How to Fix Microsoft Store Won’t Open After Windows Update
If Microsoft Store won't open after a Windows update, you're not alone. One Patch Tuesday reboot and the icon just sits there. You click, you wait, nothing happens.
We've seen this after both small cumulative updates and big feature updates.
In our research, most post update failures trace to a corrupted cache or a broken AppX registration. Microsoft's own guidance points to the same two culprits as of 2026. Let's break down what's actually happening so you can fix it fast.
Why Microsoft Store Stops Opening After a Windows Update
The Microsoft Store is an AppX packaged app, which means Windows installs and updates it differently than classic desktop programs.
It relies on its own cache, background services, and your Microsoft Account sync. A Windows update can interrupt any of those pieces. If the cache corrupts mid update, the Store may flash and die.
If the AppX registration breaks, clicks do nothing at all.
In our research, these are the most common triggers:
- Interrupted cumulative update or forced reboot during install
- Store cache left in a half cleared state
- Wrong date, time, or region after the update
- Microsoft Store Install Service stuck on Manual or stopped
- Third party antivirus or VPN blocking Store traffic
If other parts of Windows act odd too, like drives failing to show up, treat it as a wider update glitch. If only the Store is broken, you can stay on the Store track below.
Microsoft Support groups these under the same fix path. Repair the app, clear the cache, then re register it if needed.
Quick Answer: Match Your Symptom to the Right Fix
If Microsoft Store won't open after a Windows update, start simple. Run WSReset.exe and reboot your PC. Repair the app if it still fails.
Re-register it only if repair fails. Check date, time, and extra Windows updates too. This fixes most cases in under five minutes.
If you want a shortcut, use this branch logic:
| If you see this | Then do this first |
|---|---|
| Store flashes then closes | Run WSReset, then Repair in Settings |
| Click does nothing | Check for pending Windows updates and reboot |
| Spinning loader or blank page | Fix date and time, check network |
| Error code like 0x80131500 | Run troubleshooter, then SFC and DISM |
You'll find each path in detail below. Start with the 2 minute checks. Move deeper only if those fail.
Start Here: The 2-Minute Checks That Fix Most Post-Update Store Issues
Do these in order. They’re safe and they don’t delete your apps.
- Install pending updates. Go to Settings, Windows Update, Check for updates. Reboot even if it says you’re current.
- Fix date and time. Turn on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically. Wrong clocks break Store sign in.
- Run WSReset.exe. Press Windows plus R, type WSReset.exe, hit Enter. Wait for the blank window to close and the Store to pop up.
- Repair the Store. Go to Settings, Apps, Installed apps, Microsoft Store, Advanced options. Hit Repair. Don’t hit Reset yet.
If the Store opens but pages won’t load, rule out wireless crawling on your PC before you reset anything. A stalled network looks a lot like a broken Store.
Still stuck? Run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter from the Get Help app. It’s quick and it often restarts the right service for you.
Fix It by Symptom: Flash-Close, Dead Click, Loader, and Error Codes
Pick your symptom. Follow only that branch first.
Store flashes open then closes
This usually means a bad cache. Run WSReset.exe again as admin. Right click Start, pick Terminal as admin, type WSReset.exe, hit Enter.
If it still flash closes, do Settings, Apps, Advanced options, Repair. Then try Reset. You’ll need to sign back in, but your installed apps stay put.
Store icon does nothing when clicked
This usually means a pending update or a stuck service. Check Settings, Windows Update and install everything. Reboot.
Then open Services, find Microsoft Store Install Service, and make sure it’s set to Automatic and running. If it’s stopped, start it and try the Store again.
Store stuck on spinning loader or blank page
This usually means account, clock, or network trouble. Sign out of the Store, close it, reopen it, and sign back in. Confirm your region matches your actual location.
If your PC lags but phone flies on the same Wi Fi, disable VPN and proxy for a minute. Turn off metered connection too. Then reload the Store.
Store shows 0x80131500, 0x80072EEF, 0x800704CF, and other error codes
These codes point to sync or update service trouble. 0x80131500 often means Store sync failed. 0x80072EEF and 0x800704CF often mean network or update service trouble.
Run the Store troubleshooter first. Then clear the SoftwareDistribution slump by installing the latest cumulative update. If the code persists, jump to SFC and DISM below.
Deeper Repairs That Actually Work After an Update
Use these only if the quick checks failed. Create a restore point first.
Re-register Microsoft Store with PowerShell
Re-registering fixes broken AppX links after a feature update. Right click Start and open Terminal as admin.
Run this to re-register the Store for your account:
Get-AppxPackage *WindowsStore* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
Wait for it to finish. Reboot and try the Store. Don’t delete the WindowsApps folder by hand.
That breaks more than it fixes.
Repair system files with SFC and DISM
Corrupted system files can keep the Store from launching. Microsoft Learn documents both tools for this exact job.
Run them in this order from admin Terminal:
sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
SFC takes 10 to 15 minutes. DISM takes 15 to 30 minutes. Reboot after both.
Then try Repair on the Store one more time.
Test a new user profile and check Microsoft Store Install Service
If the Store works in a new account, your old profile is damaged. Go to Settings, Accounts, Other users, Add account. Create a local user, sign in, and test the Store.
If it opens there, you can move your files over or keep troubleshooting the old profile. Also recheck Services for Microsoft Store Install Service. Set Startup to Automatic.
Updates can rattle other pieces too, like storage missing from Explorer or slow network behavior. Fix the Store first. Then circle back to those if they linger after a reboot.
Mistakes to Avoid When Your Store Won't Open
If the quick fixes fail, don’t panic and nuke everything. Most Store damage after an update is reversible. These missteps make it worse.
- Hitting Reset before Repair. If you reset first, you wipe sign in and app data for no reason. Always try Repair first.
- Deleting the WindowsApps folder by hand. If you do this, you’ll break permissions for every AppX app. Re registering won’t save you after that.
- Copying random PowerShell scripts from forums. If the script removes all AppX packages, you’ll lose Calculator, Photos, and more. Stick to the single Store re register command.
- Doing a clean install too soon. If the Store works in a new user profile, your Windows is fine. Your old profile is the problem.
- Turning off UAC or Store services for good. If you disable them, the Store can’t launch at all. Set Microsoft Store Install Service back to Automatic after testing.
FAQs: Microsoft Store Won't Open After a Windows Update
Why does the Store break right after a Windows update?
It usually comes down to cache or registration trouble. The update interrupts the Store mid patch and leaves files half written. Your apps are still there.
Windows just can’t launch the Store shell until you clear that bad state.
Will WSReset.exe delete my apps or games?
No. WSReset only clears the Store cache and restarts the app. It doesn’t uninstall anything.
You’ll see a blank black window for a minute, then the Store should reopen. Your installed apps, Game Pass titles, and sign ins stay put.
How do I reinstall Microsoft Store if it’s missing?
You don’t need a separate download. Re register it with PowerShell in an admin Terminal, then reboot. If it’s still gone, run SFC and DISM to fix system files.
In our research, a missing Store after a feature update almost always returns after re registering.
What if the Store works in a new user account but not mine?
Then your old profile has corrupt Store data. You can keep using the new account and move files over. Or sign out of the Store in the old account, run Repair and Reset, then sign back in.
If that fails, profile repair is faster than reinstalling Windows.
Should I do an in place upgrade to fix the Store?
Only as a last resort. If SFC, DISM, re registering, and a new profile all fail, then yes. An in place upgrade keeps files and apps while fixing Windows.
Give it 60 to 90 minutes. Back up first, even though your files should stay safe.
Final Call: When to Reset, Repair Install, or Leave It Alone
Use this simple call to stop guessing.
If WSReset and Repair fixed it, you’re done. Check for one more round of Windows updates and move on. No need to reset anything else.
If the Store opens but downloads stall, reset it once. Go to Advanced options, hit Reset, sign back in, and test one small free app. If that download works, your Game Pass and app updates should follow.
If nothing works in your profile but a new local account is fine, switch profiles. Moving is quicker than chasing corrupt profile data for hours.
Only do an in place upgrade if the Store fails in every account and SFC finds damage it can’t fix. And if your build just dropped this week, check Windows Release Health first. Sometimes the smart move is waiting two days for Microsoft’s patch.
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