Microsoft Store is the one app that you need the most when thinking of installing new apps on Windows 11. This is because it feels safe to download and try new apps from here. So, when it goes missing, users try searching for alternate options. Well, you shouldn’t as it is quite easy and straightforward to restore Missing Microsoft Store in Windows 11.
What causes Windows Store to go missing in Windows 11?
First thing first, we should learn what possibly could transpire Microsoft Store gone missing on your computer. Below are a set of reasons that could have caused this problem –
- The stored cache on Microsoft Store has exceeded the permissible limit
- Missing system files, folders, or corruption inside the system image
- Your account files have corrupted somehow leading to a Corrupt User Account Profile
Ways to Restore Missing Microsoft Store in Windows 11
If you can’t find the Microsoft Store app on your Windows 11 PC, go and apply the below suggestions one after another. Just make sure to follow the same sequence as they were put in.
1] Troubleshoot Windows Store Apps
There is a possibility that the Windows Store is still lying on your computer, however, you can’t locate it due to some internal glitches. Well, to resolve such problems, Microsoft provides users with a great tool which is none other than the troubleshooter itself. Troubleshoot Windows Store Apps using this tool and check if this resolves the issue at hand.
- Press Win + X, and choose Settings.
- Go to System > Troubleshoot, and click on Other troubleshooters.
- Scroll down to the bottom on the subsequent screen and locate Windows Store Apps.
- When found, hit the Run button available beside it.
- Click Next on the troubleshooter window and then follow the on-screen instructions.
If the problem was indeed due to some corrupt system files or missing ones, this tool will definitely resolve the missing Store app on your PC.
2] Reset Microsoft Store Cache
Just like regular applications, Microsoft also collects some data in the form of a cache. This is done to preserve some settings on your PC which ultimately improves loading times or app performances. However, when the stored cache gets corrupted somehow, this might lead to issues like Missing Microsoft Store.
Whether this is going to fix the issue or not, it is definitely worth purging the Store app. Here’s how to perform this task on Windows 11 –
- Press Win + X, and the Power Menu shows up.
- Select Run, type “wsreset.exe” on it, and hit the OK button.
- Command Prompt will soon start running the Windows Store resetting code.
- Wait for CMD to finish executing this code and when it’s done, Microsoft Store will launch automatically.
You may right-click on the Store’s icon and select the option – Pin to taskbar.
Repair or Reset Microsoft Store via Settings
Though it is quite simple to initiate resetting Microsoft Store via Run, this will let go of all the data stored on your PC. You need to re-login using the correct login-id and password so that you can access your purchased games or apps through it.
There’s a way to avoid unnecessarily purging Microsoft Store and this involves repairing Windows Store. If you do so, all your saved data will remain intact and you don’t require any re-login. Here’s how to repair Microsoft Store in Windows 11 –
- Press Win + X and choose “Apps and Features“.
- When the Apps window launches, scroll down to Microsoft Store and click the three dots available on its right end.
- Choose the Advanced options using the shortcut menu.
- On the subsequent screen, scroll down to the “Repair & Reset” section, and hit the Repair button.
- Wait while the system is repairing Microsoft Store.
By the end of it, you must be able to find the Microsoft Store app’s icon on your computer. If not, follow the next set of solutions as outlined below.
Note: Resetting Microsoft Store via Settings or WSReset bears the same thing, so you may go for any one of these two purging ways. When you reset Microsoft Store, all the app data gets deleted and your Store app comes to its original state i.e. the default one.
3] Reinstall Microsoft Store via PowerShell
If the Store App is still missing on your Windows 11 PC, you may consider re-registering for it via Windows PowerShell. You must channel it through PowerShell, as there is no direct way to uninstall this system app on Windows 11. Here’s how to perform this task –
- Right-click on the Windows icon and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
- The terminal will default land into Windows PowerShell (unless changed to CMD). Anyways, when the PowerShell comes up, copy/paste the below code and press Enter –
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *WindowsStore* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
- Wait for this command to run successfully. Once this is over and you see a blinking cursor, restart your PC.
Hopefully, you will find the missing Microsoft Store back on your computer.
4] Go for SFC and DISM Scans
Though SFC and DISM won’t do any good if the above solutions fail to bring back the missing Store, it’s totally worth trying a shot. SFC works to resolve any corruption inside the system files and folders whereas DISM repairs the corrupt System Image. Read and apply the below steps as guided below –
- Press Win + X and choose the option – Windows Terminal (Admin).
- When the terminal launches, open a new tab to Command Prompt. You may press “Ctrl + Shift + 2” to do so.
- The User Account Control window will appear next, hit Yes to authorize opening CMD as administrator.
- On the elevated console, type the following and press Enter –
sfc /scannow
- This code takes approximately 15-20 minutes to find and replace missing/corrupt files or folders. The timing could also increase depending upon the level of corruption inside your PC.
- When this scans and repairs system files successfully, check up the system image via running the DISM code. For this, you need to execute the below command –
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
- Just like SFC, the DISM will also take 15-20 minutes to find and resolves any corruption within the System Image. This tool actually connects to Windows Update to download the relevant package that has become corrupted inside your System Image.
- Be patient, and when DISM completes scanning as well, restart your PC.
Sign back into your device again and check if the missing Microsoft Store shows up on your computer.
Note: If you like, you may run the SFC and DISM codes on Windows PowerShell (Admin) as well –
5] Create a New User Account and log in with that
There could be a possibility that your user profile has become corrupted and hence causing the missing Microsoft Store on your device. Running SFC and DISM tools must repair corrupt account files. However, as you are still reading, this must not have gone in your favor.
Well, you may create a new user account profile, sign in with that, and check if the problem resolves. To do so, you need to follow these easy steps –
- Launch Windows Settings by pressing Win + I.
- Go to Accounts > Other users, and hit Add account.
- You will notice the Microsoft account window appearing next.
- Click “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information” and follow the on-screen instructions that keep coming.
- When you have successfully created a new user account, restart your PC.
When Windows 11 reloads, make sure to login into it using the newly created user profile’s logon. As you are signed into a new user account, this must restore the missing Microsoft Store on your Windows 11 device.
6] Use previously generated system backup
If you had created a system restore on your PC and the problem persists even after applying the last fix, you should definitely revert back your PC to an earlier state. This solution will work only if Microsoft Store was fine and running perfectly at some point in the past. The chosen backup must have been taken before that.
If you do meet all these conditions, go for reverting back your device to an earlier stage when it was running fine.
What if Microsoft Store is still missing on Windows 11?
Though the solutions above are fully capable to restore the missing Microsoft Store, if they fail, you may go for a clean installation of Windows 11. But never turn to third-party sources to download apps and games on your PC. This is necessary as otherwise, your device will be subject to exploits and viruses.
What’s new with Microsoft Store on Windows 11?
Microsoft has completely revamped the Store app to act fast while remaining user-friendly. All these features won’t matter much if the same has gone missing on your computer. This article is a try to restore the missing store app on your PC, so, go through the solutions outlined above and keep this app error-free.
