Fix Microsoft Store Downloading Problems
If your Windows computer's "Store" app isn't properly downloading your apps, you have a few different solutions at your disposal, from changing your computer's date and time settings to resetting your store's cache.
Contents
Steps
Changing Your Computer's Date and Time Settings
- Open your computer's search bar. For Windows 10, simply click the Start menu search bar.
- For Windows 8, hold down ⊞ Win and tap W.
- Type "Date and Time" into the search bar.
- Click the "Date and Time" option. This should be at the top of the search menu.
- For Windows 8, click "Change the Date and Time" below the search field.
- Click "Change the Date and Time". You can find this option in the "Date and Time" menu.
- You must be an administrator to change these settings.
- Adjust your date and time settings. These should reflect the current date and time as they pertain to your time zone.
- You can also click "Change time zone..." to alter your time zone settings.
- Click "OK". Your date and time should now be up to date!
- Open your computer's search bar again.
- Type "Store" into the search bar.
- Click the "Store" icon when it appears.
- Click the downward-facing arrow to the left of the search bar.
- Review your downloads. If the date/time settings were the problem, your downloads should now be active!
Updating Your Current Apps
- Open the Microsoft Store.
- Click your profile icon. You can find this to the left of the search bar.
- Click "Downloads and Updates".
- Click the "Check for Updates" button. This should be in the top right corner of your app store.
- Wait for the updates to apply. Depending on how many apps you have in need of updates, this may take a few minutes.
- Return to the app download page. If your current apps were backing up the download process, these apps should now be downloading.
Signing Out of the Microsoft Store
- Make sure your Store app is open.
- Click your account icon to the left of the search bar. If you have a picture associated with your Windows account, it will appear here; otherwise, this icon will be a person's silhouette.
- Click your account name. You can find this option at the top of the resulting drop-down menu.
- Click your account name in the pop-up window.
- Click "Sign out" below your name. This will sign you out of the Store app.
- Click your account icon again.
- Click "Sign in".
- Click your account name. You should see this at the top of the pop-up menu.
- Enter your password or PIN if prompted. Doing so will sign you back into the Store app.
- Check your downloads tab. If signing out and back in fixed your problem, your downloads should have resumed!
Resetting the Store's Cache
- Close your Microsoft/Windows store app.
- Hold down the ⊞ Win key and tap R. This will open the "Run" app.
- Type "wsreset" into Run. You can also type this into the Start menu's search bar to access the "Windows Store Reset" program.
- Click "OK".
- Wait for the Command Prompt window to close. Once it does so, your store app should open with a clean cache.
- Check your downloads tab. If the cache was the issue, your downloads should have resumed!
Tips
- As a general rule, you should always try to keep your apps updated.
Warnings
- If you're on a shared or public computer, you might not be able to change the date/time settings or run the "wsreset" program.
Sources and Citations
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