7 Ways to Fix Apps Not Opening on Windows 11

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.

Try Basic Fixes

Fix 1: Repair or Reset Problematic Apps

If you have trouble opening a select few apps, such as Microsoft Store, Outlook, Photos, and others, tryrepairing such problematic apps on Windows 11. Here’s how.

Step 1:Press theWindows key + Ito open the Settings app and head toApps > Installed apps.

Step 2:Locate the problematic app on the list. Click thethree-dot menu iconnext to it > selectAdvanced options.

Step 3:Scroll down to the Reset section and click theRepairbutton.

If repairing the app doesn’t work, try resetting the app from the same menu.

Fix 2: Check Windows Services

Another reason apps and programs might not open is that the Application Identity or Windows Update services aren’t running on your Windows 11 PC. Here’s how to start those services manually.

Step 1:Press theWindows key + Rto open the Run dialog box, typeservices.msc, and pressEnter.

Step 2:Scroll to locateWindows Updateand check if the service is running. If it isn’t, right-click on it and selectStartfrom the menu.

Step 3:Similarly, start or restart theApplication Identityservice on the list.

Fix 3: Clear the Microsoft Store Cache

At times, issues with the Microsoft Store can lead to faulty installations or the failure to update apps. This can result in many problems, including the one discussed here. You can try resetting the Microsoft Store cache to see if that improves the situation.

Step 1:Press theWindows key + Rto open the Run dialog box.

Step 2:In the Open field, typeWSReset.exeand pressEnter.

Fix 4: Re-Register Windows Apps

Re-registering Microsoft Store apps on your system effectively fixes issues with them. So, if clearing the Microsoft Store cache proves ineffective, use these steps to re-register your apps.

Step 1:Click thesearch iconon the taskbar, typewindows powershell, and selectRun as Administrator.

Step 2:In the console, type the command given below and pressEnter.

Fix 5: Run the SFC and DISM Scans

Corrupted or damaged system files can disrupt Windows processes and prevent apps from opening. Luckily, Windows includes some handy tools—SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management)—that can help you repair any corrupt system files. Here’s how to run them.

Step 1:Right-click on theStart iconand selectTerminal (Admin)from the resulting menu.

Step 2:Type the following command and pressEnter.

Step 3:Run the following commands one by one and pressEnterafter each one to run the DISM scan.

Restart your PC one more time and try to open your apps again.

Fix 6: Modify Registry Files

Misconfigured registry entries on your Windows PC can also prevent apps and programs from opening. To fix this, you must manually change the registry files.

Step 1:Click thesearch iconon the taskbar, typeregistry editor, and selectRun as administrator.

Step 2:Paste the following path in the address bar at the top and pressEnterto quickly navigate to theSystemkey.

Step 3:In the right pane, locate theFilterAdministratorTokenentry. If you can’t find it, right-click on theSystem key> selectNew > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Then, name itFilterAdministratorToken.

Step 4:Double-click the newly createdDWORD> set its Value data to1> clickOK.

Restart your PC and see if you can open apps and programs after that.

Fix 7: Create a New User Account

Problems with your current user account can also lead to such issues. This can happen if the user account files are corrupted. If so, you can create and switch to a new user account. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1:Press theWindows key + Ito launch the Settings app.

Step 2:Switch to theAccountstab and click onOther users.

Step 3:Click theAdd accountbutton.

Step 4:Enter youremailand follow theon-screen promptsto create a new user account.

Once created,switch to the newly created user accountand see if you can open apps after that.

7 Ways to Fix Apps Not Opening on Windows 11

7 Ways to Fix Apps Not Opening on Windows 11

Try Basic Fixes

Fix 1: Repair or Reset Problematic Apps

Fix 2: Check Windows Services

Fix 3: Clear the Microsoft Store Cache

Fix 4: Re-Register Windows Apps

Fix 5: Run the SFC and DISM Scans

Fix 6: Modify Registry Files

Fix 7: Create a New User Account

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7 Ways to Fix Apps Not Opening on Windows 11#

Try Basic Fixes#

Fix 1: Repair or Reset Problematic Apps#

Fix 2: Check Windows Services#

Fix 3: Clear the Microsoft Store Cache#

Fix 4: Re-Register Windows Apps#

Fix 5: Run the SFC and DISM Scans#

Fix 6: Modify Registry Files#

Fix 7: Create a New User Account#

Was this helpful?#

Leave a ReplyCancel reply#

Read Next#

More in Windows#

4 Ways to Write a Fraction in Microsoft Word#

3 Ways to Repair Broken Apps and Programs In Windows 11#

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7 Ways to Fix Apps Not Opening on Windows 11

Try Basic Fixes

Fix 1: Repair or Reset Problematic Apps

Fix 2: Check Windows Services

Fix 3: Clear the Microsoft Store Cache

Fix 4: Re-Register Windows Apps

Fix 5: Run the SFC and DISM Scans

Fix 6: Modify Registry Files

Fix 7: Create a New User Account

Was this helpful?

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Read Next

More in Windows

4 Ways to Write a Fraction in Microsoft Word

3 Ways to Repair Broken Apps and Programs In Windows 11

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER