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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf Microsoft Store shows 0x8007042 when you try to download a game or app, first copy the complete code from the dialog. The displayed text is one digit short of the usual eight-digit Windows HRESULT format and is not clearly documented by Microsoft as a standalone Store error. The closely related 0x80070422 means the Windows Update service is disabled or stopped. After confirming the code, sign in to Store, install Windows and Store updates, repair or reset the affected app, run wsreset.exe, and—only when the complete code is 0x80070422—enable the Windows Update service.
Confirm the exact error before changing anything
Write down the code exactly as Windows displays it, including every digit and the 0x prefix. A code copied from a search result, a truncated notification, or a page title can lead to the wrong fix.
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0x8007042: this seven-digit string is ambiguous. Microsoft does not clearly document it as an independent Microsoft Store HRESULT in the official guidance covered here.0x80070422: Microsoft identifies this code as meaning that the Windows Update service is disabled or stopped.
To capture the full value, reopen the error dialog if possible, select the code, and use Ctrl+C, or take a screenshot and compare each character. Do not assume that the shorter value and 0x80070422 are interchangeable.
Why Microsoft Store downloads fail
Store downloads depend on more than the Store window itself. Windows must be able to authenticate the Microsoft account, obtain operating-system updates, refresh Store metadata, and contact Microsoft endpoints through the local network. A damaged Store cache or an app package that needs repair can also stop a download. When the complete code is 0x80070422, the immediate cause is different: the Windows Update service is not running, so Windows cannot perform operations that require it.
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The sequence below starts with supported, low-impact actions and moves toward service and registration diagnostics. It applies to Store games and other apps on Windows 10 and Windows 11. You do not need a physical device or special accessory for these software repairs.
Run the supported fixes in order
1. Sign in with the Microsoft account used by Store
- Open Microsoft Store.
- Select the account or profile icon in the Store window.
- Sign in with the Microsoft account that owns the app or game. If another account is shown, sign out and sign in with the purchasing account.
- Retry the download.
Using a different Windows account from the one that acquired the app can make a download appear unavailable or repeatedly fail. Complete this check before resetting Store data.
2. Install all pending Windows updates
Store and app servicing can fail when Windows itself is waiting for an update. Save open work, then use the path for your edition:
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- Windows 11: open Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates, install everything offered, and restart when Windows requests it.
- Windows 10: open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, select Check for updates, install the available updates, and restart.
After the restart, open Microsoft Store again rather than relying on an old Store window, then test the download.
3. Update Store apps from Library
- Open Microsoft Store.
- Select Library.
- Select Get updates.
- Allow Store to finish updating its installed apps before starting the failed download again.
This refreshes Store-managed components and can resolve a failure that affects one app even though Windows Update is current.
4. Repair the affected app or game
Use Repair first because it is the less disruptive app-level option. The labels differ slightly between Windows 11 and Windows 10.
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- Open Settings.
- On Windows 11, select Apps > Installed apps. On Windows 10, select Apps > Apps & features.
- Find the affected Store app or game. Select its three-dot menu on Windows 11, or select the app entry on Windows 10.
- Choose Advanced options.
- Select Repair, wait for Windows to finish, and try Store again.
Repair does not reinstall the package. If Repair makes no difference, return to the same Advanced options page and select Reset. Windows may remove the app’s local settings or sign-in state when it resets an app, so be prepared to configure the app again. If Reset also fails, uninstall the affected app from its Settings entry, restart Windows, and reinstall it from Store after the Store-level steps below.
5. Reset the Microsoft Store cache with wsreset.exe
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
- Enter
wsreset.exe. - Select OK. Do not close the command window while it is working.
Microsoft describes the expected result as a blank command-prompt window that opens, remains for roughly ten seconds, closes automatically, and then opens Microsoft Store. If Store does not open after the window closes, launch it manually and retry the download. This command targets the Store cache; it is not a replacement for Windows Update and it does not correct a stopped Windows Update service.
6. If the complete code is 0x80070422, enable Windows Update
Do this service change only after confirming the complete eight-digit code. The code specifically points to a disabled or stopped Windows Update service.
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- Press Win + R, enter
services.msc, and select OK. - In the Services list, locate Windows Update.
- Open its properties by double-clicking it.
- Set Startup type to Automatic.
- If Service status is Stopped, select Start.
- Select Apply, then OK.
- Restart the PC.
- Return to Settings > Windows Update (or Update & Security > Windows Update on Windows 10), check for updates, and install any that are offered.
If the service immediately stops again, or the Startup type control is unavailable, the PC may be managed by an organization or a local policy. Do not randomly alter other services; continue with the diagnostics below or ask the device administrator to review the policy.
What to do when the basic sequence does not work
Check whether Store itself can launch
Open Microsoft Store from the Start menu after each restart. A Store window that opens but cannot download points toward cache, app-package, account, or network restrictions. A Store window that will not launch at all points toward registration or system-policy problems and warrants the advanced checks in this section.
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Verify Store registration for the current user
Microsoft Learn’s troubleshooting guidance recommends verifying that Microsoft Store is registered for the affected user. Registration is separate from signing in: an account can be correct while the Store package is not properly registered in that Windows profile. Use Microsoft’s current Store-registration procedure for your Windows version, and make sure you run it for the same user who receives the error. A registration repair can require administrator approval and should be followed by a restart before testing again.
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Confirm that Store is allowed to download updates
On a managed PC, policy can allow Store to open while blocking app updates or downloads. Check the device’s Windows policy settings, security software rules, and any organization-managed restrictions. If this is a work or school computer, the administrator must make the change; do not bypass a policy by editing the registry.
Use winget where it is appropriate
Microsoft’s advanced guidance also identifies winget as an option for app installation or update work when the package is available through the Windows package sources. It is useful when Store’s interface fails but the package can be managed from the command line. Package availability, permissions, and the exact command vary by app, so identify the package first and use the command shown in Microsoft’s current winget documentation. Do not use an unrelated installer from an unverified download site as a substitute.
Check firewall and proxy endpoints
A Store window can load locally while downloads fail because a firewall or proxy blocks the endpoints used for Store and update traffic. Review outbound rules, proxy configuration, and endpoint allowlists with the network administrator. Microsoft Learn’s Store troubleshooting guidance lists checking firewall or proxy endpoints as a persistent-failure diagnostic. If the problem occurs only on one network, compare the same account and PC on a permitted network rather than disabling security controls permanently.
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Choose the next action by symptom
| What you observe | Most useful next action | Why |
|---|---|---|
The dialog shows seven digits: 0x8007042 |
Reopen the dialog and capture the complete code | The shortened value is ambiguous and is not clearly documented as a standalone Microsoft Store code. |
The complete code is 0x80070422 |
Set Windows Update to Automatic, start it, restart, and check for updates | Microsoft associates this code with a disabled or stopped Windows Update service. |
| Store opens, but one game or app fails | Update Store from Library > Get updates, then Repair, Reset, or reinstall that app | The failure may be package-specific rather than a Store-wide outage. |
| Several Store downloads fail after updates are installed | Run wsreset.exe, then review Store registration and network endpoints |
Cache, registration, firewall, or proxy conditions can affect multiple packages. |
| Store will not launch for the affected user | Verify Store registration and check policy restrictions | A launch failure needs registration or policy diagnostics, not only a cache reset. |
Risk, data loss, and administrator requirements
- Account sign-in and updates: low-impact checks, but a restart can interrupt unsaved work.
- Store Library update: updates Store-managed apps and may take time on a large library.
- Repair: the first app-level change to try when you want to preserve the existing installation.
- Reset and reinstall: deeper app changes. Reset can remove local settings or cached sign-in information, and reinstall requires the app to download again.
wsreset.exe: a built-in Store-cache reset; wait for its command window to close on its own.services.msc, registration, and policy checks: may require administrator rights. On an employer- or school-managed PC, the administrator may control these settings.
None of these steps requires purchasing hardware. Keep your Microsoft account credentials available, and back up any game saves that are stored only locally before uninstalling an app.
Built-in Microsoft support versus deeper diagnostics
| Approach | Typical risk | Access level | Best use | Evidence available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-in, Windows Update, Store Library, Repair | Low | Standard user in most cases | First attempt for a single failed download | Listed in Microsoft’s Store guidance for Windows 10 and 11 |
Reset, reinstall, and wsreset.exe |
Low to moderate; app data or local settings may need restoring | Standard user for most app actions | Cache or package corruption after basic updates | wsreset.exe is Microsoft’s built-in Store-cache step |
| Windows Update service configuration | Moderate if unrelated services are changed | Often administrator-level | Only when the complete code is 0x80070422 |
Microsoft defines that code as a disabled or stopped Windows Update service |
Store registration, winget, firewall, and proxy review |
Varies with policy and network changes | May require administrator or network-admin access | Persistent failures affecting multiple apps or users | Microsoft Learn lists these as advanced diagnostics; exact commands and endpoint rules depend on the PC |
When to stop troubleshooting
Stop changing settings and escalate when the code cannot be captured reliably, Windows Update is controlled by an organization, the service will not stay running, or a firewall/proxy policy blocks Store traffic. Give an administrator the exact code, Windows edition, affected app, whether Store launches, and which numbered steps you completed. That information distinguishes an account problem from a service, package-registration, or network-policy problem without repeating every repair.
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