Microsoft is blocking Windows 11 build upgrades on systems with StartAllBack

Despite Microsoft’s efforts to address Start menu problems in Windows 11, numerous users remain dissatisfied with the default options. While some have chosen to tolerate the issues, others have turned to third-party applications such as StartAllBack for assistance. However, Microsoft seems displeased with this, as they have begun to block the program and prevent users from upgrading to new Windows 11 builds if StartAllBack is installed.

The issue of Windows 11 flagging StartAllBack as a cause of performance problems was brought to light by @endermanch and other users on X. Many of them reported the problem, and as a result, Microsoft is not allowing users to run the app and is also preventing upgrades to newer Windows 11 builds. When attempting to install a recent Windows 11 preview build, the following message appears:

This app can’t run because it causes security or performance issues on Windows. A new version may be available. Check with your software provider for an updated version that runs on this version of Windows.

Several users have managed to resolve the issue by uninstalling StartAllBack, upgrading to a newer version of Windows 11, and then reinstalling StartAllBack using a renamed executable.

Uninstall it, upgrade windows, download 3.7.8 but rename exe to not include startallback. I had to install twice but it works fine.

— Matt The Retro Geek (@MatthewH12) April 4, 2024

The problem was acknowledged by the developer of StartAllBack, who also confirmed that renaming the executable would effectively bypass Microsoft’s unannounced block.

No idea why MS has done this without any kind of warning 🤔 Renaming setup exe works https://t.co/phcUVoP23A

— Start Is All Back (@StartIsBack) April 3, 2024

Despite the ease of blaming Microsoft for purposely disabling third-party tweaking apps, it should be acknowledged that utilizing these programs always carries the potential for instability, bugs, or security vulnerabilities. Therefore, if you choose to continue using StartAllBack despite the caution, do so at your own risk and ensure that important data is backed up.

Another update to the Start menu has been introduced in a recent Windows 11 preview build, featuring a new layout for the “All apps”list. We have a detailed guide on how to test it out.