Are you unable to open the Action Center on your Windows 11 PC? Don’t worry! This issue has proved to be a headache for a good many PC users. So, you shouldn’t curse your PC for being embroiled in this vexing problem. Considering how essential the Action Center is, the sooner you resolve the issue and restore its full functionality the better it is for your workflow. Keeping this very need in mind, I’m going to line up the 15 most effective ways to fix the Windows 11 Action Center not opening problem.
Best Tips to Resolve Windows 11 Action Center Not Opening
What prevents the Action Center from opening on PC? From the conflicting elements to software glitches to the out-of-the-blue malware attacks, there are many reasons why this pivotal feature goes out of track and starts malfunctioning.
1. Restart Windows Explorer
Note that restarting Windows Explorer can let you refresh the system UI and fix temporary glitches.
- To get it done, press
Ctrl + Shift + Escto open Task Manager. - Now, you need to locate Windows Explorer under the Processes tab.
- After that, make sure to right-click it and select Restart in the popup menu.
2. Use Keyboard Shortcut
If the Action Center doesn’t open by clicking the icon, I’d recommend you try out this super handy shortcut as it has proved to be lucky for a handful of PC folks.
- Simply, press
Win + Ato open Quick Settings. - Press
Win + Nto open Notifications.
3. Re-enable Action Center via Settings
If Action Center is disabled, it’d be apt to re-enable it from the system settings.
- Press
Win + Ito open the Settings app on your Windows 11 device. - Navigate to Personalization > Taskbar.
- Click Taskbar corner overflow and ensure Action Center is enabled.
4. Check Group Policy Settings
Be warned that your wrongly configured Group Policy settings might be blocking the Action Center.
- Press
Win + Rto fire up the Run dialog > typegpedit.msc, and hit Enter. - After that, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar.
- Double-click Remove Notifications and Action Center and set it to Not Configured or Disabled.
5. Run the SFC and DISM Scans
System file corruption can cause UI issues, including a non-responsive Action Center.
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Run
sfc /scannowand wait for the scan to complete.
- Next, run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealthDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
6. Restart Essential Services
Certain services must be running for the Action Center to work properly.
- Press
Win + R, typeservices.msc, and press Enter. - Find System Event Notification Service, Windows Event Log, and Remote Procedure Call (RPC).
- Ensure their Startup type is set to Automatic, and restart them.
7. Delete the UsrClass.dat File
It’s worth pointing out that the corrupted UsrClass.dat file can cause UI-related issues.
- Open File Explorer and navigate to:
%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows - Locate UsrClass.dat and rename it to UsrClass.old.
- Up next, be sure to restart your PC to generate a new file.
8. Update Windows
It goes without saying that installing the latest updates can fix bugs affecting the Action Center.
- Just head over to the Settings app on your PC (Press
Win + I). - Go to Windows Update and click Check for updates.
- If updates are available, install them and restart your PC.
9. Perform a Clean Boot
It’s time to take control of the conflicting third-party apps as they may be interfering with the Action Center.
- On your Windows 11 device, press
Win + R, typemsconfig, and press Enter. - Under the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services and click Disable all.
- Go to the Startup tab, open Task Manager, and disable startup apps.
- Restart your PC and check if the issue persists.
10. Re-register Action Center
No luck as yet? Now, I’d suggest you re-register the Action Center as it can fix missing or unresponsive UI elements.
- Open PowerShell as an administrator.
- Run:
Get-AppxPackage | % {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue} - Restart your PC and check if the Action Center opens.
11. Check for the Corrupt User Profile
If your user profile is corrupted on your PC, try switching to a new one.
- On your PC, press
Win + Ito launch the Settings app. - Now, you need to navigate to Accounts.
- Next up, click Other users and select Add account.
- Create a new local account and sign in to check if the Action Center works.
12. Enable Notifications via Registry Editor
Misconfigured registry settings can block the Action Center from opening. Therefore, be sure to activate the Notifications via Registry Editor to bring the AC back into action.
- To begin with,
Win + R, typeregedit, and press Enter. - Navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer - If DisableNotificationCenter exists, double-click it and set its value to 0.
13. Run the Windows Troubleshooter
Do you know that the built-in troubleshooter can help diagnose Action Center issues?
- Dive into the Settings app > Then, head over to the System tab > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
- Run the Windows Update and System Maintenance troubleshooters.
14. Reset Windows UI Components
More often than not, resetting UI components can let you resolve persistent issues.
- To get it done, open PowerShell as an administrator.
- Run the command:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | Reset-AppxPackage - Restart your PC and check if the Action Center opens.
15. Perform a System Restore
If the Action Center malfunctioning recently started on your PC, restoring your system can come in handy in getting rid of the problem.
- Launch the Run dialog by pressing
Win + R> typerstrui, and press Enter. - After that, select a restore point before the issue started.
- Up next, you have to follow the on-screen instructions to restore Windows.
There you have it! Fixing the Action Center in Windows 11 can be simple with these effective troubleshooting steps. Having said that, let me know which method helped you sort out the issue.
