How to Back Up the Start Menu Without TileDataLayer in Windows 10

The easy TileDataLayer trick for backing up Start menu tiles stopped working after Windows 10 version 1703. If you’re on Windows 10 (any release through 22H2), you can still back up and restore your Start layout with PowerShell and a single XML file. If you’re on Windows 11, the Start menu no longer uses tiles and requires a different (JSON) method—see the Windows 11 note below.

Back up Start menu without TileDataLayer folder

This method (originally shared by Jose Espitia) continues to work on Windows 10 version 1703 and later, including 22H2.

Open PowerShell with admin rights and run:

Export-StartLayout –Path $env:LOCALAPPDATA\LayoutModification.xml

That creates LayoutModification.xml here:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local

That file is your Start layout backup. Keep a copy somewhere safe that isn’t your Windows drive (external/cloud).

Restore the Start Menu layout

Place LayoutModification.xml back in %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local. Then run PowerShell as admin and execute:

If ((Test-Path $env:LOCALAPPDATA\LayoutModification.xml) -eq $True) { Copy-Item $env:LOCALAPPDATA\LayoutModification.xml ` $env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\LayoutModification.xml -Force Remove-Item 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore\Store\Cache\DefaultAccount\*$start.tilegrid$windows.data.curatedtilecollection.tilecollection' -Force -Recurse Get-Process Explorer | Stop-Process }

Explorer will restart and your Start layout should return. If a tile (e.g., Settings) appears blank, unpin and re-pin it.

Windows 11 note: pinned apps (JSON) instead of tiles

Windows 11 replaces the tiled Start menu with a pinned apps grid and uses a LayoutModification.json file (not XML). To export your current pinned layout on Windows 11:

Export-StartLayout -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\LayoutModification.json"

To apply that layout on another Windows 11 device, you generally deploy the JSON via device management (Intune/MDM) or OEM/default profile methods. Microsoft’s guide explains both approaches and schema details: Customize the Start layout (Microsoft Learn) and Customize the Windows 11 Start menu (OEM/default profile). For personal devices without MDM, placing LayoutModification.json in C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\ affects new user profiles created after the file is added. (It won’t rewrite an existing profile’s Start layout.)

Check your Windows version

Windows 10 Home/Pro reach end of support on October 14, 2025. If you’ve moved to Windows 11, use the JSON approach above; the XML/Tile method in this article applies to Windows 10 only.

Troubleshooting tips

• Run PowerShell as admin: Both export and restore steps require elevation.
• Close Start before restore: Make sure the Start menu isn’t open when running the restore script.
• Tiles that won’t launch: Unpin, then pin the app again from All apps.
• “Access denied” on the Shell folder: Ensure your profile has permission and Explorer is restarted by the script.
• After major updates: Repeat the export—feature updates can change Start’s underlying data.

What’s New in This Update

• Restored original images and video embeds.
• Confirmed the PowerShell XML method still works on Windows 10 through 22H2.
• Added Windows 11 instructions: exporting pinned apps to JSON and how to apply it.
• Linked to Microsoft’s latest Start layout documentation for Windows 10/11.
• Added end-of-support note for Windows 10 (October 14, 2025).
• Expanded troubleshooting tips for restore hiccups and blank tiles.

Last updated: 2025-10-10

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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