- The Microsoft Store was first introduced alongside the Windows 8 OS and acts as a digital distribution platform for many great apps and games.
- Many software or connectivity issues can cause your Microsoft Store app to not open.
- If Microsoft Store won't open, simply follow the steps that we've written in the article below.
Microsoft first introduced its App Store when it rolled out Windows 8 and has been improving its offering ever since.
Windows 10 brought an exponential increase in the number of available apps, but some users reported that the Microsoft Store won’t open after installing the latest Windows 10 update or after upgrading to the latest OS version.
But updates are just one potential culprit and the list of usual suspects is in fact much larger. For some, it can be a specific action while others simply can’t get the Microsoft store to open regardless of their acts.
One user even said that the Microsoft store won’t open no matter what I do. So let’s quickly review some frequent scenarios.
Common issues with the Microsoft Store:
- Microsoft Store won’t open after reset/update
- Microsoft Store won’t open in Windows 11
- The Microsoft Store opens then closes immediately
- The Microsoft Store won’t load (Issues with the Microsoft Store not loading can affect all versions of Windows, including the latest Win 11).
- Microsoft Store won’t download or install anything
- Microsoft Store keeps crashing/freezing/not working (When the cache gets overloaded, it can cause the Microsoft Store to keep crashing).
With a new interface optimized for tablets and other touch input devices, apps are becoming a crucial part of the Windows experience.
If you can’t open the Microsoft Store to download apps, that can be a pretty big problem. Before we try to fix this issue, make sure that your OS is up to date. If not, download the latest updates via Windows Update.
Now, let’s see what to do when the Microsoft Store won’t open.
How do I fix Microsoft Store when it won’t open?
1. Delete local cache
Sometimes issues can be caused by the cache, so in order to delete it go to this location and delete all the files and folders in it.:
C:Usersuser_nameAppDataLocalPackagesMicrosoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbweLocalCache
Of course, replace user_name with your actual username on your computer. After you have deleted the cache, try to start the App Store again.
2. Use the Powershell
The next solution on our list is the Powershell. You can try to restore the availability of your Microsoft Store with one PS command.
3. Make sure you’ve got enough storage space
If you’re running low on storage space, this may explain why the Microsoft Store won’t launch. In this case, clean up your system partition.
As a quick reminder, if you don’t have enough free space, Microsoft Store updates and installations might get stuck.
Make sure to remove all the apps and programs that you don’t use frequently. Also, transfer multimedia files to another partition on save them on an external storage device.
You can leave the task of cleaning your files to a dedicated tool like CCleaner. Using this software, you can erase the clutter of junk files or outdated drivers that takes memory space.
CCleaner
Choose this cleaning software to monitor junk files and automatically erase browser history on your PC.
4. Change the DNS addresses
If the local cache solution didn’t get the job done, you can try with changing the DNS addresses. If you notice any changes with your Internet connection, repeat the process and return everything to its default values.
You can’t open Control Panel on Windows 10? Take a look at this step-by-step guide to find a solution.
5. Sign out/ Sign in to your account
If the sign-out button is available, hit it to disconnect from your Microsoft account. Some users reported that this quick and simple action fixed many Microsoft Store issues. Then sign back in and check if the issue persists.
6. Run the Windows Troubleshooter
1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > select Troubleshoot in the left-hand panel
2. In the new window, go to the section Find and fix other problems > select the Microsoft Store troubleshooter > Run the troubleshooter
Windows 10 Creators Update features a dedicated built-in Troubleshooter that can fix general PC issues. If you’re having trouble opening the Setting app, take a look at this article to solve the issue.
If you run an older Windows version, you can download the Microsoft Easy Fix tool to troubleshoot various software and hardware issues.
The tool is compatible with Windows 10 Version 1607, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Professional, and Windows 7 Ultimate.
Go to the official Microsoft Easy Fix tool webpage, and scroll down to select the troubleshooter that best suits your needs. When you select the respective tool, your PC will start downloading the troubleshooting software.
7. Run a full system scan
Malware may cause various issues on your computer, including Windows Store app issues. Perform a full system scan in order to detect any malware running on your computer.
You can use Windows’ built-in antivirus, Windows Defender, or third-party antivirus solutions.
8. Update Microsoft Store
If you can’t open the Microsoft Store, this might be the result of a temporary bug that’s plaguing the current version. The quickest way to fix that is to check frequently for updates.
9. Run WSReset.exe
Another solution is to use a simple command to reset the Microsoft Store cache. The WSReset.exe command allows you to restart Microsoft Store and clear the app‘s cache.
In this manner, you’ll restart all the associated services and clear the Microsoft Store cache. This solution has proven to be very helpful in fixing many Microsoft Store issues, including stalls and errors.
Now open the Store once again and check if the issue persists.
Read more about this topic10. Disable Proxy or VPN
Particular Proxy or VPN settings may block the outgoing connection to the Microsoft Store servers. If you can’t launch the Store, try to disable these settings before you log in with your Microsoft account.
Now, turn your off VPN and try to launch the Microsoft Store again. That should address some connectivity issues caused by the Proxy server or VPN.
11. Reinstall the problematic app
Sometimes, the Microsoft Store won’t open simply because certain apps fail to function correctly. The best way to solve this problem is to uninstall and then reinstall those particular apps.
12. Check time, date and region settings
Make sure that the time and date are properly set. Also, set your country and region to the United States.
13. Repair your registry
1. Go to Start > type cmd > right-click Command Prompt > select Run as Administrator
2. Now type the sfc /scannow command
3. Wait for the scanning process to complete and then restart your computer. All corrupted files will be replaced on reboot.
If you’re having trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you better take a closer look at this guide.
You can also use Microsoft’s System File Checker to check for system file corruption. The utility verifies the integrity of all protected system files and repairs files with problems when possible.
14. Update your OS
To access the Windows Update section, you can simply type update in the search box. This method works on all Windows versions. Then go to Windows Update, check for updates and install the available updates.
Make sure that you’re running the latest Windows OS updates on your machine.
As a quick reminder, Microsoft constantly rolls out Windows updates in order to improve the system’s stability and fix various issues. These updates are often targeted at improving the Windows Store experience and reliability.
15. Clean your temporary files and folders
1. Go to Start > type Disk Cleanup > launch the tool
2. Select the disk that you want to clean > the tool will them tell you how much space you can free up
3. Select Clean up system files.
The simplest and quickest manner to delete your temporary files and folders is to use Disk Cleanup. As you use your computer or browse the Internet, your PC accumulates various unnecessary files.
These so-called junk files may affect your computer’s processing speed, causing apps to respond slowly and can even prevent them from launching.
Clean your temporary files and then try to write data on the problematic storage device again.
16. Remove recently installed software
Go to Start > type Control Panel > select the program(s) recently added > click Uninstall.
If you recently installed new software on your computer, try uninstalling it. Then restart your computer, and see if the issue has been solved.
17. Clean boot your computer
3. On the Startuptab > click on Open Task Manager.
4. On the Startuptab in Task Manager > select all items > click Disable.
5. Close the Task Manager.
6. On the Startup tab of the System Configuration dialog box >click OK > restart your computer.
Launch the Store again to see if the problem has been solved.
A clean boot starts Windows by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs to eliminate software conflicts that may occur when you install a program or an update or when you simply launch a program.
That’s it. We hope that at least one of these solutions helped you with your App Store issue. If you have any comments or suggestions, please write them down in the comment section below.
Also, if you have any other Windows 10-related issues you can check for the solution in our Windows 10 Fix section.
ncG1vNJzZmivmaOxsMPSq5ypp6Kpe6S7zGiuoqaUpMS0edKtpqudXZm8pr%2FNrWSoqJWjeri1zZ2msKtdZn1w