Guide: Fix ‘Windows Apps Not Working’ Issue
Microsoft likes to ship its products with a lot of apps and while some are good, others not so much. The real problems start when these Windows apps stop working and return an error. Even worse is when they just crash and don’t even give an error. There can be several reasons for these problems. Some users have reported that a recent Windows 10 update messed things up upOther users have said the problem was related to their user account. In this guide, we will look at some possible solutions that can help fix the Windows apps not working for good. Let’s start.
1. Update the app
Like Windows OS, Microsoft also releases updates for their apps that fix bugs and other issues. Maybe there is an update for the broken app? Launch the Windows Store and click the menu icon to select Downloads and Updates.
Now click on Get Updates to update all apps. That may take a while.
After the update process is completed, check if the Windows app is working again or not.
2. Repair / reset / reinstall app
Windows 10 offers one feature which allows users to fix and reset apps (except by removing them) that won’t start or don’t work properly. Fortunately, the folks at Microsoft have grouped all three options into one screen. To start, press Windows Key + I to launch Settings and select Apps.
Under Apps & features, if you scroll a bit, you will find a list of all apps. Let’s say it is a 3D viewer that does not work on your system. Click on it to display advanced options.
Scroll a bit to find the three options. Restore, reset and delete. Depending on the app, some options may be grayed out.
The first option will try to fix the app by repairing the damaged app files and looking for bugs and errors. The second option removes all default settings, unsaved documents, and installs the app again. The Delete option, if not grayed out, can be used as repair and reset does not fix the error. Microsoft will not let you remove or even repair all apps. If you can then do it and reinstall the app from the Windows Store by searching for the name by clicking Get button
Many users have reported that installing the app directly from the remote site instead of the Windows Store has also fixed the problem. Check if you can find the app’s .exe file. If not, reinstall it from the Windows Store.
3. Windows Store Cache Restore
All Microsoft apps are now only available in the Windows Store. A Microsoft support guy / girl has suggested that clearing the Windows Store cache and restoring it to its former glory can fix the problem. To do this, press Windows key + X on your keyboard and select CMD or PowerShell with administrator privileges.
Type the command below and hit Enter. wsreset.exe
It should trickTry and see if the affected Windows app still throws up any mistakes.
4. Apps troubleshooter
If the above solution fails, Windows provides an apps troubleshooter that can help fix the Windows 10 app not working problem. Open the Control Panel by searching for it.
Search for troubleshooting in the search bar at the top right corner and select Troubleshoot.
Select Hardware and Sound on the next screen.
Here you will find the Windows Store Apps option. Not sure what it does under hardware and sound options, but it is there.
You should now be a pop-upHere, click on Advanced and select Apply repair automatically.
That scans all Windows apps installed on your system and looks for irregularities. If anything is found, follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Windows Update service
Windows Update Service is responsible for updating the Windows apps. Microsoft says if this service is not running, the Windows app won’t run or stays open or even keeps crashing. To check this, press the Windows + R keys to open the Run command and type services.msc before pressing Enter.
Find Windows Update in the list and make sure Startup Type is set to Automatic.
If not, double-click it and select Automatic from the drop-down menu.
Click Apply and OK. Note that Manual is also good enough, but since we are dealing with Windows apps related errors, it can help fix them.
6. PowerShell command
As the name suggests, this is a PowerShell command that re-registers all Windows apps on Microsoft servers. Use the same method as above to open PowerShell.
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$ ($ _. InstallLocation) AppXManifest.xml”} Don’t forget to press Enter after typing the command.
7. User account
One of our team members recently mounted a desktop PC and faced the same error. He was able to solve the problem by creating a new user account. On closer examination, this appears to be a fairly common problem that has been resolved by Microsoft. Press Windows Key + I to open Settings. Click on Accounts.
Under Family and other users, click Add someone else to this PC.
Enter your credentials on the next screen.
After you have created a new user account, in Settings in the same screen, select the newly created user account and click Change account type.
In the next screen, choose Administrator and save. The new account now has administrator rights and can open all Windows apps. Restart your computer and log in with the new account. You can later transfer the data from the other account to the new one.
There is an app for everything
There is an app for just about everything these days. If you have a need, there is an app that will solve that need. While these apps work more often than not, sometimes they don’t work as intended. If you found another way to fix the Windows apps not working error, please share below. The next up: Do you want to use dark mode in Windows 10, but it doesn’t work in File Explorer? Here are a few ways to fix this error.
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