After updating to a newer version of Windows 10, when you go to download some apps from the Microsoft Store, you may notice that the Microsoft store keeps closing after you open it. The Windows store is actually filled with bugs, crashes and the tendency to just not work at times.
If you too are facing similar issues with the Windows Store app, here are some troubleshooting fixes you can try that will help you resolve the issue.
Why is Microsoft Store Not Working?
There are several reasons why Microsoft Store may crash. Some of these are:
- The Windows Store cache has somehow become corrupted, damaged or you lack space on the drive.
- The Microsoft Store app itself has become damaged.
- The date and time settings on your device is incorrect.
- Windows update service is disabled.
- Sometimes you may have limited permission from the Local user to use the Microsoft Store.
How To Fix Windows 10 Store Crashing
Although the store contains some bugs and crashes, these are fairly easy to solve. Here I will discuss how to solve the Windows 10 store crashing error using the fixes given below.
# Solution 1: Clear Store Cache
Clearing the app cache is a good place to start with to solve the error. The cache is a data stored by apps and sites that are used to load them the next time faster than before. However, outdated and mismatched cache data can be attributed to the app crashing at startup.
To clear app cache, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Search.
- Type wsreset and press Enter.
3. A command prompt window should open. Let this run for it a minute or two until it closes itself.
4. If the window closes on its own after some time, the Windows store cache is now clear and you should be able to access the store as normal.
If the command prompt console takes forever to finish clearing cache (approx. more than 5-6 minutes) you must clear the cache on your own.
5. Next, exit the command prompt console.
6. Open a Run dialog (press Win + R).
7. Type the following path to navigate to the address:
C:\Users\[your_username]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Note: replace your username in the above path
8. Here open the folder named LocalCache.
9. Delete all the contents from within the LocalCache
This will clear all the cache stored by the Microsoft Store app and it should work without any errors.
However, if this fails to solve your issue, here are some other troubleshooting tips you can try.
# Solution 2: Reset Windows Store
There is also a possibility that the reason you are seeing the “Windows 10 store crashing” error is the improper configuration settings. Resetting the app removes the installation files and then re-installs them. This leads to the corrupt files being fixed during the reset procedure.
To reset the Windows store and fix the issue, here are the steps you need to follow:
- Open the Settings (Keyboard shortcut Win + I)
- Click on Apps.
- From the left pane, select Apps and Features.
- From the list of apps, click on the Microsoft Store.
- Click on Advanced options.
6. Scroll down to locate Terminate. Click on the Terminate button below it.
7. Next, click the Reset button.
Resetting the app lets you reinstall the app and revert it back to its original settings. This should solve the app crash error you were facing and the app should run normally. However, you may see the Preferences being reset to their default values, and you will need to set them to your choices again.
Note: you may not see the Microsoft Store icon on the taskbar after the reset. You need to search for the app in the search menu and pin it back to the taskbar if that’s what you like.
# Solution 3: Re-Register Windows Store
You can also face the error if there is a conflict between your User account and the store app. This can prevent the app from functioning normally and cause this error. Hence, re-registering the app can resolve these conflicts and solve the app crashes.
You actually need to enter just one command to re-register the Windows Store app.
Open an elevated Command Prompt by pressing Win + R to launch Run, type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to launch Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
Then type the following command and press Enter to execute it:
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "& {$manifest = (Get-AppxPackage *WindowsStore*).InstallLocation + '\AppxManifest.xml' ; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $manifest}"
You can alternatively use the PowerShell to run a different command that essentially does the same.
First launch PowerShell as an administrator. Type the following command to reset the Microsoft Store app to its basic settings:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}
After re-registering the app, check if the app runs without crashing on startup.
# Solution 4: Check Date And Time
The time on your device should match the one on the Microsoft servers, or there is a time mismatch that can lead to a whole host of errors. Since the Windows Store is an online application, it is more likely to be affected by the time mismatch if there is any.
To correct the time issues, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the system tray Clock icon.
- Select Adjust Date/Time.
- In the date and time settings page, select the correct time-zone.
- Turn the toggle switch towards ON next to Set time automatically.
Letting the OS determine the automatic time and date is recommended as this is less prone to errors.
Pro Tip: if you sometimes see that the time displayed is not correct, toggle the Set time automatically switch between on and off.
# Solution 5: Change The Ownership Of WindowsApps Folder
If for some reason the owner of the WindowsApps folder gets changed, you may not have the required permissions to access the files.
To take ownership of the files, here is a complete guide on ‘How to take ownership of files and folders in Windows 10’.
Wrapping Up
Although the Windows Store is fairly neglected as a Windows 10 component, it is a good place to get a lot of great apps without the hassle of having to go through complicated installation procedures. You also get timely updates to the installed apps from within the store. The app crashing can be annoying as no apps can be downloaded or updated from the store. Now you know what to do if the Windows 10 store keeps crashing. Comment below if you want to discuss further the same.
Deesrar says
My apps anf features does not show advanced options
KatWomanUSA says
seems my windows does not have Store installed at all- I did use it before & it worked .
Has not worked in a while. Cleared cache & folder and then tried powershell
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}
Get-AppXPackage : The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices
associated with it.
The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopm …
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-AppxPackage], Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.Exception,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.GetAppxPackageCommand
ItzJedi says
go to task manager and find Microsoft Store. and end process. then run the command again it should work.