How to Reset an App to Default in Windows 11

What Happens When You Reset or Repair an App?

A reset deletes the app’s saved data, login details and cached files and returns it to its original factory state. That fixes stubborn glitches and crashes. It also removes your personal settings and unpins the program from your taskbar.

Try the Repair option first. It tries to fix the app without touching your saved data, so it is the safer choice. Not every app offers it. If it isn’t there, go straight to Reset.

A full reset makes sense when Repair fails to fix the problem. Typical cases are:

• The app crashes as soon as you launch it.
• The app opens to a blank window.
• The app keeps failing to sign in.

Taskbar shortcuts disappear during a reset. Once the reset finishes, pin the icons to the taskbar again by hand.

How to Reset an App in 🪟 Windows 11

Option 1Reset App Using Settings

These steps reset an app to its default state in Windows 11 from the Settings app.

1. Open the Settings⚙️ app by pressing Win + I on your keyboard.
2. Click Apps on the left menu, then click Installed apps on the right.
3. Find the app you want to reset (for example, “Microsoft Store”) in the list.
4. Click the three dots (︙) next to the app, then select Advanced options.
5. Click Terminate to stop the app from running.
6. Scroll down and click Reset.
7. Confirm by clicking Reset again when prompted.
8. The app will be reset to its default settings. You can now close Settings.

The main Settings app is the most reliable way to reset an app in Windows 11. It works on Home and Pro, and it needs no commands or third-party tools. You can also force-stop a frozen program from the same screen before you wipe its cache files. The steps are the same on current Windows 11 builds, though the exact layout of the Advanced options page can vary slightly between versions.

1. Open Settings › Apps › Installed apps. You will see a list of every program on the PC.
2. Find the app you want to reset. Use the search🔍 box at the top of the list, or change the sort order if the list is long.

3. Click the three dots to the right of the app’s name. A small menu opens.
4. Select Advanced options. If the menu shows only Modify or Uninstall, the app does not support a reset through Settings. That is normal for classic desktop programs. If the app does support one, a page opens with the app’s details and a Reset section further down.

5. Scroll down to the Reset section. The buttons are grouped there.
6. Click Terminate if the app is frozen. This stops the app and any background processes.
7. Click Repair and test the app. Repair keeps your saved data. If the button isn’t there, skip to the next step.
8. Click Reset if the app still misbehaves. A confirmation message warns that the app’s data will be deleted.
9. Click Reset again to confirm. A checkmark appears next to the button when the reset finishes.
10. Reopen the app and set it up again. You don’t need to restart Windows.

Option 2Reset App from the Start Menu

You can also reach the reset page straight from the Start menu, without browsing the full Settings list. Right-click any installed app to jump to its advanced options screen, where you can clear broken cache files. This works for Microsoft Store and other packaged apps. For a classic desktop program, the right-click menu may not show the settings entry at all. The steps below open an app’s reset page from the Start menu.

1. Open the Start menu⊞.
2. Click All apps to see a list of your apps.
3. Right-click the app you want to reset (for example, “Microsoft Store”).
4. Hover over More, then click App settings.
5. Follow the same reset steps as in Option 1.

If the app isn’t pinned to the Start menu, click All apps in the top-right corner of the Start menu. This opens an alphabetical list of everything installed. Scroll to the app, or click a letter heading to jump to it. Then right-click the app and choose App settings. This opens the same Advanced options page you get from Settings, so the Terminate, Repair and Reset buttons work as described above.

Option 3Reset App Using PowerShell (For Advanced Users)

PowerShell is a command-line tool for running text commands. Advanced users can use it to reset or reinstall built-in system apps that have no reset button in the normal Settings menu. This method works on the app’s package files directly. It is useful for apps that refuse to open or work normally, such as a stock app like Photos or Calculator.

You will need an administrator account, because the commands change system-level app packages. Be careful with these commands. Copy them exactly, and don’t run them against apps you don’t understand. The steps below reset a built-in app with PowerShell, so work through them in order.

1. Open Windows Terminal or PowerShell (search “PowerShell” in Start, then open it).
2. Type this command and press Enter to see all installed apps:
   
   Get-AppxPackage | Select Name
3. Look through the list to find the exact name of the app you want to reset (e.g., Microsoft.WindowsStore for Microsoft Store).
4. Type the command below, replacing AppName with the actual app name, and press Enter:
   
   Get-AppxPackage *AppName* | Reset-AppxPackage
5. Example for Microsoft Store:
   
   Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.WindowsStore* | Reset-AppxPackage
6. Close PowerShell when you’re done.

Option 4Use Pre-made PowerShell Commands for Popular Apps

The following text snippets run app resets when you paste them into PowerShell. To paste in a PowerShell window, right-click or press Ctrl+V, then press Enter. Wait for the prompt to return before you close the window, since some commands take a few seconds to finish.

Summary

• You can reset apps in Windows 11 using Settings, the Start menu, or PowerShell.
• Try Repair first if your app has problems. It won’t erase your data.
• Reset will erase app data and settings. Only use it if repair doesn’t work.
• After resetting, you might need to pin the app back to your taskbar if you had it there.
• PowerShell is a powerful tool if you want to reset apps quickly using commands.
• By following these easy steps, you can fix most app problems and get everything working again in Windows 11.

You can reset a misbehaving app in Windows 11 from the Settings menu, the Start menu, or PowerShell. Try the safer Repair option first, because it fixes many bugs without losing your saved data. A full reset clears your preferences and unpins the program from the taskbar, so use it only when repair has failed. A reset can’t be undone, so back up anything you can’t recreate before you start. If a reset doesn’t help either, uninstalling and reinstalling the app is the next step.