Programs disappearing on Windows 10? Here’s how to get them back

Microsoft has been deleting old programs from Windows 10 to make room for the latest versions of software. How can you get your favorite program back in case it’s gone? Here are some steps that should help, and a few alternatives if they don’t work.

The “program disappears when opened” is a problem that has been present for a while. The issue is caused by Windows 10 and the solution to fix it, is to get programs back.

Milan Stanojevic is a writer who lives in Belgrade, Serbia.

Windows & Software Expert

Milan has been fascinated by computers since he was a youngster, and this has led him to be interested in all PC-related technology. He worked as a front-end web developer before joining WindowsReport. Continue reading

Date last updated: April 20, 2022

Publish date: July 2020

• If an application does not appear where you left it, you should try reinstalling it. However, you must first remove it.
• Creating a new user profile is a viable solution to the application vanishing problem. 
• You might try deleting any corrupted pinned things on your PC to figure out what’s wrong. 
• You’ll need a cleaning application, which we discussed before in this post, to make sure you got rid of any lingering files.

BY CLICKING ON THE DOWNLOAD FILE, YOU CAN INSTALL XINSTALL.

We propose Restoro PC Repair Tool to address a variety of PC issues: This program will fix common computer faults, protect you against file loss, viruses, and hardware failure, and optimize your PC to run at its best. In three simple actions, you can immediately fix PC problems and eradicate viruses:

1. Download the Restoro PC Repair Tool, which includes patent-pending technologies (patent available here).
2. To detect Windows faults that may be causing PC difficulties, Start by pressing the Start button. Scan.
3. To correct problems that are hurting your computer’s security and performance, click Repair All.

• This month, 0 readers have downloaded Restoro.

No computer user expects applications to vanish, particularly pre-installed apps, since you’re certain they’re here to stay.

However, apps do sometimes disappear from your taskbar, start menu, or folders.

This problem of applications vanishing might occur if one of the following occurs:

• The objects that are pinned to your start-up menu or taskbar get corrupted.
• Apps that aren’t installed or Windows Updates that aren’t installed
• Programs and third-party apps are at odds.

This article outlines a few of the options for troubleshooting and resolving the problem of applications vanishing.

In Windows 10, how can I locate recently removed programs?

1. Remove things that have been pinned.

Whether the pinned items on your starting menu or taskbar are corrupted, you may erase them, then re-pin each item to the taskbar to see if the problem with apps vanishing is resolved.

From here, you may remove pinned items: [User name]/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft Internet Explorer/Quick Launch/User/Pinned Taskbar C:/Users/[User name]/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft Internet Explorer/Quick Launch/User/Pinned Taskbar

You may re-pin the apps to the taskbar after deleting the previously pinned objects.

2. Make a new user account.

Create a new user profile, then modify the settings to administrator rights to see whether the problem with applications vanishing still exists.

The following steps will show you how to create a new user profile:

1. Start by pressing the Start button.
2. Choose your options.
3. Accounts to choose from
4. Click Add another user to this computer.
5. Fill in the user name and password fields on the form. A new user account will be created for you.
6. Change account type by clicking on it.
7. To set the account to administrator level, click the drop-down arrow and choose Administrator.
8. Start your computer again.
9. Log in to your newly created account.

If the problem disappears, it’s possible that your other user profile is corrupted.

If your user profile is corrupted, you might attempt the following:

1. Make advantage of your new account to downgrade your old one.
2. Click OK or Apply.
3. Restore your former account’s default administrator level.
4. Rinse and repeat a few times to eradicate any remaining contamination.
5. Keep your Administrator account active.

When utilizing the newly established account, see whether the problem of applications vanishing goes away. If it happens, you have the option of fixing the old user account or migrating to the new one.

Follow the directions in this troubleshooting guide for further information on how to repair a corrupted user profile.

3. Use the Troubleshooter in the App

• Right Start by pressing the Start button.
• Control Panel should be selected.
• Change the View by option to Large icons in the upper right corner.
• Troubleshooting may be found by clicking here.

• On the left side, choose the View all option.
• Apps from the Windows Store

• To use the app troubleshooter, follow the instructions.

4. Recover from the Start Menu’s All Programs

When apps vanish from your start menu, taskbar, or folders, it’s typically because your system’s optimization software has been infected with a virus.

If just particular apps are vanishing from your computer, you may manually repair it by following these steps:

1. Locate the program’s current executing file.
2. Construct a shortcut
3. Paste it in the C:/Documents and Settings/All Users/Start Menu/Programs directory.

The associated folders are hidden if the majority of the apps vanish but run successfully from the Start search field box. If this is the case, take the following steps:

1. In the Address Bar, type the following: C:/Program/Data/Microsoft Windows/Start Menu
2. Press the Enter key.
3. Right-click on the empty area.
4. Select Property.
5. Navigate to the General tab.
6. Check to see whether the Hide property is enabled. If it is, uncheck it.
7. Click Ok
8. If asked, enter your administrator account password or give rights.

Note: If All Programs vanishes, review the configuration state of items connected to group policies to find a solution.

5. Restore the system to its original state.

When you install new programs, drivers, or Windows updates, or when you manually generate restore points, use System restore to create restore points.

If you’re having problems with applications vanishing, try restoring the system to see if that helps.

Here’s how to restore your system:

1. Start by pressing the Start button.
2. Type System Restore into the search field box.
3. In the list of search results, choose System Restore.
4. If asked, enter your administrator account password or give rights.
5. Choose a new restoration point in the System Restore dialog box.
6. Next should be selected.
7. Select a restore point from before you had the problem with applications missing.
8. Next should be selected.
9. Finish by clicking the Finish button.

Your personal files are unaffected by the restoration. It does, however, delete any programs, drivers, or updates that were installed after the restore point was established.

To return to a previous restore point, do the following steps:

1. Right Start by pressing the Start button.
2. Control Panel should be selected.
3. Type Recovery into the control panel’s search box.
4. Select Recuperation
5. Open System Restore by clicking the button.
6. Next should be selected.
7. Choose a restoration point for the application, app, driver, or update that isn’t working.
8. Next should be selected.
9. Finish by clicking the Finish button.

6. Run an SFC scan.

This is how you do it:

1. Start by pressing the Start button.
2. Type CMD into the search field box.
3. Press the Enter key.
4. Select with a right-click Run the program as an administrator
5. sfc/scannow is the command to use.
6. Press the Enter key.

You may also use one of the registry cleaners listed below to complete the task.

If the problem with applications vanishing remains, go on to the following step.

7. Turn off your antivirus software for the time being.

Third-party software, such as a computer cleaner or antivirus, may be uninstalled from your computer.

Expert Tip: Some PC problems, such as damaged repositories or missing Windows files, are difficult to resolve. If you’re having problems repairing a mistake, it’s possible that your system is partly broken. Restoro is a tool that will scan your computer and determine the source of the problem. To download and begin mending, go here.

Note that you must temporarily deactivate antivirus to protect your machine from security risks. Re-enable your antivirus as soon as you’ve resolved the connection fault.

8. Start the DISM tool.

Run the DISM utility, which stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management, if the problem with applications vanishing remains.

When Windows Updates and service packs fail to install owing to corruption problems, such as when a system file is corrupted, the DISM utility may assist.

9. Switch to Safe Mode.

Safe mode starts your computer with a restricted set of files and drivers, but Windows continues to operate. The words “Safe mode” will appear in the corners of your screen if you’re in it.

Whether the problem with applications vanishing continues, check if it happens while your computer is in Safe mode.

To start your computer in Safe Mode, follow these steps:

1. To begin, press the Start button.
2. Choose your options. – the Settings box will open up
3. Click Update & Security
4. Select Recuperation from the left pane
5. Go to the Advanced Startup page.
6. Now click Restart.
7. From the Choose an option screen, choose Troubleshoot, then Advanced options.
8. Restart your computer by going to Startup Settings and clicking Restart.
9. A selection of alternatives will appear once your computer restarts.
10. To start your computer in Safe Mode, press 4 or F4.

A quicker way to get into Safe Mode is to Start your computer again. then do the following:

1. From the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot>Advanced options>Startup Settings>Restart
2. A selection of alternatives will appear once your computer restarts.
3. To start your computer in Safe Mode, press 4 or F4.

If the problem with apps vanishing isn’t present in Safe mode, it’s likely that your default settings and basic drivers aren’t to blame.

If Safe Mode is not accessible, address the issue using the methods in this tutorial.

10. Carry out a thorough boot cleaning.

A clean boot for your computer lowers software conflicts, which might lead to the fundamental causes of the applications vanishing problem.

Applications and services that start up and operate in the background when you start Windows normally might create these problems.

How do you do a clean boot?

To properly conduct a clean boot on Windows 10, you must first log in as an administrator, then follow the procedures below:

1. Go to the search box and type anything in.
2. msconfig is the command to use.
3. System Configuration should be selected.
4. Select the Services tab.
5. Check the option labeled Hide all Microsoft services.
6. Disable all by clicking the button.
7. Navigate to the Startup tab.
8. Open Task Manager by clicking on it.
9. Click OK after closing Task Manager.
10. Start your computer again.

After carefully following all of these procedures, you will have a clean boot environment, which you may use to see whether the problem of applications vanishing is still present.

11. Remove Rocket Dock from your computer

Some customers claim that removing Rocket Dock, where most of the applications would show while minimized and would not be maintained by the Taskbar, addressed the problem of programs vanishing from their laptops.

12. Carry out a startup troubleshooting procedure

Here’s how to use Startup Repair to repair the disappearance of programs:

• On your computer, press the F8 key.
• Carry on like this until you get to the Advanced Startup Options menu.
• Select the option to repair your computer.
• Start by pressing the Start button.up Repair

13. Make use of a cleaning program

If an application does not appear where you left it, you should try reinstalling it. However, you must first remove it.

A standard removal will almost certainly leave a trail of undesired remnants, and reinstallation may create issues or just clutter.

You may use a clean-up program such as CCleaner to ensure that any residual files are removed.

You may check your computer with this dependable tool to discover garbage files or harmful software.

It’s well known that your PC accumulates leftover files or obsolete software files, which may cause the system to slow down and perhaps crash.

You may also completely delete your browser history or cookies to free up memory for your programs.

Obtain CCleaner

Check visit the Data Recovery section if you’re looking for information about data recovery.

Visit the Windows 10 Troubleshooting Hub for additional information on how to repair issues with Windows 10.

Let us know if any of these options helped you solve the problem of applications vanishing from your computer in the comments area.

Are you still experiencing problems? Use this tool to fix them:

1. Download this TrustPilot.com-rated PC Repair Tool (download starts on this page).
2. To detect Windows faults that may be causing PC difficulties, Start by pressing the Start button. Scan.
3. To repair faults with Patented Technologies, click Repair All (Exclusive Discount for our readers).

This month, 0 readers have downloaded Restoro.

Was this page of assistance to you? 11

Thank you very much!

There are insufficient details It’s difficult to comprehend Other Speak with a Professional

There are two responses to this post.

The “windows 10 programs disappearing” is a problem that some people are experiencing. If you find your programs have disappeared, here’s how to get them back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Tags

• pinned programs disappeared windows 10
• installed programs disappear after restart
• windows 10 icons disappear and reappear
• how to restore deleted apps on windows 10
• windows 10 desktop icons disappeared after reboot