How To Fix Missing Microsoft Store and Apps

Microsoft Store is an essential application for Windows users. It offers a vast collection of apps, games, and other digital content including Paint, Notepad, Calculator, and more. However, sometimes the Microsoft Store and apps may be missing from your computer in which case you may notice a pop-up message that says “”. This can be due to various reasons, such as system updates, malware, or accidental deletion. In this blog post, we will guide you on how to install the Microsoft Store and apps if they are lost or missing.

Before we begin, let’s ensure that you have an active internet connection and the latest version of Windows installed on your computer. Once you’ve done that, you can follow these steps to install the Microsoft Store and apps:

Step 1: Run the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

The first thing you can try is to run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter. This tool is built-in to Windows and can help diagnose and fix problems related to the Microsoft Store and apps.

To run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Click on “Update & Security.”
3. Click on “Troubleshoot” from the left pane.
4. Click on “Additional troubleshooters.”
5. Scroll down and click on “Windows Store Apps.”
6. Click on “Run the troubleshooter.”

Step 2: Reset the Microsoft Store

If running the troubleshooter didn’t help, you can try resetting the Microsoft Store. This will clear the cache and data for the Store and may fix any issues that were causing it to be missing.

To reset the Microsoft Store, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “wsreset.exe” and press Enter.
3. Wait for the command to complete, and the Microsoft Store should open automatically.

Step 3: Reinstall the Microsoft Store

If resetting the Microsoft Store didn’t work, you can try reinstalling it. To do this, you’ll need to use PowerShell, a powerful command-line tool for Windows.

To reinstall the Microsoft Store, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X and click on “Windows PowerShell (Admin).”
2. Type the following command and press Enter: Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
3. Wait for the command to complete, and the Microsoft Store should open automatically.

Step 4: Install Missing Apps

If you were missing specific apps, you can try to reinstall them from the Microsoft Store. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Microsoft Store.
2. Search for the app you want to install.
3. Click on the app and then click on “Install.”

Step 5: Update Windows

To update Windows, you can go to the Settings menu, click on the “Update & Security” option, and then click on the “Check for updates” button under the “Windows Update” section. Windows will then check for any available updates, and if there are any, you can click on the “Install” button to download and install them. Alternatively, you can set Windows to automatically download and install updates by going to the “Advanced options” link under “Windows Update” and choosing the option to have Windows automatically download and install updates.

Step 6: Reinstall Windows

1. Download the ISO image of the version of Windows you want to reinstall. You can do this by going to the Microsoft website and downloading the ISO file directly, or by using a third-party tool to download the ISO.
2. Once you have the ISO file, you will need to create a bootable USB drive or DVD using the ISO image. There are many tools available to do this, such as Rufus or the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool. Follow the instructions provided by the tool you choose to create the bootable media.
3. Insert the bootable USB drive or DVD into your computer and restart your computer.
4. During the boot process, you may need to change the boot order in your computer’s BIOS to ensure that it boots from the USB drive or DVD. Follow the instructions provided on the screen to enter your BIOS settings and change the boot order.
5. Once your computer has booted from the USB drive or DVD, you will see the Windows setup screen. Follow the instructions provided by the setup wizard to select your language, time zone, and other settings.
6. When prompted, enter the product key for your version of Windows. If you don’t have a product key, you can choose to skip this step, but you may need to enter one later to activate Windows.
7. Select the installation type you want. You can choose to do a clean install, which will erase all data on your hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows, or you can choose to upgrade your current installation of Windows.
8. Follow the instructions provided by the setup wizard to complete the installation process. This may take some time, depending on your computer’s speed and the version of Windows you are installing.
9. Once the installation is complete, you will need to activate Windows using your product key, if you haven’t already done so. You can do this by going to the Settings menu and clicking on the “Update & Security” option, then clicking on “Activation.”

In conclusion, if you’re missing the Microsoft Store or any apps, you can try the above steps to reinstall or fix any issues that were causing the problem. If none of these steps work, you can contact Microsoft support for further assistance.