Fix Windows 10/11 Apps Opening Slow: Reset the Microsoft Store Cache + Repair App Packages

Fix Windows 10/11 Apps Opening Slow: Reset the Microsoft Store Cache + Repair App Packages​

Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 15 minutes
Windows 10/11 “apps” (Microsoft Store apps like Photos, Calculator, Mail, Snipping Tool, etc.) can sometimes take an unusually long time to launch—showing a blank window, hanging on a splash screen, or opening after a long delay. In many cases the cause is a corrupted Microsoft Store cache or broken app package registrations.
This tutorial walks you through two safe, high-impact fixes:

1. Reset the Microsoft Store cache (quick win for Store-related slowness).
2. Repair/re-register app packages using PowerShell (fixes broken registrations and package metadata).

These steps are commonly effective after Windows updates, profile migrations, disk cleanups, or interrupted Store app updates.

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Prerequisites​

Before you begin:

• Windows 10 or Windows 11 (any currently supported build).
  • Settings paths differ slightly between Windows 10 and 11; both are included below.
• An admin account (for the PowerShell repair steps).
• Save your work and close apps. Some steps may briefly affect running Store apps.
• Optional but recommended: Create a restore point
  • Press Win + R, type SystemPropertiesProtection, press Enter → Create.

Note: These fixes target Microsoft Store (UWP) apps. If your slow apps are classic desktop programs (Chrome, Office, Steam, etc.), the cause and fixes are different.

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Step-by-step: Fix slow-opening Windows apps​

Step 1) Confirm it’s a Store app issue (quick check)​

1. Try opening 2–3 built-in apps, such as Calculator, Photos, and Settings.
2. If multiple Store apps are slow but desktop apps feel normal, continue.

Tip: If only one app is slow (e.g., Photos), jump to Step 3 first (Repair/Reset that specific app).

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Step 2) Reset the Microsoft Store cache (WSReset)​

This clears the Store’s local cache without removing your apps.

1. Press Win + R to open Run.
2. Type:
   wsreset.exe
3. Press Enter.
4. A blank Command Prompt window may appear for 10–30 seconds (sometimes longer). When it finishes, Microsoft Store typically opens automatically.
5. Restart the PC (recommended) and test opening the slow apps again.

Warning: Don’t close the WSReset window while it’s running. Let it finish.

If WSReset fails or does nothing:

• Try running it as admin: open Start, type wsreset, right-click wsreset → Run as administrator.
• If it still fails, proceed to Step 4 and Step 5.

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Step 3) Repair/Reset the specific slow app (Settings)​

If one particular app is sluggish, repairing it can fix corrupted local data.

Windows 11​

1. Go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Find the app (example: Microsoft Photos).
3. Click the ⋯ (three dots) → Advanced options.
4. Scroll to Reset:
   • Click Repair first (keeps app data where possible).
   • If it’s still slow, click Reset (may remove app data/settings).

Windows 10​

1. Go to Settings → Apps → Apps & features.
2. Select the app → Advanced options.
3. Click Repair, then Reset if needed.

Note: “Reset” can sign you out or clear app-specific data. For example, Mail may require account re-syncing.

Test the app again. If several apps are slow (or Repair/Reset doesn’t help), continue.

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Step 4) Run Windows Store Apps troubleshooter (Windows 10) / built-in troubleshooters (Windows 11)​

This can automatically fix common Store dependencies and permissions issues.

Windows 11​

1. Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters.
2. Look for Windows Store Apps (if present on your build) → Run.
3. Follow the prompts and apply fixes.

Windows 10​

1. Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot.
2. Click Additional troubleshooters.
3. Select Windows Store Apps → Run the troubleshooter.

Tip: If your Windows 11 build doesn’t show “Windows Store Apps” as an option, don’t worry—go straight to Step 5.

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Step 5) Repair/re-register Microsoft Store app packages (PowerShell)​

This step refreshes app package registrations for your user account, fixing broken or missing package metadata that can cause slow launches.

1. Right-click Start and choose:
   • Windows Terminal (Admin) (Windows 11), or
   • Windows PowerShell (Admin) (Windows 10)
2. If prompted by UAC, click Yes.
3. Copy/paste the command below, then press Enter:

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

1. Wait for it to complete. This can take a few minutes and may show some red text for certain packages—this is not always fatal.
2. Restart your PC.
3. Test app launch speed again (Calculator/Photos/Store).

Warning (read this): Re-registering packages is safe in most cases, but it can re-initialize some built-in apps. If you rely on a specific app configuration, note your settings first.

If you see lots of errors:

• Make sure you ran Terminal/PowerShell as Administrator.
• Continue to Step 6 for component repair.

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Step 6) Repair Windows component files (DISM + SFC)​

If underlying Windows components are damaged, Store apps can launch slowly or fail.

1. Open Windows Terminal (Admin) / PowerShell (Admin) again.
2. Run this command (press Enter after each line):

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

1. When DISM finishes, run:

sfc /scannow

1. Restart your PC.

Note: DISM may pause at certain percentages; that’s normal. Ensure you have a stable connection (DISM can pull files from Windows Update).

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Tips & troubleshooting notes​

If Microsoft Store itself is slow or won’t open​

• Try resetting Store from Settings:
  • Windows 11: Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Microsoft Store → Advanced options → Repair/Reset
  • Windows 10: Settings → Apps → Apps & features → Microsoft Store → Advanced options
• Ensure date/time is correct: Settings → Time & language → enable Set time automatically.

Check background load (common reason apps “feel” slow)​

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. On Processes, check for high Disk or CPU usage (Windows Update, Antimalware Service Executable, OneDrive syncing).
3. If disk usage is pegged at 100%, app launch delays are expected until it settles.

Don’t skip the restart​

Many Store/app package repairs don’t fully apply until after a reboot.

If only new user accounts work fine​

If apps open fast in a fresh Windows user account but are slow in your main profile, the issue is likely profile-specific cache/registration corruption. The PowerShell re-register step (Step 5) usually helps; if not, consider migrating to a new profile as a last resort.

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Conclusion​

Slow-opening Windows 10/11 apps are often caused by a corrupted Microsoft Store cache or damaged app package registrations—especially after updates. By resetting the Store cache (WSReset), repairing specific apps, and re-registering packages with PowerShell (plus DISM/SFC when needed), you can restore normal launch speed without reinstalling Windows.
Key Takeaways:

• Resetting the Microsoft Store cache (wsreset.exe) is a fast first fix for sluggish Store apps.
• Repair/Reset from Settings → Apps → Advanced options targets individual problem apps safely.
• Re-registering app packages via PowerShell repairs broken app registrations that cause slow launches.
• DISM + SFC can fix deeper Windows component corruption impacting app performance.

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This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.