Administrators running Windows 11 version 24H2 are reporting widespread UI failures following the July 2025 cumulative update KB5062553, which has now been officially acknowledged by Microsoft.
The issue severely impacts Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) deployments and any device performing a first-time user logon after the update. Users encounter missing shell elements, broken navigation menus, and in many cases, a completely unusable desktop.
What’s Causing the Windows 11 Shell Failure?
Short-tail keywords: Windows 11 bug, KB5062553 issue, Start Menu not working
Long-tail keywords: Windows 11 24H2 Start Menu crash, Windows 11 taskbar missing after update, Windows 11 VDI XAML registration issue
According to reports, critical shell components—including the Start Menu, Taskbar, and System Settings—fail to initialize because the OS does not register essential XAML dependency packages in time during user logon.
VDI platforms and non-persistent environments are especially vulnerable because application packages must be provisioned for each new user session. When the shell attempts to load UI components before these packages are ready, processes such as:
- StartMenuExperienceHost.exe
- ShellHost.exe
- explorer.exe
may crash or silently fail.
Symptoms Reported by Affected Users
Administrators have documented a range of UI problems:
- Empty or invisible taskbars
- Unresponsive Start button
- Repeated crashes of explorer.exe
- System Settings failing to launch
- Black screens or incomplete shell initialization
These issues can also affect physical devices creating a new user profile immediately after the update is installed.
Components and Impacted XAML Dependencies
| Component | Reported Symptom | Affected Dependency Package |
|---|---|---|
| Explorer.exe | Missing taskbar or continuous crashes | MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy |
| Start Menu | Critical error or failure to launch | Microsoft.UI.Xaml.CBS_8wekyb3d8bbwe |
| System Settings | Silent failure to open | MicrosoftWindows.Client.Core_cw5n1h2txyewy |
| ImmersiveShell | Black screen or partially loaded desktop | XAML Island views |
Root cause: a race condition preventing XAML UI packages from registering before the shell initializes.
Temporary Fixes and Workarounds
While Microsoft is developing a permanent patch, several proven mitigation steps can restore functionality.
Fix for Persistent Installations
Run these commands inside the affected user session:
Add-AppxPackage -Register -Path 'C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy\appxmanifest.xml' -DisableDevelopmentMode
Add-AppxPackage -Register -Path 'C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.CBS_8wekyb3d8bbwe\appxmanifest.xml' -DisableDevelopmentMode
Add-AppxPackage -Register -Path 'C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.Core_cw5n1h2txyewy\appxmanifest.xml' -DisableDevelopmentMode
After running the registrations, restart the SiHost process or reboot the device.
Recommended Fix for VDI & Non-Persistent Environments
For environments where the issue recurs at every logon, a synchronous logon script ensures explorer.exe does not launch before XAML packages finish registering.
VDI Logon Script Example
@echo off
REM Register MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "Add-AppxPackage -Register -Path 'C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy\appxmanifest.xml' -DisableDevelopmentMode"
REM Register Microsoft.UI.Xaml.CBS
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "Add-AppxPackage -Register -Path 'C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.CBS_8wekyb3d8bbwe\appxmanifest.xml' -DisableDevelopmentMode"
REM Register MicrosoftWindows.Client.Core
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "Add-AppxPackage -Register -Path 'C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.Core_cw5n1h2txyewy\appxmanifest.xml' -DisableDevelopmentMode"
Administrators should deploy this script synchronously and thoroughly test it in a staging environment before rolling it out to production VDI pools.
Conclusion
The KB5062553 update for Windows 11 24H2 introduces a significant UI regression caused by XAML package registration failures. Until the permanent fix arrives, administrators can mitigate the problem using manual AppX registrations or a structured VDI logon script.
Keeping an eye on future update rollouts from Microsoft is essential to preventing further disruptions and ensuring stable desktop experiences across both persistent and non-persistent environments.
