Windows 11 Paid for Solitaire collection still showing ads\

[Zevik83]

I paid for a one-time MS Solitaire Collection Pro a month ago. Checked that I have paid on my MS account Subscriptions. Initially, it ran fine with no ads. Today I am I getting ads as if I had notm paid. What's Up here?

 

[ChatGPT]

Most likely the app has lost sync with your purchase entitlement, not that you “imagined” paying. Microsoft’s own casual-games support has a specific article titled “Why am I still seeing ads after buying a premium subscription”, which strongly suggests this is a known class of issue.

Do these steps in order​

1. Check you’re signed into the same Microsoft account in both places
   • Microsoft Store
   • Microsoft Solitaire Collection
   In-app purchases use your Microsoft account billing, so the app must be signed into the same account that made the purchase. Microsoft says in-app purchases are tied to the Microsoft account used in Store checkout.
2. Check Order History, not just Subscriptions
   • Go to your Microsoft account Order history
   • Confirm the Solitaire purchase appears there
   Microsoft’s order-history page is the official place to review app/game purchases.
3. Update the app from Microsoft Store
   • Open Microsoft Store
   • Go to Library
   • Click Get updates
   Microsoft’s app-troubleshooting guidance says Store apps on Windows 11 should be updated first when they misbehave.
4. Reset the Microsoft Store cache
   • Press Win + R
   • Type: wsreset.exe
   • Press Enter
   Microsoft explicitly recommends wsreset.exe to clear Store cache issues.
5. Repair or Reset Microsoft Solitaire Collection
   • Settings → Apps → Installed apps
   • Find Microsoft Solitaire Collection
   • Advanced options
   • Try Repair first
   • If no change, use Reset
   Microsoft’s Windows app-repair article says Repair first, then Reset if needed.
6. Open Solitaire again and sign in
   • Let it fully sync
   • Check whether Premium/ad-free status returns

If it still shows ads after that​

Use the official Microsoft Casual Games support route. Microsoft’s support page sends Solitaire/Casual Games issues to the dedicated support portal.

Short version​

The best fix path is:

• verify same account
• check Order history
• update Store apps
• run wsreset.exe
• repair/reset Solitaire
• sign back in

If you want, I can give you the exact click-by-click steps for Reset/Repair on Windows 11 next.

 

[Zevik83]

Settings - Apps not showing Solitaire installed. But it runs on my laptop. Plse give exact steps to mreinsyall and also did not see any Update Option in Library nthough it shows Solitaire acquired. Whatb a Mess !

 

[ChatGPT]

Yes — here are the exact steps.
If Microsoft Solitaire Collection runs but does not show under Settings → Apps, don’t worry too much. Microsoft says some apps may not be removable from the Settings app, and you can also uninstall from the Start menu instead.

1) Reinstall Microsoft Solitaire Collection​

First try uninstall from Start​

1. Click Start
2. Click All apps
3. Find Microsoft Solitaire Collection
4. Right-click it
5. Click Uninstall

Microsoft’s uninstall guide says Start → All apps → right-click → Uninstall is a valid Windows 11 method.

Then install it again from Microsoft Store​

1. Open Microsoft Store
2. Search for Microsoft Solitaire Collection
3. Open its page
4. Click Install or Get

Microsoft’s own Solitaire support page says to install it from the Microsoft Store page for Microsoft Solitaire Collection.

2) If you do not get an Install button​

If the Store only shows it as Acquired and not Install, do this first:

1. Press Windows key + R
2. Type:
   wsreset.exe
3. Press Enter
4. Wait for the blank window to close and Microsoft Store to reopen
5. Search for Microsoft Solitaire Collection again

Microsoft recommends wsreset.exe to reset Store cache problems when apps won’t install or show correctly.

3) Then check Store updates​

1. Open Microsoft Store
2. Click Library
3. Click Get updates

Microsoft’s Store troubleshooting page says in Windows 11 to use Library → Get updates to update Store apps.

4) If Solitaire still behaves oddly after reinstall​

Repair or reset it:

1. Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps
2. Find Microsoft Solitaire Collection if it appears
3. Click Advanced options
4. Try Repair
5. If needed, try Reset

Microsoft says for misbehaving apps, use Repair first, then Reset if needed.

5) If Microsoft Store itself seems broken​

Microsoft also says to check whether the Microsoft Store app is present and working properly, and if not, repair/reset Store-related app issues before trying installs again.

Short version​

Do this in order:

1. Uninstall Solitaire from Start → All apps
2. Run wsreset.exe
3. Open Microsoft Store → search Microsoft Solitaire Collection → Install
4. Then Library → Get updates

If you want, I can next give you a very short click-by-click just for Windows 11 Home with no explanations.

 

[Zevik83]

This is reall ridiculous. Ok so I found the install Option. And when it opened, the Cards looked different from what I get when I click the icon under Start Menu BUT No ads.

Then I go to Library to look for Update. Still do not see an Update options but it showed a Download option. So I download but did not open.

Back to Start menu and I am back to a different looking card set options - Solitaire, Freecell etc. Click opn Klondike Solitaire and I am back to Ads.

It almost looks like Microso0ft is getting confused between the Free Solitaire and the Paid collection with Freecell etc.

I am at a total loss now.

 

[ChatGPT]

Yes — what you’re describing strongly suggests you have two different Solitaire entries/shortcuts in play, and the one in Start is not the same clean install/state as the one you launched from the Microsoft Store. That’s an inference from your symptoms, but it fits them well: Store launch = no ads, while Start launch = ads. Microsoft’s own support says the game is installed and launched from the Microsoft Solitaire Collection Microsoft Store page, and that you can then pin that exact game to Start or the taskbar.

Do this exact cleanup​

1) Unpin the old shortcut(s)​

1. Open Start
2. Find every Solitaire entry you can see
3. Right-click each one
4. Choose Unpin from Start and, if present, Unpin from taskbar

2) Uninstall from Start menu​

Microsoft says Windows 11 apps can be uninstalled from Start → All apps → right-click → Uninstall.

1. Open Start
2. Click All apps
3. Find Microsoft Solitaire Collection
4. Right-click it
5. Click Uninstall

If Uninstall is missing, skip to step 3.

3) Reset the Store cache​

Microsoft recommends wsreset.exe when Store installs/launches are acting oddly.

1. Press Win + R
2. Type: wsreset.exe
3. Press Enter
4. Wait for Microsoft Store to reopen

4) Reinstall from the correct Store page​

Microsoft’s support page says to install the game from the Microsoft Solitaire Collection page in Microsoft Store.

1. Open Microsoft Store
2. Search Microsoft Solitaire Collection
3. Open the product page
4. Click Install or Get
5. Let it finish

5) Launch it from the Store page first​

1. On that same Store page, click Play/Open
2. Check whether ads are gone

6) If that version is correct, pin that exact one​

Microsoft says you can pin the game from the running app’s taskbar icon or from Start.

1. While the correct ad-free version is open:
   • Right-click its taskbar icon
   • Click Pin to taskbar
2. Optionally also:
   • Start → All apps → right-click Microsoft Solitaire Collection
   • Pin to Start

About “Library” not showing Update​

Microsoft’s current Store flow is Library → Get updates; there usually is not a separate big “Update” button for one app in the way people expect.

If ads still come back after reinstall​

Then the next most likely issue is account/purchase sync:

• make sure the Microsoft Store and the Solitaire app are signed into the same Microsoft account
• check the purchase in Order history, not just Subscriptions. Microsoft’s order/install guidance points to Store/Order history for app ownership and install behavior.

My suggestion​

Do only steps 1–6 first.
That should tell us quickly whether this is just a bad/stale Start shortcut problem.
If you want, after you do step 5, tell me just one thing:

• “Store launch has ads” or
• “Store launch has no ads”

And I’ll give the shortest next step.

 

[Zevik83]

OK, I did Items 1 and 2. The Old icon disappeared but left behind a barely visible "Ghost" icon - down arrow underlined - that when I hover, says it is the paid collection which opened ad-free. Wa La! So now, I just need a more Visible icon to replace the Ghost.

 

[ChatGPT]

Perfect — that means the paid/ad-free app is the right one, and the “ghost” is just a broken/leftover shortcut.

To get a proper visible icon back​

Easiest method​

1. Open the paid/ad-free collection from that ghost icon.
2. While it is open, look at its icon on the taskbar.
3. Right-click that taskbar icon.
4. Click Pin to taskbar.

That usually gives you a clean, normal icon.

Also pin it to Start​

1. Click Start
2. Click All apps
3. Find Microsoft Solitaire Collection
4. Right-click it
5. Click Pin to Start

If the ghost icon still sits there afterward​

• Restart the laptop once.
  That often clears leftover “ghost” icons.

If Start does not show the app properly​

Use this instead:

1. Open Microsoft Store
2. Go to Library
3. Find Microsoft Solitaire Collection
4. Click Open
5. Then right-click its taskbar icon and Pin to taskbar

If you want, I can also give you the exact steps to create a proper desktop shortcut for it.

 

[Zevik83]

Ghost ion in Start replaced with correct icon different from the one I had before. And it opens Ad-Free. Thank You - problem solved, and hopefully will stay that way.

 

[ChatGPT]

Excellent — glad it’s fixed. If the correct icon returns and opens ad‑free, you should be in good shape.