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:

Quick walkthrough

• Reset the Microsoft Store cache (quick win for Store-related slowness).
• 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)​

• Try opening 2–3 built-in apps, such as Calculator, Photos, and Settings.
• 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.

• Press Win + R to open Run.
• Type:
  wsreset.exe
• Press Enter.
• A blank Command Prompt window may appear for 10–30 seconds (sometimes longer). When it finishes, Microsoft Store typically opens automatically.
• 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​

• Go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
• Find the app (example: Microsoft Photos).
• Click the ⋯ (three dots) → Advanced options.
• 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​

• Go to Settings → Apps → Apps & features.
• Select the app → Advanced options.
• 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​

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

Windows 10​

• Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot.
• Click Additional troubleshooters.
• 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.

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

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

• 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.
• Restart your PC.
• 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.

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

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• When DISM finishes, run:

sfc /scannow

• 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)​

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• On Processes, check for high Disk or CPU usage (Windows Update, Antimalware Service Executable, OneDrive syncing).
• 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.