How to fix Microsoft Store not working error

However, it has some good stuff, and the user interface and overall experience have improved a lot since Windows 11 launched. Though, if Microsoft Store isn't working right now, here's how to fix it.

Note : The process sometimes differs between Windows 10 and 11, so the article will include instructions for both platforms (if applicable).

Why doesn't Microsoft Store work?

The following are the main reasons why you find it difficult to work with Microsoft Store.

1. Network connection is blocked by error code 0x80131500
2. Microsoft Store time is incorrectly synchronized with system time
3. Do not 'own' the WindowsApps folder as a user
4. Windows Store cache is full or corrupted
5. There is a mismatch between /VPN IP address and system IP address
6. Unfixable Store issues won't go away without reinstalling
7. Waiting for Windows 11/10 update
8. Internet access is unreliable.

How to fix Microsoft Store not working

Before performing the appropriate fixes, there is a small checklist of things you need to confirm:

1. Windows has no pending updates
2. UAC (User Account Control) is enabled
3. Your video card/GPU driver has been updated

If all of this is in place but Windows Store is still not working, proceed with the following fixes.

1. Change DNS address

One of the more common error messages that can appear when Microsoft Store is not working is error '0x80131500'. This can happen if your PC is connecting to the Internet through some DNS server, which is automatically assigned by your ISP and/or home network setup.

To change the DNS server address, go to Settings (click Start then the cog icon) > Network & Internet > Change adapter options .

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Next, right-click on your network connection, select Properties , then in the new window, scroll down to 'Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)' , right-click on it and select Properties.

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In the Preferred DNS server box , enter the address 1.1.1.1 , which is Cloudfare's generic DNS resolver. Click OK and hopefully Microsoft Store will be back up and running.

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You can also try using Google's public DNS servers with the following IP addresses:

1. 8.8.8.8
2. 8.8.4.4

2. Change your computer's time settings

One of the methods that sounds strange but is very effective when solving problems encountered on the Windows 10 Store is to adjust the clock on your computer to be most accurate. When Microsoft Store starts, it tries to get the app's time and the system's time in sync. If these parameters do not match, the system will sometimes refuse to start Microsoft Store. This troubleshooting method is also very easy.

1. To update the time for Windows 10, right-click on the taskbar and select Adjust date/time.

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2. First, turn off the Set time automatically feature by clicking the switch below.

3. Once the system has finished processing your request, turn the feature back on. After that, the time on the system will be updated again. Make sure your time zone is set correctly!

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Once done, try opening the Windows Store again and see if the problems still persist.

3. Set ownership for the WindowsApps folder

Actual use shows that sometimes the problem lies in the fact that you have not been granted "ownership" of the WindowsApp file on your computer. It may sound a bit strange, but sometimes files are modified to not allow you to access them, even though they are on your computer and linked to your account. Set your computer to give you full control over the WindowsApp folder, which will likely help Microsoft Store do its job more accurately.

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You will have to tell the computer to grant control of the file. This process is relatively complicated and takes a lot of time, please refer to our article 'How to access the WindowsApps folder in Windows 10' to understand the detailed steps.

4. Clear Windows Store cache

One of the easiest ways to fix errors on Windows Store is to restart the cache. After a period of use, the cache may become overloaded and cluttered, causing annoying errors on the Windows Store.

Below, Network Administrator will guide you through the steps to reset Windows Store on Windows 10.

To restart the cache, first press the key combination Ctrl + R to open the Run dialog box

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Then in the Run dialog window, type the keyword wsreset and press Enter

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Next, a command prompt window will display, indicating that Windows is resetting the Windows Store cache. Once this process is complete, the command prompt window will automatically close.

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After the reset process is finished, you can restart Windows Store to see if the problem has been fixed or not.

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Note:

This method can also be applied to fix Windows Store errors on Windows 8 and 8.1.

5. Reinstall Microsoft Store

It sounds basic, but sometimes the best way to fix problems with Microsoft Store is to reinstall the app. However, reinstalling Microsoft Store will not be as simple as with most other applications. You will need to uninstall Microsoft Store through Powershell.

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu , type powershell , right-click the search result, then select Run as administrator.

2. In Powershell, enter the command get-appxpackage -allusers

3. Find the entry for Microsoft.WindowsStore and copy the information in the PackageFullName line to the clipboard.

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4. On a new line in Powershell, type remove-appxpackage followed by a space, then paste the information on the PackageName you copied. The results will display as follows:

remove-appxpackage Microsoft.WindowsStore_22210.1401.6.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe

However, this result may vary slightly depending on the Windows Store version number you are using.

5. Press Enter and Microsoft Store will disappear. Then, you restart your computer.

6. To reinstall Microsoft Store, you need to return to Powershell with admin rights and enter the following:

Get-AppXPackage *WindowsStore* -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"}

6. Turn off the proxy server

If you are using a proxy server (or VPN), this may be the reason why your Microsoft Store is not working because your computer's IP address does not correspond to the details on your Windows account . So first, if you have VPN enabled, turn it off. On the other hand, proxy connections are quite discreet and you may not even know if they are enabled or not.

To check the status and disable your proxy connection, click the Start button , then click the settings icon. In the settings window, click Network & Internet Proxy in the left pane, then turn off the Use a proxy server option.

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7. Reset Microsoft Store

Since the Windows 11 version 22H2 update, you have the option to reset Windows applications, which will clear their cache and data, essentially making them like new. The option is a bit more drastic than 'WS Reset', as it will erase all preferences, login details, settings, etc. (Don't worry, the apps you installed from the Microsoft Store will still remain intact).

1. To do this, right-click the Start button > Apps & Features , then scroll down to Microsoft Store in the Apps & Features list .

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2. Click on it, then select Advanced options and in the new window, click Reset. You will receive a warning that you will lose data on this application. Click Reset again and you're done.

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8. Re-register the Windows Store app

Another way to reset a Windows Store application is to re-register the application on your PC.

1. Click Start, type PowerShell  , and click Run as administrator .

2. In the PowerShell window, type the following command to re-register the Windows Store on your PC:

Get-AppXPackage *Microsoft.WindowsStore* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register '$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml'}

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3. Windows Store is re-registered and hopefully working well again.

9. Use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

Microsoft recommends using the troubleshooter for all untraceable problems in the operating system. You can use a specific troubleshooter in Windows 11 called 'Windows Store Apps'.

1. Click Settings > System > Troubleshoot.

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2. Select the Other troubleshooters menu item and scroll below to see the troubleshooter named 'Windows Store Apps' .

3. Click the Run option for Windows Store Apps .

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4. Windows Store Apps will take a few seconds to detect Store-related issues. If it finds any problems, they are automatically fixed.

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5. If the problem cannot be resolved, Microsoft will suggest further actions that may be helpful.

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10. Troubleshoot Internet access problems

Are you having problems with your WiFi connection? Sometimes when the network is down or speeds are slow, it can affect the user experience with Microsoft Store (although you can still access its apps in the browser). Solving Internet problems will get you back on track with apps inside the Store.

1. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters .

2. Select the Run option for the Internet Connection menu.

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3. Test a sample website with the troubleshooter. If there are no problems, your Internet connection is working fine.

4. Restart your device and check if the Store is working properly.

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11. Update Windows 11/10 to the latest version

If you haven't updated your Windows 11/10 operating system in a long time, there may be some Microsoft Store updates waiting for you. Complete them to enjoy smooth operation with installed applications.

These error correction methods are quite useful, not only for Microsoft Store, but can also be applied to most UWP/Windows applications on your system. Note that when taking these measures, you should not use proxy servers for certain applications that depend on the Internet, while the Reset function can be applied to any UWP application . Good luck!

Good luck!

Lesley Montoya

Update 01 August 2024