Fix Microsoft Store Missing in Windows 10 After Update

One of the identifying features of Windows 10 is the Microsoft Store. It lets users easily download and update applications on their PC. The application is a convenient and secure way to download any software for any Windows 10 machine.

As part of Windows 10 native applications, updates typically affects the Microsoft Store application.

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Potential Cause

Not everything goes smoothly during updates. One possible issue is the Microsoft Store app missing after an update. The Microsoft Store icon may not be clickable or the application missing altogether. Moreover, some Windows applications may not work properly such as Photos, Calendar, and Mail which are commonly installed using the Microsoft Store.

It is possible that Microsoft Store files got corrupted during the update process. Potential issues with the Internet connection during the download process or problems during the installation of the update itself are possible causes.

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Test with Another Account

Before moving on to the fixes below, let’s test if the issue happens to all users. Login to another user account on your computer and see if Microsoft Store is also missing on that account.

If there’s only one user account on your computer, follow these steps to create a local User Account. Login to this user once set-up is complete.

If the Microsoft Store is working on this user account, it is possible that your user account is corrupted and not the actual Microsoft Store application. In this case, you will need to switch to a new Microsoft or local account.

Follow the steps below if the Microsoft Store is missing in all user accounts.

Fix Microsoft Store Missing

The following fixes specifically target the Microsoft Store application. The steps deal with corrupted files and settings which may possibly fix the Microsoft Store issue.

Run Microsoft Store Troubleshooter

Fortunately, there’s a quick way to analyze and check issues in the Microsoft Store.

  1. Run the troubleshooter: Select the Start button, and then select Settings  > Update & SecurityTroubleshoot, and then from the list select Windows Store apps  > Run the troubleshooter.

  2. Run the Troubleshooter to start the diagnosis and possible solutions.

  3. Follow and apply the solution it suggests like you would in any Windows troubleshooter.Microsoft Store troubleshooter

  4. Follow and apply the solution it suggests like you would in any Windows troubleshooter.

  5. Restart your PC and check if it fixes the issue.


Reset Microsoft Store Cache and Reinstall Microsoft Store

Microsoft Store application file could be fixed by cleaning its cache and “reinstalling” it. Since it is a native Windows 10 application, it is not possible to do these in a typical way.

  1. First, reset the Windows cache by pressing the Windows key + R and type wsreset.exe, then hit enter. wsreset
  2. WSReset allows the reset of Microsoft Store without changing any account settings or deleting any applications.
  3. Next, “reinstall” the Microsoft Store application. What the next steps actually do is re-register the application to the machine.
  4. Type PowerShell in the Windows search. Right-click on the Windows PowerShell then click Run as administrator.PowerShell Run as Admin
  5. Type the following command in the Windows PowerShell window: Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
  6. Reboot your computer after the command executes. Check if Microsoft Store works.
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Run DISM

Corrupted app files are one of the reasons why Microsoft Store is missing. In this case, you can run the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool. It focuses on rebuilding critical system files and fixing its integrity.

  1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator by typing cmd on Windows Search. Right-click then choose Run as administrator.
  2. Type the following command. Hit enter after each line of command. Wait for each command to finish executing:
  3. Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  4. Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  5. Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  6. Each process may take time. Reboot your machine and check if Microsoft Store is working.

Run System Restore

This step and the next one are the last resorts if the fixes above do not work. System Restore will allow you to roll back to a previous state of your computer. In this case, you want to roll back to the state right before the update.

  1. Type System Restore on the Windows Search, then click Create a restore point.Open Restore
  2. On System Properties, under System Protection tab, click the System Restore button.System Restore
  3. System Restore should list the restore points. Choose the one right before the update. There should be a restore point created by the machine. This is the best option as this is created right before the update process.Restore point
  4. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the system restore. This may take a while.
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Reset the PC

If all else fails, the only solution is to start with a clean install of Windows 10. Luckily, Windows 10 allows a reset to its factory values without deleting your files.

  1. Type Reset on the Windows Search then click Reset this PC.Open Reset
  2. This should open the Recovery window. Click Get started under Reset this PC.Recovery
  3. On the screen prompt, you can choose to keep your files or not. Follow the on-screen instructions. This may take a while.

This should refresh your system along with a working version of Microsoft Store.

Final Words

These are all the possible ways to fix Microsoft Store missing after update issue. As mentioned, if none of the solutions works, the last option is to reset the Windows 10.

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Microsoft Store Missing in Windows 10 FAQs

1. Where is Windows Store app located?

In your system Windows Store app is located in the WindowsApps folder in the C:\Program Files folder. It is a hidden folder, so in order to see it, you will have to first open Folder Options and check the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option.

2. Why can’t I download apps from Microsoft store?

The Microsoft Store on your system is misbehaving because it might be outdated. Sometimes Microsoft releases infrastructure fixes for the Store through Windows Update. So, update your system so that Microsoft Store App get fixed.

3. Where are Microsoft Store games stored?

Whenever you install any game from Microsoft Store it is by default stored at C: > Program Files > WindowsApps

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