The Microsoft Store has a nice interface and a great selection of apps, games, and third-party applications, but sometimes getting that software can be a challenge. What can you do if the Store downloads are stuck in the queue? This is how you solve download problems in Microsoft Store.
Tip 01: Check connection
It’s a no-brainer, but the very first thing you do if you find your download is stuck is the Internet connection check. So just start your web browser and see if the web pages load.
If you notice that you are not connected via WiFi, it usually helps if you restart the router. With a wired connection, disconnect the Ethernet cable or modem and then reconnect it. You may need to contact the helpdesk of your internet provider.
A proxy or vpn connection can interfere with downloading and installing apps
Tip 02: Turn off vpn/proxy
A proxy or VPN connection can also interfere with downloading and installing apps from the Microsoft Store. Close the vpn app or go to Settings / Networks & Internet / VPN to disable the vpn connection in the settings of Windows. In the menu Network and Internet open the tab proxy and there you switch the option Use proxy server from. After that, try downloading from the Microsoft Store again.
Tip 03: Close
If the previous two steps still do not provide a solution, close the Store and start it again. Right click on the Windows logo in Start menu and select Task Manager. You can also Ctrl+Alt+Delete Press to go to Task Manager. Select in the tab Processes the Microsoft Store and click the button To end in the lower right corner of the window.
Then open the Microsoft Store again and try downloading the app again.
Tip 04: Clear the cache
Microsoft Store automatically creates cache data that it keeps on the PC. These are temporary files that make the Store app run faster on your computer. When these files get corrupted, they sometimes cause the Microsoft Store to malfunction.
You can zap the cache. Close all Microsoft Store windows and then type wsreset in the search box. In the search result, indicate that you want to run this app as an administrator. The system will open an empty Command Prompt window. Wait for the Microsoft Store Reset window to disappear from the screen. That sometimes takes 15 seconds. Windows will automatically launch Microsoft Store after clearing the cache.
Check date and time
The Microsoft Store cannot process downloads if your computer’s date and time are not set correctly. So check via Settings / Time and language option Date and time whether this information is correct.
Make sure the function Set time automatically is active. Then you use the part Sync your clock the button Sync Now. This will synchronize the date and clock with the Windows Time Server. Try to see if the download works now.
Tip 05: Check storage space
If your PC runs out of storage space, the apps will get stuck in the download queue.
In the navigation pane of Windows Explorer, choose This PC in the left column. On the right you see below Devices and drives per disk how much space is available. If you have multiple hard drives connected to the PC, you can configure Windows so that new apps end up on the drive with sufficient storage space. For that you go to Settings / System / Storage and then select Change where new content is saved. Use the drop-down list below New apps are saved and then select the drive where you want to save the downloads from Microsoft.
A reset will remove Microsoft’s all settings and data from the Store on your computer
Tip 06: Sign up again
Sometimes it helps to sign out of the Microsoft Store app and then sign in again with your Microsoft account. To do this, click on the profile icon in the top right corner of the Store and select your account. Then a pop-up will appear: Account you have added to this app. Press the button Sign out to remove your Microsoft account from the Store app.
After that, return to the Microsoft Store home page, click the profile icon again and select Sign in. In most cases, your account is saved on the computer anyway, so you can just select it and continue. Otherwise, you will have to enter the account information manually. click on To register to reconnect your PC to the Store.
Tip 07: Reset Store
Have all previous attempts failed? Then you need to reset the Microsoft Store app. By such a reset, Microsoft will delete all settings and data of this app on your computer.
The road you follow will again go through the Institutions. There you choose Apps / Apps & Features. After that, you will be presented with a long list of apps. Scroll until you get to the app Microsoft Store are. Clicking on this app will take you to the Advanced Options button. To reset the app, use the button Reset. You will receive a notification indicating that this will clear the app’s preferences. Click the button again Reset.
After that, launch the Microsoft Store and sign in with your Microsoft account information. Check again if the problem is solved.
Windows 10 has an internal tool to troubleshoot the Microsoft Store
Tip 08: Troubleshooter
Windows 10 has an internal tool to diagnose and fix problems with the Microsoft Store or with apps coming from this store. The tool is hidden in the menu Resolving problems in your PC’s settings.
Go to Settings / Update & Security / Troubleshooting. Under the heading Detect other issues and solve find Windows Store apps. When you click on that, the button will appear Run Troubleshooter appear. Follow the steps. If a problem is found, the troubleshooter will do its job independently.
Tip 09: Update Store
Like any application on your computer, you need to update the Microsoft Store app from time to time. To do this, open the Store and then click the button with the three dots in the top right corner. This is how you get to the assignment Downloads and updates.
Use the button Get updates and wait for the Microsoft Store to scan the PC for outdated apps. This may take several minutes. When the scan is complete, check to see if Microsoft Store is queued for updates. If an update is available, the installation will start automatically. You can also click the download icon next to Microsoft Store to manually download and install the update.
Tip 10: Update Windows
If the above suggestions do not provide a solution, you should check whether your PC has the most recent version of Windows. The cause can also be an outdated version of Windows, in which certain bugs have not yet been solved.
Go through again Institutions nasty Update and Security. There you click on the top function Windows Update and then the button Looking for updates. If an update is available, click Install now.
Windows 10 automatically activates the Microsoft Store when you create a new account
Tip 11: New user
Windows 10 automatically activates the Microsoft Store when you create a new account. That is also a shortcut to bring the Store back to life.
Open the Institutions and go to Accounts. Click on that Family and other users, so that in the next window you can reach the button to add another person to the PC. Create an account and try the Microsoft Store.
Tip 12: Check services
Verify that two services are running on the computer. we are talking about Background Intelligent Transfer Service and the Windows Update service.
Right click on the start button and select To carry out. In the window To carry out do you type services.msc. An alphabetical list of the local services appears. Find the two services mentioned and look in the column Startup type whether they are set to Automatically. If not, right-click on the service and open the Characteristics. In this window you can Set Startup Type on Automatic (delayed start). Confirm with OK and click in the left column on Restart the service.
Tip 13: Reinstallation
The last resort is to uninstall and reinstall the Microsoft Store app. You need Windows PowerShell for this.
Right click on the start button and open PowerShell as administrator. In the PowerShell window, paste or type the following text: Get-AppxPackage -allusers *WindowsStore* | Remove-AppxPackage. Then press Enter. This will delete the Store. Then enter the following text in PowerShell (confirm again with Enter): Get-AppxPackage -allusers *WindowsStore* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}. This will reinstall the Store. Restart your PC and fingers crossed.
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