How To Fix the “AppxPackage: The Remote Procedure Call Failed” Error on Windows

That “AppxPackage: The Remote Procedure Call Failed” error tends to pop up when you’re trying to remove or manage apps via PowerShell. Usually it’s tied to issues with the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service, which is basically the backbone process for lots of Windows operations. If that service isn’t running or got misconfigured, things get messy fast. Also, problems in the Windows registry—like missing or corrupted entries—can make commands like AppxPackage throw a fit. Sometimes, outdated Windows versions, incomplete updates, or glitches with the Windows Store or AppX Deployment Service cause it too. And if you’ve got a corrupt user profile? Yeah, that might be stopping you from removing or installing apps. Basically, a pretty common but tricky error, especially if you’re deep into app removal or troubleshooting.

1. Verify and Restart the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service

  1. Press Win + R, type Services.msc, and hit Enter. This opens the services list, where you can check if the RPC service is behaving.
  2. Scroll to find Remote Procedure Call (RPC). Yep, it’s essential. Make sure its Status is Running and the Startup Type is set to Automatic. If it’s not, no worries—just right-click and choose Start or Restart.
  3. If it’s stopped or off, that’s probably why your appcmds fail. Because of course, Windows has to make this more complicated than necessary. Tweak the settings so it’s running and set to auto, then hit OK.
  4. Close the services window and either restart your PC or restart the RPC service directly (right-click > Restart).Sometimes, just bouncing that service gets things back in order.

2. Run PowerShell as Administrator — Make Sure You Have the Powers

This helps if permission issues are blocking your commands. Running PowerShell with admin rights gives you full control to manage apps, fix registry stuff, whatever.

  1. Hit Win + X, then pick Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). Yes, PowerShell, not just regular old CMD—trust me, it’s necessary.
  2. If you get a UAC pop-up, click Yes. Now, try your command again (like Remove-AppxPackage or other commands you were using).

Most of the time, this elevates your permissions enough. But if not, move on to the next step.

3. Use Safe Mode to Remove the Appx Package

Sometimes, third-party software or conflicting services prevent app removal. Booting into Safe Mode loads just the essentials, making it easier to clean things up. Not sure why but, on some setups, it’s the only way to pry open stubborn app leftovers or fix RPC errors during removal.

  1. Press Win + R, type msconfig and hit Enter. In the System Configuration window, go to the Boot tab.
  2. Check the box for Safe boot and pick Minimal. Then, click OK and restart.
  3. In Safe Mode, try running your PowerShell commands again. Sometimes, just doing this clears up the lock on certain app packages.
  4. To go back to normal mode, revisit msconfig, uncheck Safe boot, and restart. Easy.

4. Reset or Reinstall the App if You Can

If the app’s installed but throwing errors, try resetting it first via Settings > Apps > Apps & Features. Find the app, click Advanced options, then hit Reset. Sometimes that restores order. If not, uninstall and then reinstall. Might be a quicker fix than banging your head against the keyboard.

5. Run SFC and DISM to Fix System File Glitches

If your Windows files are a bit broken—common when the system’s been on for a while or after failed updates—that could be causing RPC hiccups. Running SFC (System File Checker) and DISM tools can repair corrupted files and restore system integrity, hopefully fixing the error.

Run SFC:

  1. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt with admin rights (Win + X, then choose accordingly).
  2. Type sfc /scannow and hit Enter. Wait for it to finish—it can take some time.
  3. If it finds issues, it’ll try to fix them automatically. Once done, restart your PC and check if the error persists.

Run DISM:

  1. If SFC didn’t do the trick, open PowerShell or CMD again as admin.
  2. Type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This can be slow, so grab a coffee.
  3. Once it completes, restart and see if the RPC error still shows up.

6. Test with a New User Profile

If the error only happens on your current account, a corrupt user profile might be the villain. Create a new local or Microsoft user account, give it admin rights for testing, and see if the error follows you there. If it doesn’t, your main profile might be toast—and then it’s time to consider backing up your stuff and transferring to the new account.

  1. Open Settings > Accounts > Other users.
  2. Click Add someone else to this PC and follow prompts to set up a new account.
  3. Change the new account’s type to Administrator for proper access.
  4. Sign out of your current profile, log into the new one, and test the app removal or commands again.

7. Check Regional Settings and App Bundles

If your Windows is set to a language other than English or regional settings are off, some app packages can behave weirdly. Use PowerShell with the -PackageTypeFilter parameter like so:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers -Name "*appname*" | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers -PackageTypeFilter All

This ensures all app components, including bundles, are targeted. Replace appname with the actual app you’re fussing with.

8. For Power Users: Use SetACL to Fix Registry Permissions

This is kinda advanced but sometimes necessary if the problem is permission-related in the registry. The idea is that some registry entries related to RPC or AppX are locked or misconfigured. You can fix this with the SetACL tool. It lets you modify permissions directly.

  1. Download and extract SetACL from the site. Make sure to grab the right version for your OS (32- or 64-bit).
  2. Copy SetACL.exe into your C:\Windows\System32 folder so you can run it from anywhere.
  3. Open an elevated Command Prompt (Win + S, type cmd, right-click, choose Run as administrator
  4. Run a command like: 
    SetACL -on "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\winstore_cw5n1h2txyewy" -ot reg -actn ace -ace "n:S-1-15-2-2608634532-1453884237-1118350049-1925931850-670756941-1603938316-3764965493;p:full;i:so, sc;m:grant;w:dacl"
  5. Finally, restart and see if that clears the error. Remember, messing with registry permissions can be dangerous—backup first, or better yet, create a restore point.

So yeah, fixing this error can be a bit of a dance—sometimes it’s services, sometimes permissions, or corrupt files. The key is to approach step by step, check everything, and don’t give up too soon. Good luck!

Summary

  • Restart the RPC service and ensure it’s running automatically.
  • Run PowerShell as admin and retry commands.
  • Try safe mode if needed.
  • Reset or reinstall problematic apps.
  • Run SFC and DISM to repair system files.
  • Test on a new user profile.
  • Check regional settings and app bundles.
  • Use SetACL for advanced registry permission fixes.

Wrap-up

Dealing with RPC errors during app management is frustrating, but most fixes boil down to ensuring services are up, permissions are correct, and system files are intact. Not always straightforward, but these approaches tend to cover the common culprits. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of patience and methodical troubleshooting. Fingers crossed this helps someone else avoid hours of head-scratching.

How To Resolve the "Another Account From Your Organization Is Already Signed In" Error
How To Improve Battle.net Download Speed and Fix Slow Issues