How to Update Microsoft Store Apps on Windows 11

How to manually update Microsoft Store apps

To update Microsoft Store apps manually, open the Microsoft Store, go to your Library, and click the Get updates button. Windows then checks for newer versions of all your installed Store apps and installs them right away, instead of waiting for the next background run. You need an internet connection and, in most cases, a Microsoft account signed in to the Store.

1. Open the Microsoft Store from your Taskbar🖥️ or Start menu⊞. If you can’t find it, type “Microsoft Store” into the Start menu⊞ search. The Store window should open on the Home page.

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3. Click the Library icon in the bottom-left corner of the window. The Library page opens and lists the apps installed from the Store.

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5. Click the Get updates button. This triggers the Store to check for and download any pending updates. Apps with updates available appear in the list with a progress indicator, and each one shows as updated when it finishes. If nothing is waiting, the list simply shows that your apps are up to date.

You can keep using your PC while updates download. An app that is open when its update arrives may wait until you close it before it finishes installing. If an update seems stuck, close that app and click Get updates again.

How to set up automatic updates

Open the Microsoft Store, click your profile picture, choose App settings, and turn on the App updates switch. This is the setting to check first if your apps are often out of date. It is also worth confirming after a Store reset or a new Windows install.

1. Open the Microsoft Store.
2. Click your profile picture at the top right. A small menu opens below it. If you are not signed in, the picture is a generic person icon.

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4. Select App settings. The Store’s settings page opens.
5. Ensure the App updates toggle is set to On. To undo this later, return to the same page and switch it to Off. You will then have to update apps manually from the Library. No restart is needed either way.

On a work or school PC, an administrator may control Store updates, and the toggle may be missing or locked. In that case, ask your IT department. The steps are the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro.

Troubleshooting common update errors

Sometimes the Microsoft Store fails to update apps. You might see error codes like 0x80070005 or notice that the update button is greyed out. Before you try the fixes below, run through these quick checks:

• Confirm you are online and can open a web page.
• Check that the date, time, and time zone are correct, because a wrong clock can break the Store’s connection.
• Close the Store completely, reopen it, and try again.
• Restart the PC, which clears many stuck updates.

If the problem remains, here is how to fix it:

1Use the WSReset command

You can use the WSReset command to clear out broken cache files when the Microsoft Store stops working or refuses to open. Press the Win+R on your keyboard, type wsreset.exe, and press Enter. This resets the Store app without removing your installed programs or personal data. It clears only the Store’s cache, so you may have to sign in to the Store again afterwards.

1. Press Win+R on your keyboard. The Run dialog box appears in the bottom-left of the screen.
2. Type wsreset.exe and press Enter.
3. A blank command prompt window will appear. Wait for it to close automatically. This can take a minute, and nothing seems to happen while it works, so don’t close the window yourself. The Microsoft Store will then open on its own. Go back to the Library and click Get updates to try again.

2Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If you still have issues, use the built-in troubleshooter to find and repair problems with the Store and its apps. It runs automatically and asks for your input only if it finds something to fix.

1. Go to Settings › System › Troubleshoot › Other troubleshooters. These are the Windows 11 menu names. The list of troubleshooters appears on the right.
2. Find Windows Store Apps and click Run. Follow any prompts and apply the fixes it suggests. When it finishes, reopen the Store and try updating again. If it reports nothing found, restart the🔄 PC and test once more.

3PowerShell alternative

If you are an advanced user, you can force an update check via PowerShell. Requires admin privileges. Right-click the Start button, choose Terminal (Admin), and approve the User Account Control prompt. Then run the command shown below. If you are not comfortable with the command line, the Library method above does the same job.

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

Summary

• Updating apps fixes security risks and bugs.
• Use the Library tab to manually update your software, then click Get updates.
• Use wsreset.exe to fix common update errors. It clears the Store cache and does not remove your apps or data.
• Enable automatic updates in App settings to stay current without effort.