Microsoft Store missing in Windows 11 or 10? How to get it back

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10 when the Microsoft Store doesn’t show in Start or search, won’t open, or was removed by a cleanup or “debloat” tool.

First, check whether it’s really gone

1. Press Win + R, type ms-windows-store: and press Enter. If the Store opens, it’s installed and only its shortcut is missing.
2. Open Start, select All apps (just All on newer Windows 11 builds), and look under M. Right-click Microsoft Store and choose Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar.
3. If the Store opens but closes straight away or shows an error code, it’s damaged rather than missing. Start with Fix 1.

Check your Windows edition

Go to Settings > System > About and look at Edition under Windows specifications. Windows Enterprise LTSC and IoT Enterprise LTSC don’t include the Microsoft Store, so on those editions nothing is broken and the fixes below won’t add it. Home, Pro, Education and Enterprise all include it, and so does Windows in S mode.

On a work or school PC, your organisation may have removed or blocked the Store on purpose. Check Settings > Accounts > Access work or school; if the PC is managed, ask your IT team before trying to bring it back.

Fix 1: Repair or reset the Store app

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. In Windows 10, it’s Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
2. Find Microsoft Store, select the three dots (or the app name in Windows 10) and choose Advanced options.
3. Select Repair and try the Store. If that doesn’t help, select Reset.

Reset clears the Store’s local data and may sign you out of the app. Your purchases and installed apps stay tied to your Microsoft account. If the Store isn’t in the list at all, go to Fix 2.

Fix 2: Reinstall it with wsreset -i

Plain wsreset.exe clears the Store’s cache. With the -i switch, current builds of Windows 11 and 10 also download and reinstall the Store if it’s missing.

1. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin) (Windows PowerShell (Admin) in Windows 10).
2. Run wsreset.exe -i. A blank window may open and close; the reinstall carries on in the background.
3. Wait a few minutes with the PC online, then search Start for Microsoft Store. Windows may show a notification when it’s installed.

If nothing happens after 10 minutes, restart the PC and check again before moving on.

Fix 3: Re-register it with PowerShell

If the Store package is still on the PC but not registered for your account, this brings it back. In an administrator terminal, run:

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

Restart and check Start again. If you see Cannot find path 'C:\AppXManifest.xml', the package isn’t installed at all, so the command has nothing to register. Go back to Fix 2, or use Fix 5. The same re-register approach also fixes Windows Security not opening.

Fix 4: Check services and policies

• Services: press Win + R, run services.msc, and make sure Microsoft Store Install Service and Windows Update aren’t set to Disabled. Both are normally Manual. Disabled services also cause error 0x80070426 in the Store.
• Group Policy: on Pro, Enterprise or Education, run gpedit.msc and open Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store. Set Turn off the Store application to Not Configured. This policy only takes effect on Enterprise and Education editions.
• Registry: tweak tools sometimes add a RemoveWindowsStore value under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore. Export the key as a backup, then delete that value if you didn’t set it on purpose.

Run gpupdate /force and restart, then try Fix 2 again.

Fix 5: Repair Windows

If Windows’ own files are damaged, the Store may refuse to reinstall. In an administrator terminal, run these one at a time:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

If SFC can’t fix everything, see Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation. As a last resort, Windows 11 can reinstall itself and keep your files and apps: go to Settings > System > Recovery and select Reinstall now next to Fix problems using Windows Update. A repair install brings back every built-in app, the Store included. On Windows 10, see how to reinstall Windows 10 for a repair install that keeps your files.

Related guides

• Error 0x80070426: how to fix it in Windows Update and Microsoft Store
• Windows Security not opening in Windows 11? 7 fixes that work
• Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation: 7 fixes
• How to reinstall Windows 10: reset, repair install or clean install

Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s own pages:

• Microsoft Support: Fix problems with apps from Microsoft Store
• Microsoft Support: Repair apps and programs in Windows

Frequently asked questions

Why did the Microsoft Store disappear?

The usual causes are a cleanup or “debloat” script that removed built-in apps, a failed Store update, or a policy set by a tweak tool or your organisation. Less often, a damaged user profile hides it for one account only; signing in with another account tells you which.

Will reinstalling the Store remove my apps or purchases?

No. Apps you’ve installed stay installed, and purchases are tied to your Microsoft account. After the Store is back, open Library to see and reinstall them.

Can I download a Microsoft Store installer from Microsoft’s website?

Microsoft doesn’t offer a normal standalone installer for the Store app itself. Use wsreset.exe -i or a repair install. Avoid Store packages from unofficial download sites.

The Store is back but won’t download apps. What now?

Check the date, time and region in Settings, sign out of the Store and back in, and make sure Windows Update isn’t disabled. Error codes such as 0x80070426 point to a stopped service.