Windows 10 apps not appearing

Installed 10 about a month ago and still getting used to it and like it overall. However, once in a while when starting up the apps do not appear on the bottom. The shortcuts are there and are somewhat usuable. In additon, I can't get the computer to shut down normally as clicking on the windows icon creates no response. Have had to shut down via Task Manager or manual shutdown via power button. Restarting takes a while but it then comes back to normal. Any idea of why this is happening and what can be done to fix this? Don't want to spend money setting up an account with MS!!!

Hi - was it a clean install or an upgrade? I've had issues like that after an upgrade, but they all went away with a clean install. You don't need to set up an account with Microsoft. I just clean installed on a laptop after doing the upgrade to activate W10 and everything works perfectly. I just chose a login name on set up and login as you would on W7. I have Cortana turned off and we don't use the Microsoft Store for apps. Some apps are preinstalled. If you wanted apps from the Microsoft store you'd need to open a Microsoft account. We just have W10 set up with our usual programs. It's nice and zippy and the notification panel is good and informative. Obviously back everything up first and save personal files separately as well. A clean install is quite quick I found - 15 minutes or so. There aren't that many windows updates to do on installation either.

It was an downloaded installed upgrade from 8.1 on my DELL desktop. I also installed MS Office 2016 via a licensed download after going to W10. All of the programs for the MS Office are on the bottom bar of Apps as no shortcuts were created. Thanks for your input, any other thoughts on this would be appreciated.

If you have a system image for Windows 8.1 saved and your files backed up, I would go to doing a clean install with Windows 10 now. It takes about 15 minutes to install, not many Windows updates to do. It should all be fine then. Then you can re-install your programs and personal files and re-download the MS Office you bought. You can burn the ISO for Windows 10 here

Scroll down the page to the blue box that says "Download tool now" and a window will open - you select Windows 10 and whether it is 32 bit or 64 bit. After it's downloaded the ISO, burn it to dvd and you can install from that. When you install, you need to select whether it's home or professional version (has to be the same version as your W8.1) and when you get to product key you just click "I don't have a product key" (you don't need one - W10 is already activated on the machine). Important thing is making a list of all programs and product keys for them first, saving personal files to SD card or whatever, ready to put back on, and a system image of your old Windows 8.1 Set up would also be a quick way to go back to it if you ever want or need to. With a clean install all the apps and icons will be in the right place.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/soft...load/windows10