How I finally fixed Microsoft Store NOT opening on Windows 10 and 11
Honestly, I got really fed up with my Microsoft Store not opening when I needed to grab an app or update something. It’s one of those little frustrations that seem minor but can derail your day, especially if you rely on it a lot. I tried a bunch of stuff, and some methods are straightforward, while others are a bit more involved. Here’s what finally worked after quite a bit of messing around, and hopefully it can help someone else too.
Method One: The PowerShell reset trick
So, I started with the usual — running a PowerShell command to reset the store. Yeah, I know, opening PowerShell sounds intimidating, especially if you’ve never done it, but it’s actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. This method basically clears out the app cache and resets its files without deleting anything important. It’s kind of like giving the app a fresh start, which often fixes weird glitches. Here’s how I did it:
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Search for PowerShell. I typed “PowerShell” in the Windows search bar. On my system, it was listed as Windows PowerShell or Windows PowerShell (Admin). You want the one with admin rights because otherwise, the commands won’t work properly.
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Run as administrator. I right-clicked on it and chose Run as administrator. Windows asked me for permission — I hit yes, even if it felt slightly risky. You need admin rights for these commands to do their thing.
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Type or paste the command. The common one I found recommended is:
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "& {$manifest = (Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsStore).InstallLocation + '\AppxManifest.xml'; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register ($manifest)}"Alternatively, you can run
wsreset.exeby pressing Win + R, typingwsreset.exe, and hitting enter. That one usually clears the Store cache quickly. I tried both, but the command line reset felt a little more thorough. -
After pasting the command into PowerShell (Ctrl + V) and pressing Enter, it took a few seconds — or sometimes longer if my PC was slow — but then a little command prompt window ran and closed itself. Once that finished, I closed PowerShell and rebooted the PC.
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Finally, I gave it a shot — opened the Store again. Lo and behold, it launched properly this time. Seems like a cache or small glitch was messing things up, and this reset cleaned it all out.
Method Two: Creating a fresh user profile (sounds crazy, but it worked)
I was skeptical at first — creating a new user just for fixing the Store? Seems extreme, but honestly, after messing with permissions and cache clearing, nothing stuck. That’s when I read about how profiles sometimes get corrupted, and apps like the Store can refuse to launch or behave weirdly. So, I decided to try.
Here’s what I did:
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Open Settings. I hit Win + I to get there quickly, or clicked the Start menu and went to the gear icon.
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Navigate to Accounts. Inside Settings, I clicked on Accounts. You’ll see options for your profile info and sign-in settings.
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Add a new user. On the side panel, I clicked on Family & other users. Then, I pressed Add account.
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Create a local account. Microsoft usually prompts to sign in with a Microsoft account, but I looked for links that said “I don’t have this person’s sign-in info” or “Skip for now.” I picked Add a user without a Microsoft account. This creates a local user, which often sidesteps profile glitches.
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Set it up. I gave it a straightforward name like “TestUser” and left the password blank for quick access, or added one if you prefer. Once done, I logged out of my original account (or just locked the PC with Win + L) and signed into the new user account.
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Try the Store now. Surprisingly, this was a game-changer. Opening the Store in a fresh profile often bypasses whatever corruption or setting issue was blocking it before. And if it works, it can buy you some time to troubleshoot your main account further.
Not an official fix, maybe, but lots of folks say creating a new user fixes stubborn Store problems, especially after Windows updates or weird glitches. Your main profile might be a little tangled, and starting fresh helps reset everything.
Important notes & troubleshooting tips
Getting the Store working again wasn’t instant — I rebooted a few times, tried different commands, and even created that new user — but it worked eventually. Always keep your Windows updated, since Microsoft rolls out patches that can fix bugs causing issues like this. Check Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
Make sure your date, time, and region settings are correct. Sometimes, if your system clock is way off, the Store just refuses to connect properly.
If you run any third-party security or VPN software, temporarily disable them. Overly aggressive firewalls or VPNs can block Store access or cause weird errors.
Hope this helps — it took way longer than it should’ve to figure out, but these methods are reliable. If this saved you a headache or a weekend, that’s awesome. Good luck!