How to Reinstall or Reset Microsoft Store Apps
Microsoft Store apps like Photos, Mail, or the Store itself can sometimes break. Here is how to repair, reset, or reinstall them without losing your files.
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Built-in Windows apps and apps installed from the Microsoft Store can usually be repaired or reset from Settings — no reinstallation disc needed.
Repair or reset an app from Settings
- Press Win + I to open Settings.
- Go to Apps, then Installed apps.
- Find the app in the list and click the three-dot menu next to it.
- Choose 'Advanced options'. (Not all apps show this — if it is missing, skip to the PowerShell method below.)
- Scroll down to the Reset section. Click 'Repair' first — this fixes the app without erasing its data. If repair does not help, click 'Reset', which wipes the app's local data and returns it to default.
Fix the Microsoft Store itself
If the Store app is broken, press Win + R, type wsreset.exe and press Enter. A blank command window will appear for about 30 seconds, then the Store will open automatically. This clears the Store cache and fixes many common issues.
Reinstall a built-in app using PowerShell
Some built-in apps (like Photos or Calculator) cannot be reinstalled through Settings. You can reinstall them with a single PowerShell command.
- Right-click the Start button and choose 'Windows PowerShell (Admin)' or 'Terminal (Admin)'.
- To reinstall all built-in apps at once, run:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register '$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml'} - Wait for it to finish, then restart your PC.
If a specific Store app is not working and the above steps do not help, ask us and tell us the app name and what it does when you try to open it.
Frequently asked questions
Will resetting an app delete my account or saved data in that app?
Resetting an app clears its locally stored data and settings on your PC. For apps like Mail or Calendar, your emails and events are stored on the server (Outlook, Gmail, etc.) and will re-sync when you sign back in. For games, check whether your saves are stored in the cloud before resetting.
The Microsoft Store itself shows a blank page or error code. How do I fix it?
Run wsreset.exe as described above. If that does not work, check that your date and time are set correctly (Settings, Time and language) as an incorrect clock can prevent Store from connecting. Also make sure you are signed in with a Microsoft account under Settings, Accounts.
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