Restore Microsoft Store application in Windows 10

So, the Windows Store is now back with me. As far as there was no complete solution in any single answer, here is my solution. Thanks for all who participated.

What you'll need

The installed Windows 10 with apps (further it will be references as "good windows"). You may use "friends computer". I used the VirtualBox virtual machine and an appropriate setup image. There is no need for license key for this: Win10 can be setup without key and activation, it'll be enough for this solution.

Step1

Take the ownership of "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" folder as adviced here.

Step2

Open WindowsApps folder. Check, if there are next folders:

  • Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00_14.0.22810.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
  • Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00_14.0.22810.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
  • Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.0_1.0.22929.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
  • Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.0_1.0.22929.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
  • Microsoft.WindowsStore_2015.7.1.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
  • Microsoft.WindowsStore_2015.701.14.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe

If some of them are not presented there - copy missing ones from good windows and copy here.

Note1. For those who are in italic: I'm not sure that they are required, I processed all of them, may be they are not required.

Note2. For WindowsStore folders there may be another version, as it can be seen in @Fase answer.

Step 3

Open Windows Powershell.

Register every folder (one by one, except the last one!) in the order they are presented in above list with the next command:

Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\*FOLDER*\AppxManifest.xml"

Example:

Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsStore_2015.7.1.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppxManifest.xml"

You'll be close to success if the command with WindowsStore will give no errors. Others may return errors if they were allready registered.

Step 4

If Step 3 was successfull, you'll be able to find (Press WindowsKey then type Store) the Store application in the Start Menu.

Try to start it. If it will work - congratulations. If it will be shown for a while and then closed - see Step 5.

Step 5

Grant permissions for "ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES" account to WindowsApps folder as adviced here.

That's all Folks!

enter image description here


I was finally able to fix this. It's actually quite funny. I upgraded Windows 10 to Windows 10.

  • Insert the disc or create and mount the iso
    • You can download it here
    • I was able to upgrade to Windows 10 from other OS's using this tool directly, but that did not work from 10 to 10
  • Chose "Download and install updates (recommended)"
  • Accepted agreement
  • Chose "Keep Windows settings, personal files, and apps"

After the "upgrade" you'll have the Store and all other default apps back

It reverted the two windows updates I had received but then they downloaded and installed again just fine. I imagine this would get more risky as more updates come out in the future.

After all of that was done, I ran these commands in an admin PowerShell to strip off everything but the Store and Calculator:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | where-object {$_.name -notlike "*Microsoft.WindowsStore*"} | where-object {$_.name -notlike "*Microsoft.WindowsCalculator*"} | Remove-AppxPackage

Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -online | where-object {$_.packagename -notlike "*Microsoft.WindowsStore*"} | where-object {$_.packagename -notlike "*Microsoft.WindowsCalculator*"} | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -online

Actually it's super easy, just open Windows PowerShell (Admin) and execute:

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

Based on this cool tutorial.
Be aware that this restores all default metro apps.

Tags:

Windows 10

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