The Windows Store, recently rebranded as the Microsoft Store, is the official marketplace for downloading games, apps, themes, and more. It’s not uncommon for it throw out errors, many of which are hard to resolve. We’re here to help.
Whether your Store is apparently missing, has a damaged cache, stuck downloading, or something else entirely, we’re here to offer all sorts of solutions that should hopefully get everything sorted.
If you have a Microsoft Store error to report, or a resolution to give, please head to our comments section below.
Windows Store won’t open – fix it By Mina Magued Mounir on March 26, 2018 2 Comments The Windows Store wasn’t always around: it was born with the beginnings of Windows 8. Download this game from Microsoft Store for Windows 10, Windows 8.1. See screenshots, read the latest customer reviews, and compare ratings for Sniper Fury. Unless you are willing to spend hundreds of dollars every month you won't go very far in this one.Why Won't My Games DownloadWindows Store Apps Troubleshooter
Before we begin looking at specific error messages, it’s worthwhile to run Microsoft’s Store troubleshooter. This will detect any problems and try to automatically fix them. Even if they can’t be fixed, it’ll still be useful to know what the problem is if the Store isn’t giving you a specific error when launching.
Download the Windows 10 troubleshooter from Microsoft directly.
Open the file with the Diagnostics Troubleshooting Wizard, which should be selected by default. Click Next to progress through the wizard. At the end, note any error messages which couldn’t be resolved.1. Windows Store Won’t Open
If the Store won’t open at all, let alone give you an error message, the first thing you should do is restart your computer. The age-old fix, but it often works for this problem.
If not, don’t worry. Do a system search for powershell, right-click the relevant result and select Run as administrator. Input the following and press Enter:
Close PowerShell and you should now be able to successfully open the Store.2. Windows Store Cache May Be Damaged
The first thing to try is clearing the cache. Press Win + R to open Run, input wsreset.exe and click OK. A blank Command Prompt window will open for about ten seconds. After which the Store will open itself.
If that didn’t work, press Win + R again. Input this:
If there’s a Cache folder already, rename it Cache.old. Then, whether it existed already or not, create a new folder called Cache. Finally, run the Troubleshooter as outlined above and it should detect and resolve the problem.3. Windows Store Is Missing
If you can’t find the Store anywhere on your system then you’ll need to reinstall it. Do a system search for powershell, right-click the relevant result and select Run as administrator. Input the following and press Enter:
Close PowerShell, restart your computer, and the Store should now be back.4. Windows Store Download Is Stuck
If your applications won’t download or update properly, first check that you’re not trying to install them to an external hard drive. This can cause problems, so it’s better to keep them on the internal. Press Win + I to open Settings, go to System > Storage, select your external drive, and click Apps & games.
Click the problematic app and click Move. Finally, select your internal drive from the dropdown and click Move.
If that didn’t work, or your app is already on the internal drive, try running the Windows Update troubleshooter. To do this, do a system search for troubleshooter and select the relevant result. Beneath the System and Security header, click Fix problems with Windows Update.
Press Next to progress through the troubleshooter. Once done, open the Store and see if your downloads are working. If this still doesn’t work, check out our tips for resolving Windows Update problemsHow to Resolve Windows Update Problems in 5 Easy StepsHow to Resolve Windows Update Problems in 5 Easy StepsHas Windows Update failed you? Maybe the download got stuck or the update refused to install. We'll show you how to fix the most common issues with Windows Update in Windows 10.Read More.5. Error Code 0x80072EFD
This error will appear when the Store is having network issues. A few simple things to try are running Windows Update, disabling your anti-virus, and ensuring the time and date are correct on your system. If this doesn’t work, it’s time to delve into the registryHow to Back Up and Restore the Windows RegistryHow to Back Up and Restore the Windows RegistryEditing the Registry unlocks some cool tweaks, but can be dangerous. Here's how to back up the Registry before making changes so they're easily reversed.Read More.
Press Win + R to open Run. Input regedit and hit Enter. If you don’t see the address bar at the top of the window, go to View > Address Bar. Input the following and press Enter:
On the left-hand pane, right-click the Profiles folder and click Permissions. Click Advanced. Tick Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object, click OK, then restart your computer and load the Store.6. Error Code 0x80072EE7
This particular error code claims that the server has stumbled. It’s a network issue and can occur even if your internet browser is working perfectly. For this, try resetting your proxy settings. Press Win + R, input cmd and press Enter. Input this and press Enter:
Restart your computer and open the Store, which should now be working.7. Error Code 0x8000ffff
This error will appear in the Store and say that the page can’t be loaded. Do a system search for repair network problems, select the relevant result, then run the troubleshooter. This will attempt to detect and automatically repair any issues. Once done, try opening the Store again.
If you still don’t have any luck, you could try using Google’s public DNS settings. Open Control Panel through a system search. In the top-right search box, input view network connections and click it in the results. Right-click your active connection and click Properties.
Once here, click internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and then Properties. Select Use the following DNS server addresses. For Preferred DNS server input 8.8.8.8. For Alternative DNS server input 8.8.4.4. Click OK, restart your PC and then load the Store.
We have a full guide on troubleshooting error 0x8000ffffHow to Fix Error Code 0x8000FFFF in Windows 10How to Fix Error Code 0x8000FFFF in Windows 10The Windows 10 error code 0x8000FFFF affects the Microsoft Store. Let's troubleshoot this problem with some quick fixes.Read More if you need more help.8. Error Code 1
This is a very curious one. It’s the first error code and will appear when you try to launch the Store. The solution is to change your computer’s region to the United States. Yes, really.
To do this, press Win + I to open Settings and go to Time & Language > Region & language. Use the Country or region to select United States. Restart your computer and the Store should now work.Other Troubleshooting TipsWindows 10 Store Won T Download Games
If you’re still having problems, check out our top tips to fix Windows Store issues5 Tips to Fix Windows Store and App Issues in Windows 105 Tips to Fix Windows Store and App Issues in Windows 10Do you have issues with the Windows Store or its apps crashing, freezing, not updating or downloading? We've rounded up the steps that help resolve the vast majority of issues.Read More. There’s not always one solution to the same problem, so it’s worth trying everything out on that list to see if it helps.
Now that you’ve hopefully got the Store back up and running, check out some great apps that you didn’t know existed10 Windows Store Apps You Didn't Know Existed10 Windows Store Apps You Didn't Know ExistedBig names have finally entered the Windows Store. You might not realize just how good it's become. Let us show you what you've missed.Read More. And we’ve even compiled a list of the best Store developers tooThe Best Windows Store App Developers You Must TryThe Best Windows Store App Developers You Must TryThe Windows Store is better than you think. Here are the best app developers and publishers and their coolest apps. Get quality apps from vendors you trust.Read More!
Are you encountering a Microsoft Store error we haven’t covered here? Or do you have a different solution to share?
Explore more about: Microsoft Store, Troubleshooting, Windows Store.
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Most times when searching for an app for windows 10 phones, I'd get, 'this app is not compatible for your devices.' or something like that. Well I sold the newest phone for a few dollars on Ebay. Which left only one phone for MS to complain about. Then install most apps anyhow. Also searching the 'Net for problem solutions is better than MS Help answers. 4 out of 5 times. MS will supply worthless answers. Now go on and enjoy your weekend!
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The problem I'm encountering is not with the Store but rather with the downloaded games from the Store like Solitaire Collection, Ultimate Word Games, etc. When I try to open them they start and midway of loading - they freeze. I tried all the suggestions given by Microsoft, and of a few other sites, but it doesn't resolve the issue. I did the suggestions 1, 2, and 3 above - to no result. The only solution that it works is that every time I want to open one of these games I have to reboot my PC. This problem started after the latest Windows 10 major update. (Creator's). Any suggestions to find out what is causing this issue?
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Thanks very much for this Joe !
Until recently, Windows 10 store games could only be played when connected to the internet. Microsoft has thankfully changed this, but as usual, they had to make things complicated: You can only have one “designated offline device” at a time.How to Set Your Designated Offline Device
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If you have multiple Windows 10 devices, you’ll need to mark a single one as your “designated offline device” while online before you can play games.
Warning: You can only change your designated offline device three times a year. For comparison, Steam doesn’t restrict you to a single offline device at all, and there’s certainly no yearly limit to your gaming PCs. This is yet another good reason to avoid buying games on the Windows Store if possible.
To change your designated offline device, open the Store app, click your profile picture icon, and select “Settings”.
Scroll down to the “Offline Permissions” section and ensure the “Make this PC the one I use to run some games or apps that have limited licenses, even when I’m offline” slider is set to “On”.Windows Store Wont Download Game 2019
Change the setting once and you’ll be informed that you can only change the setting 2 more times in the next 365 days.Set Up Your Games
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You’ll now want to set up your games so they’ll perform offline. Not every game supports offline play, but most games in the Store do. Any network multiplayer features won’t be functional and score leaderboards won’t be available, but any in-game achievements you earn will be granted to you the next time you connect to Xbox Live on that device. The achievement popups won’t actually appear until you connect to the Internet once again.
To ensure a game will run offline, install that game and then launch it while connected to the Internet. The game will set itself up, acquire any necessary license information, and download any data it needs to function.
To confirm a game will actually function when you’re offline, you can temporarily disable your Internet connection. Close the game and head to Settings > Network & Internet > Airplane Mode. Either enable “Airplane Mode” or disable the “Wi-Fi” slider to disable your wireless Internet connection.
Attempt to launch the game while you’re offline and see if it functions. If it does, you’re good to go. You can take your computer somewhere without an Internet connection and continue playing games normally.READ NEXTWindows Store Wont Download Games Windows 10
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