Solved Some start menu icons are blank tiles

[tundrwd]

After the last update on 11/2, I now have 2 MS installed apps that now have blank tiles, instead of an image/icon in them. Pin/unpin them to the start menu - still the same. When running, or if I pin them to taskbar - they have icons.

Since they are the default MS apps (maps and calculator), I cannot uninstall and reinstall them (even though they exist on the app store and tell me they're "installed"). I've tried deleting the iconcache.db file, several items short of a refresh, nothing works. I've read that this seems to be some kind of MS bug that's been floating around since Win7/8 days.

Has anyone who has had this issue successfully fixed it - without loading "Brand X" icon utility that comes with it's own payload of crap-ola?

 

[leeshor]

I support hundreds of systems and never saw that before. You may want to install and run CCleaner. Be certain to check the settings so that you don't remove stuff like passwords and cookies before you run it. Then restart.

 

[tundrwd]

I support hundreds of systems and never saw that before. You may want to install and run CCleaner. Be certain to check the settings so that you don't remove stuff like passwords and cookies before you run it. Then restart.

Yeah, but do a google or bing search "Windows 10 start menu blank tile". You'll see a lot crop up, and many of these are back from Windows 7/8. A few for Windows 10. And CCleaner is one of those "not sure" apps. Yes, it works, but there's also been issues from time-to-time with it and adware, etc. Not sure that's been entirely resolved, and there are definitely areas of it you shouldn't use (clean the registry). That will almost certainly break your system.

Anyway, I did solve the problem - sometimes you have to ask the question to have an answer 5 minutes later (started thinking there's GOT to be a way to uninstall most of this stuff). The trick is to uninstall and reinstall them. But, as I said, they are internal apps, so you can't use the normal method to uninstall them. However, another google search later, and came up with this: How to Uninstall Windows 10’s Built-in Apps (and How to Reinstall Them)

Using Powershell, you can install many (not all) of the internal apps, and then go back to the store, etc. to reinstall them. I did that, and now have the icon/image back on the tile. I've got that one in my Evernote pile...

 

[RichBrownsDesk]

I had that happen on the Surface 3. Have you tried clicking the icons and seeing if the picture comes in?

 

[tundrwd]

I had that happen on the Surface 3. Have you tried clicking the icons and seeing if the picture comes in?

Nothing I could find or do short of uninstalling/reinstalling worked. Click on tile - program would run, but nothing.

 

[Cactus_Pete]

Yeah, but do a google or bing search "Windows 10 start menu blank tile". You'll see a lot crop up, and many of these are back from Windows 7/8. A few for Windows 10. And CCleaner is one of those "not sure" apps. Yes, it works, but there's also been issues from time-to-time with it and adware, etc. Not sure that's been entirely resolved, and there are definitely areas of it you shouldn't use (clean the registry). That will almost certainly break your system.

Anyway, I did solve the problem - sometimes you have to ask the question to have an answer 5 minutes later (started thinking there's GOT to be a way to uninstall most of this stuff). The trick is to uninstall and reinstall them. But, as I said, they are internal apps, so you can't use the normal method to uninstall them. However, another google search later, and came up with this: How to Uninstall Windows 10’s Built-in Apps (and How to Reinstall Them)

Using Powershell, you can install many (not all) of the internal apps, and then go back to the store, etc. to reinstall them. I did that, and now have the icon/image back on the tile. I've got that one in my Evernote pile...

 

[Cactus_Pete]

This did the trick! Quick and simple. Thanks tundrwd and How to Geek! I'll remember this trick.