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Microsoft Store updates usually recover after you sign in, install pending Windows updates, and run Library > Get updates. If the Store itself will not open, Microsoft’s built-in wsreset.exe cache reset is the next targeted step. Repair or reset the affected app only after those checks, then reinstall it if necessary. The menu names differ between Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a missing app can be an account, region, family-settings or availability issue rather than an update failure.
What should I try first when Microsoft Store will not update?
Start with the least disruptive checks. They address account session problems, a stalled app process, pending operating-system updates and an out-of-date Store catalog without removing app data.
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1. Sign in to the correct Microsoft account
Open Microsoft Store and confirm that you are signed in to the account that owns the app. If the Store displays a sign-in prompt, complete it, then retry the update. A different account can make an owned app appear unavailable or prevent its update from being offered.
2. Close and reopen the affected app
Exit the app completely, including any window left minimized on the taskbar, and start it again from the Start menu. Then return to Microsoft Store and check the update queue. This simple restart is Microsoft’s first operational reset for a Store app.
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3. Install every pending Windows update
On Windows 11, go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. Install the updates offered, restart when Windows requests it, and check the Store again. Store components can depend on current Windows servicing files, so an operating-system update may be required before an app update succeeds.
4. Update the Store catalog
On current Windows 11 Store builds, open Microsoft Store, select Library, and choose Get updates. On Windows 10, select See more (the three-dot menu), then Downloads and updates, followed by Get updates. Leave the Store open while it checks and downloads available packages.
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5. Repair the individual app
If one app remains stuck while other Store functions work, use Windows’ app repair control. Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the app’s three-dot menu, choose Advanced options, and select Repair. Repair attempts to correct the installation without the more consequential reset operation. Microsoft notes that Advanced options, Repair or Reset are not exposed for every app.
6. Reset only if Repair fails
Return to the same Advanced options page and select Reset if Repair did not resolve the update. Reset is a deeper reinitialization of that app, so read any Windows warning before confirming. Use it for the affected app rather than resetting unrelated Store applications.
7. Reinstall from your Library
When the app still will not update, open Microsoft Store and select Library. Find the app and choose Install. Reinstallation replaces the local package with the version currently available to your account and device; availability can vary by region and by whether the publisher has withdrawn the app.
How do I fix a Microsoft Store app that is stuck on pending?
A pending status means the Store has not completed the transaction, but it does not identify a single cause. Work through the account, Windows Update, Store-catalog and app-repair sequence above, then check the conditions that can prevent a download from starting.
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Check the connection and available storage
Confirm that Windows can reach the internet in another app, then retry the Store download. Check the system drive for free space as well; a package may remain pending when Windows cannot stage or unpack it. If a VPN, firewall or security product is filtering Store traffic, temporarily use a normal network connection or review that product’s application and network rules according to its documentation.
Restart after queued updates finish
Windows and Store updates can wait behind a restart or another package operation. If Windows Update has installed files that require rebooting, restart before launching the Store again. Avoid repeatedly clicking Install while the queue is still processing; allow one operation to finish so the status can refresh.
Check whether the app is still offered
Search the Store listing while signed in. An app that no longer appears may have been removed, restricted in your country or region, limited by family settings, or unavailable to the current account. Those conditions require correcting the relevant account or settings, or choosing an alternative listing; they are not repaired by clearing a local cache.
What should I do when Microsoft Store will not open or shows error 0x80131500?
Use Microsoft’s Store-cache reset before attempting broader system repair. It is designed for launch failures and generic Store errors, including situations where the Store window never appears.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRun the built-in cache reset
- Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type
wsreset.exeexactly, then select OK. - Wait while a blank Command Prompt window appears and closes. Microsoft says the usual wait is about ten seconds, after which Microsoft Store should open automatically.
- Once Store opens, sign in if prompted and use Library > Get updates (or the Windows 10 path) to retry the update.
Do not close the blank Command Prompt during the reset. If it remains open substantially longer than expected, let the process finish before trying the command again; repeated launches can create additional queued processes without fixing the underlying condition.
Verify time and location settings
Incorrect system time, date, time zone or region can interfere with Store authentication and catalog requests. Open Windows Settings, confirm that time and time-zone settings are correct, and verify the country or region selected for the device. Then restart Microsoft Store and retry.
Install Windows updates even when the Store is unavailable
The Store is not the only route to Windows servicing. Use Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates on Windows 11, install what Windows offers, restart, and run wsreset.exe again if the Store still fails to launch.
When should I repair Windows Update or system files?
Escalate beyond Store-specific actions when several Windows update functions fail, downloads stop across applications, or corruption is suspected. These steps affect the wider operating system, so protect personal files first.
Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
Open Windows Settings and locate the Windows Update troubleshooter, run it, and apply any repair it recommends. The troubleshooter is appropriate when Windows Update itself reports errors or cannot complete, rather than when only one Store app is affected.
Back up personal files before invasive work
Make a current copy of documents, saved projects, photos and other irreplaceable files before system-file repair, reset operations or any recovery action. Microsoft specifically identifies a USB flash drive as one possible backup destination. Confirm that the copied files open from the backup before proceeding.
Repair the component store with DISM
Open Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). At the elevated prompt, run:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /RestorehealthAllow the command to complete. It checks and repairs the Windows component store that system servicing relies on. Do not close the administrator window just because progress appears paused; completion time varies with the system and available source files.
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After DISM finishes, run the System File Checker command in the same elevated window:
sfc /scannowWait for the verification to reach 100 percent, follow the result message, restart Windows, and test Windows Update and Microsoft Store again. Microsoft’s sequence places DISM before SFC so that SFC has a repaired component source available.
Which Microsoft Store fix should I choose?
The right remedy depends on the failure scope and how much local state it changes. Use the narrowest option that matches the symptom.
| Remedy | Primary scope | Effect on local data | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close and reopen | Running app process | Lowest impact | A single app stopped responding or did not refresh its status |
| Library > Get updates | Store catalog and available packages | Low impact | Store opens but updates are not being checked |
wsreset.exe |
Microsoft Store cache | Targets cache state, not your installed Windows files | Store will not open or displays a generic error |
| App Repair | One installed app | Lower impact than Reset | One app fails while Store and Windows work normally |
| App Reset | One installed app’s local configuration | More consequential; review Windows’ warning | Repair did not correct the app |
| Reinstall | One app package | Removes and replaces the package | The package is damaged or the update cannot be applied |
| Windows Update troubleshooter | Wider update subsystem | System-level changes may be proposed | Multiple update functions fail |
| DISM followed by SFC | Windows component store and protected files | System-level repair | Corruption is suspected after less invasive checks |
Windows version changes the navigation labels: Windows 11 uses Library > Get updates, while Windows 10 uses See more > Downloads and updates > Get updates. The commands and the principle of trying Repair before Reset apply independently of that menu difference.
What common mistakes make Store update problems harder to fix?
- Resetting too early: Reset is more disruptive than Repair, so use the lower-impact option first when it is available.
- Ignoring account context: A Store opened under a different Microsoft account can show a different library and licensing state.
- Confusing a missing listing with a broken update: Region, family controls, account identity and publisher availability can determine whether an app appears at all.
- Skipping a restart: Windows Update may need a reboot before Store components can use newly installed files.
- Running system repair without a backup: Copy personal files before DISM, SFC, reset or other recovery work.
- Repeating cache resets without checking the network:
wsreset.exeaddresses Store cache state; it cannot provide an internet connection, free disk space or a listing that has been withdrawn.
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Frequently asked questions
How long should wsreset.exe take?
Microsoft describes the normal wait as about ten seconds. A blank Command Prompt window appears during the reset and should close before Microsoft Store opens automatically.
Are Microsoft Store app updates automatic?
Microsoft Support says it is making app updates automatic to help keep PCs secure and ensure apps receive the latest security patches and features. Automatic behavior does not remove the need to use the Library update check when an app is visibly stuck or outdated.
Can family settings prevent an app from appearing?
Yes. Microsoft identifies family settings, country or region, the signed-in account and whether the app has been removed as possible reasons an app is missing or cannot be installed. Check those conditions before treating the absence as a cache or file-corruption problem.
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No. Microsoft notes that the Advanced options page and its Repair or Reset controls are not available for every app. If those controls are absent, use the Store Library reinstall path or continue with the account, availability and Windows-update checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should wsreset.exe take?
Microsoft describes the normal wait as about ten seconds. A blank Command Prompt window appears during the reset and should close before Microsoft Store opens automatically.
Are Microsoft Store app updates automatic?
Microsoft Support says it is making app updates automatic to help keep PCs secure and ensure apps receive the latest security patches and features. Automatic behavior does not remove the need to use the Library update check when an app is visibly stuck or outdated.
Can family settings prevent an app from appearing?
Yes. Microsoft identifies family settings, country or region, the signed-in account and whether the app has been removed as possible reasons an app is missing or cannot be installed. Check those conditions before treating the absence as a cache or file-corruption problem.
Are Repair and Reset available for every Store app?
No. Microsoft notes that the Advanced options page and its Repair or Reset controls are not available for every app. If those controls are absent, use the Store Library reinstall path or continue with the account, availability and Windows-update checks.
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