Top 4 Ways to Fix Microsoft Store Missing in Windows 10

The Microsoft Store (formerly Windows Store) is an integral part of any computer running Windows. It is a must for several reasons. By default, the Microsoft Store is preinstalled with the Windows operating system and hosts thousands of free and paid applications. However, some users have reported online that the Microsoft Store has disappeared from their Windows 10 computers.

The majority of affected users have reported that the Microsoft Store has disappeared after a recent operating system update. However, a computer virus or other malware can also be responsible for deleting the Microsoft Store. If this is the case or for some other reason, in this article we share four (4) different ways to fix the problem and restore the Microsoft Store (or Windows Store) to your computer.

1. Run the Microsoft Store troubleshooter

One good thing about the Windows operating system is that it comes with a troubleshooter that detects and provides solutions to problems with your computer. If you’re having problems with the Microsoft Store, follow the steps below to run the dedicated Microsoft Store troubleshooter.

Step 1: Launch the Settings menu on your PC by simultaneously pressing the Windows + I key on your keyboard.

2nd step: Click on the “Update and Security” option.

Step 3: Press “Troubleshooting” in the left pane to open the Windows Troubleshooting section.

Step 4: Scroll down to the “Find and fix other issues” section, click “Windows Store apps” and press the “Run the troubleshooter” button.

This will open the Windows Store app troubleshooter in a new tab.

If the troubleshooter finds a problem with your Microsoft Store (or Windows Store), it automatically fixes it. After a successful diagnosis by the troubleshooter, you must restart your computer. Then the Microsoft Store should appear on your computer.

If the troubleshooter displays an error or cannot resolve the problem, try the following option below.

2. Reset the Microsoft Store cache

The Windows operating system has a dedicated Run command that allows users to reset the Windows / Microsoft Store cache. I know you can find this odd solution because you can’t see the store, but you should still go there.

Running the Windows Store Reset command could help repair and restore the Microsoft Store application.

Step 1: type wsreset in the Windows search box and select “Run as administrator” in the right pane.

This will launch a new command prompt window and execute the Windows Store reset command. It will only take a minute or two. During this process, it is best to do nothing on the computer.

When the command prompt has finished executing the command, the Microsoft Store application is launched automatically.

The blue window with the Microsoft Store icon and the spinners signifies the end of the cache reset process. Now check the Microsoft Store icon in the Start menu on your PC. If not, just restart your computer and check again.

3. Reinstall / re-register Microsoft Store

If the above methods do not restore the missing Microsoft Store to your computer, the best thing to do is reinstall the application. You can do this by using two Windows resources: command prompt or Windows PowerShell. We will show you how.

Using the command prompt

Step 1: Type cmd in the search box of your PC.

2nd step: Then tap on the “Run as administrator” option for the command prompt application.

Step 3: In the command prompt console, enter or paste the following command and press the Enter button.

PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "& {$manifest = (Get-AppxPackage *WindowsStore*).InstallLocation + 'AppxManifest.xml' ; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $manifest}"

Step 4: Wait for the command prompt to run the command and restart your computer.

Using Windows Powershell

Step 1: Type PowerShell in the search box of your PC.

2nd step: Press “Run as administrator” to launch Windows PowerShell.

Step 3: Enter the following command in the Powershell console and press the Enter button on your keyboard.

Get-AppXPackage *WindowsStore* -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"}

Step 4: Restart your computer when Windows Powershell has executed the command.

Use one of the system tools above to reinstall the Microsoft Store and the application will be restored to your computer.

Note: For effective and guaranteed results, make sure your PC is connected to the Internet.

4. Reset your PC

If any of the above methods failed to restore the Microsoft Store app, you need to reset your computer. Resetting your Windows 10 computer reinstalls the Windows operating system and default Windows programs, including the Microsoft Store. Resetting the process removes third-party applications, settings, and utilities – all of the applications that you installed manually.

Here’s how to reset your Windows computer.

Step 1: Launch the Windows Settings menu using the Windows Key + I keyboard shortcut.

2nd step: Press “Update and security”.

Step 3: Select Recovery.

Step 4: Press the Start button in the “Reset this PC” section to begin the reset process.

Step 5: Select the “Keep my files” option on the next page to reset your PC without losing your personal files.

When you set up your PC after resetting, the Microsoft Store needs to be restored.