How to Reset the Windows Store

With the many PC system configurations and different kinds of software, in time, things can go wrong with Windows Store app update failing, corrupt databases, corrupt operating system files or as simple as the Store crashing.

This tutorial does not show you how to add nor reenable the Windows Store, I will update the tutorial with this information, in the future.

Resolution

Method 1: Reset the Windows Store

In Windows 11

1. Open the Start menu
2. Search or tap or click on Settings
3. Click ‘Apps’
4. Scroll down to the bottom and click on ‘System Components’
5. Find Microsoft Store and click on the …
6. Select Advanced options
7. Scroll down to find and click on Reset
8. Click Reset again to confirm

Reopen the Windows Store, if the issue was not resolved, go to the next method.

In Windows 10 1607 to 22H2

Note: Windows 10 (all versions, except LTSC) will end support on October 14, 2025. Consider your upgrade options for when end of support comes.

NOTE: This applies to Windows 10 Anniversary Update (1607) to Windows 10 Fall 2022 update (the final Windows 10 release).

1. Open the Start menu
2. Click on the (Windows Settings)
3. Click ‘Apps & Features’
4. Type into the ‘Search this list’ search box: store
5. Select Store
6. Click Advanced options
7. Click Reset
8. Click Reset again to confirm

Reopen the Windows Store, if the issue was not resolved, go to the next method.

In Windows 10 1511 or earlier and Windows 8.1

Note: Windows 10 1511 and Windows 8.1 are no longer supported by Microsoft. Consider upgrading your operating system.

1. Open the start menu or Start
2. Type: command prompt
3. Right-click Command Prompt
4. Type wsreset.exe

This may take a few minutes. It will be done when it closes itself and open the Store.

Reopen the Windows Store, if the issue was not resolved, go to the next method.

Method 2: Reinstall the Windows Store using PowerShell

1. Open the Start menu or Start
2. Type: powershell
3. Right-click on ‘Windows PowerShell’
4. Click Run as Administrator
5. Type your administrator credentials or click Yes or Accept to the User Account Control window
6. Type the following into the PowerShell console window:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml" –Verbose}

7. Press Enter

This may take a while to complete. Do not turn off your PC

8. Open the Start menu
9. Click the  (power button)
10. Click Restart

Reopen the Windows Store, if the issue was not resolved, go to the next method.

Method 3: Repair Windows critical system files

1. Open the start menu or Start
2. Type: command prompt
3. Right click on ‘Command Prompt’
4. Click Run as Administrator
5. Type your administrator credentials or click Yes or Accept to the User Account Control window
6. Type sfc /scannow
7. Press Enter

This will take a while to complete. Do not turn off your PC

8. Open the Start menu
9. Click the (power button)
10. Click Restart

Reopen Windows Store, if the issue was not resolved, go to the next method.

Method 4: Reset Windows

IMPORTANT: This more of a last case scenario, see if the other methods above work for you.

In Windows 10 or 11

1. Open the Start menu
2. Click the (Windows settings) or type Settings
3. Type: reset this pc
4. Click ‘Reset this PC’
5. Under Reset this PC, click Get Started
6. Click Keep my files (unless you want to remove all your personal files, programs, and settings)
7. Follow the on-screen prompts
8. This may take a while. Your device may restart many times during the reset process. Do not turn off your device.

In Windows 8.1

1. Go to the desktop
2. Open Charms
3. Click Settings
4. Click Change PC settings
5. Click Update and Recovery
6. Click Recovery
7. Under Refresh this PC without affecting your files, click Get Started (unless you want to remove all your personal files, programs, and settings)
8. Click Keep my files
9. Follow the on-screen prompts

This may take a while. Your device may restart many times during the reset process. Do not turn off your device.