The Microsoft Store on Windows 10 has a talent for failing in creative ways: error codes when you try to download, apps stuck at “Pending” forever, the Store itself refusing to open, or sign-in loops that go nowhere. Behind the variety, though, the causes are a short list — cache corruption, service problems, account glitches, and date/time issues — and the fixes are well-established.

This guide covers the full range: the one-minute cache reset that fixes most cases, the service and account repairs for the stubborn ones, and the deeper app-repair steps for when the Store itself is broken. Work top-down; most people stop at Fix 2.

Why this happens

  • Corrupted Store cache. The Store keeps a local cache of listings, images, and download state. When it corrupts — after a crashed download or a bad update — the Store misbehaves in every direction at once. The famous WSReset.exe exists specifically for this.
  • Wrong date, time, or time zone. The Store validates security certificates on everything it downloads. A wrong system clock breaks validation, producing cryptic errors for what is really a clock problem.
  • Disabled Windows Update service. The Store’s download engine depends on the Windows Update service and BITS. “Debloating” tools that disable these break the Store as collateral damage — error 0x80070422 is the telltale sign.
  • Corrupted Store app files. The Store is itself an app, and its own files can corrupt — especially after Windows updates. When the Store won’t even open, its own installation is usually the problem.
  • Stale Microsoft account credentials. Token expiry, password changes, or account security holds leave the Store signed in with credentials that no longer work, causing download and purchase errors.
  • Proxy or VPN interference. The Store is pickier about network paths than the browser is. Misconfigured proxies and some VPNs break its connections while everything else works fine.

How to fix it

Work through these in order — start with Fix 1 and only move on if the problem is still there.

Fix 1: Reset the Store cache with WSReset

The one-minute fix that resolves the majority of Store problems.

  1. Close the Microsoft Store completely — check Task Manager and end any Microsoft Store processes still running.
  2. Press Win + R, type WSReset.exe, and press Enter.
  3. A blank Command Prompt window appears for 10–30 seconds while the cache clears. Don’t close it — wait.
  4. The Store launches automatically when the reset finishes. Try your download again immediately. If the original error is gone, you’re done — this was cache corruption, the most common cause.

Fix 2: Check date, time, and time zone

The two-minute check that fixes the second-most-common cause.

  1. Right-click the taskbar clock and choose Adjust date and time.
  2. Enable Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically, then click Sync now.
  3. Restart the Store and retry. Certificate validation is time-sensitive, and a clock that’s off by even a day breaks Store downloads with misleading error codes.
  4. If your clock keeps resetting to the wrong time after reboots, the CMOS battery is dying — a cheap replacement at any repair shop, and it also prevents this error from recurring.

Fix 3: Run the Store Apps troubleshooter

Let Windows diagnose its own app platform.

  1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters.
  2. Select Windows Store Apps and click Run the troubleshooter.
  3. Apply whatever fixes it suggests — it commonly resets Store permissions and re-registers app packages.
  4. Restart the laptop (not just the Store) and test. The troubleshooter also verifies the services the Store depends on.

Fix 4: Verify the required services are running

The Store can’t download without its engine room.

  1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Set these to Automatic and Started: Windows Update, Background Intelligent Transfer Service, and Microsoft Store Install Service (if present).
  3. If any were Disabled, something turned them off — check for “debloat” or “privacy” tools in Settings > Apps and remove them, or they’ll break the Store again.
  4. Retry the Store. Service-disabled errors (including the service-focused error 0x80070422 ) vanish the moment the services are back. Microsoft’s support site documents these service dependencies if you want the full list.

Fix 5: Sign out and back into the Store

Clear stale account credentials.

  1. Open the Microsoft Store, click your profile icon (top-right), and choose Sign out.
  2. Close the Store completely, reopen it, click the profile icon, and Sign in with your Microsoft account — entering the password fresh, not relying on saved credentials.
  3. If you recently changed your Microsoft account password, this step is nearly mandatory — the Store often keeps trying the old token silently.
  4. After signing in, check Library (bottom-left) — your owned apps should list correctly, confirming the account is healthy.

Fix 6: Repair or reset the Store app

When the Store itself is corrupted, repair its installation.

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features, find Microsoft Store in the list, and click Advanced options.
  2. First click Repair — this fixes the app without touching its data. Test the Store.
  3. If Repair doesn’t help, click Reset — this clears the Store’s data and returns it to a fresh state. Your installed apps and purchases are unaffected (they’re tied to your account, not the Store app).
  4. After resetting, open the Store and let it sit for a minute — it re-syncs your library on first launch, which can look like hanging on a slow connection.

Fix 7: Re-register the Store via PowerShell

The deep repair for a Store that won’t open at all.

  1. Press Win + X and open Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Run this command to re-register the Store package (copy-paste it exactly): Get-AppXPackage *WindowsStore* -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
  3. Wait for it to complete — errors in red about packages “already installed” are normal and safe to ignore.
  4. Restart the laptop and open the Store. Re-registration rebuilds the app’s Windows integration from scratch, fixing the “won’t launch” cases that Reset doesn’t reach.

Closing

Microsoft Store errors look varied but they’re shallow — cache, clock, services, account, app files, in that order of likelihood. And if the Store works but Windows Update itself is failing underneath it, our 0x80004005 update guide covers the shared machinery. The WSReset trick (Fix 1) deserves to be muscle memory: any time the Store acts up, that’s your first move, before you even start reading error codes. And if you used a debloating tool in the past, remember it’s the prime suspect whenever Store services show up disabled — the tool “optimized” your Store into brokenness, and removing the tool is part of the permanent fix.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the Microsoft Store not opening on Windows 10?
The usual causes are a corrupted Store cache, incorrect date and time (which breaks the Store’s security certificates), a disabled Windows Update service (the Store depends on it), or corrupted Store app files. The WSReset cache clear in this guide fixes the most common case in under a minute.
What does Microsoft Store error 0x80070422 mean?
It means a required service is disabled — almost always the Windows Update service, which the Store needs for downloads. Re-enable it via services.msc (Startup type: Automatic) and the Store starts working again.
Will resetting the Microsoft Store delete my installed apps?
No. Resetting or repairing the Store app only affects the Store itself — its cache and settings. Your installed apps, games, and purchases tied to your Microsoft account are untouched and remain available for reinstall.
Do I need to be signed in to use the Microsoft Store?
You can browse without signing in, but downloading and updating apps requires a Microsoft account sign-in. If downloads fail with account errors, sign out and back in via the Store’s profile menu — stale credentials cause a surprising share of Store errors.