and click "Uninstall".

3. A confirmation screen for uninstallation will appear, so click "Uninstall".

If you uninstall Terminal, the "Terminal" option in the Start right-click menu will be replaced with "Windows PowerShell."

4. Open the "Microsoft Store" app from the Start menu, type "Terminal" in the search box, and open the "Windows Terminal" that appears.

5. Click the "Install (or "Get")" button to install Terminal.

6. Once the installation is complete, the "Install (or "Get")" button will change to "Open," so click it.