How to Get the Microsoft Store on Windows 11

You don’t need to download the Microsoft Store on Windows 11. It’s already built in. Select Start, type Microsoft Store, and open it. If it doesn’t show up, sign in with a Microsoft account, reset it with wsreset.exe, or install Windows updates. You can also browse and get apps on the web at apps.microsoft.com.

This guide covers Windows 11 Home and Pro. It shows how to open and pin the Store, why it might seem to be missing, Microsoft’s fixes when it won’t open, how to repair or reinstall it, and how to get Store apps without the app.

How to Open the Microsoft Store

1. Select Start and type Microsoft Store. Result: the Store appears in the search results.
2. Select it to open it. Result: the Store home page loads, with Apps, Gaming, and Library on the left.
3. To find it faster next time, right-click it and select Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar.

Microsoft’s Store help page also has an Open Microsoft Store button that launches the app from your browser.

If You Can’t Find the Microsoft Store

Microsoft’s can’t find Microsoft Store page lists these causes:

• It was unpinned. It’s still installed. Search for it from Start.
• You’re signed in with a local account. Microsoft says the Store may not be available with a local account. Sign in with a Microsoft account.
• It’s a work or school PC. Your administrator may have turned the Store off.

If the Microsoft Store Won’t Open

1. Press Windows + R, type wsreset.exe, and select OK. Result: a blank window opens, closes after about ten seconds, and the Store opens.
2. Install any updates in Settings > Windows Update, then restart.
3. Check that your date, time and region are correct in Settings > Time & language. A wrong clock can stop the Store from connecting.

These steps come from Microsoft’s Microsoft Store doesn’t open page, which also offers a download link for the Store if it’s missing.

Repair or reset the Store app

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Find Microsoft Store, select the three-dot menu, and choose Advanced options.
3. Select Repair. If that doesn’t help, select Reset. Result: the Store’s app data is cleared, and you may need to sign in again.

Microsoft recommends trying Repair before Reset in its guide to repairing apps.

How to Reinstall the Microsoft Store

If the Store is truly missing, the simplest option is Microsoft’s own listing: go to the Microsoft Store page on apps.microsoft.com in a browser and select Get or Install.

You can also re-register the Store with PowerShell. Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin), and run:

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

Restart the PC afterward. This only re-registers a Store that’s still on the PC; it can’t restore one that was fully removed.

Get Store Apps Without the App

Go to apps.microsoft.com in any browser, find the app, and select Get. You don’t need the Store app open to browse there.

If Store Apps Won’t Download or Update

• Check for updates in the Store: select Library, then Get updates. The Store itself updates the same way. For a game example, see how to update Minecraft Bedrock on Windows 11.
• Free up space: large games need plenty of free storage on the drive you install to.
• Sign out and back in: select your profile picture in the Store, sign out, then sign in again.
• Reset the cache: run wsreset.exe again, then retry the download.

PowerShell has more than one update channel. Our guide to updating PowerShell on Windows 11 explains the Store package, WinGet and Microsoft Update, and distinguishes PowerShell 7 from the built-in Windows PowerShell 5.1.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Microsoft Store free?

Yes. The Store app is free, and many apps in it are free. Some apps and games cost money. Free components that games rely on also come through the Store; for one example, see how to install Gaming Services on Windows 11.

Do I need a Microsoft account to use the Store?

Microsoft notes the Store may not be available with a local account, so signing in with a Microsoft account is the safest choice. Paid apps and games require one. If you switched to a local account in Windows 11 earlier, you can switch back from the same Settings page.

Why can’t I install apps from outside the Store?

Your PC may be in S mode, which only allows Store apps. See how to only allow apps from the Microsoft Store in Windows for the related setting. Desktop programs such as TurboTax are installed from the maker’s website instead; see how to install TurboTax on Windows 11.

How do I update the Microsoft Store?

Open the Store, select Library, and select Get updates. The Store updates itself along with your apps.

Looking for Android apps instead? Here’s how to use Google Play on Windows 11.