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If Microsoft Store shows “Well, This Is Embarrassing. We Can’t Find the App” with error 0x80070002, Windows may be unable to find an app package, file, path, or installation record it expects. The app is not necessarily gone: it may be unavailable for your account or region, incompatible with your device, or left in an inconsistent state after an update or removal.
Start with a restart, verify that the app is still available, then reset the Store cache and use the built-in Repair and Reset options. If only one app fails, focus on that app rather than running broad commands against every Windows app.
First identify what is failing
The fix depends on what you see. Error 0x80070002 is not a diagnosis of one specific Microsoft Store problem. It is commonly associated with Windows being unable to locate something needed for an operation. In Store, that could be a stale cache entry, a missing package file, or an app registration that no longer matches what is on the device.
- One app is missing from Store search: check availability, account, region, compatibility, and family or organization restrictions before repairing Windows.
- One app appears but will not install, update, or launch: repair, reset, or reinstall that app first.
- Every Store app fails: focus on the Store cache, Store registration, account, updates, or broader Windows health.
- An app keeps returning after you removed it: an update or package-provisioning record may be involved; avoid removing packages or running debloating scripts without understanding their effects.
- Microsoft Store itself is missing or will not open: check account and device-management restrictions, then investigate the Store package.
Microsoft lists account authorization, region, family settings, app removal, device compatibility, and a restart after updates among reasons an app may not appear or install. Check Microsoft’s Store availability and installation guidance before attempting package repairs.
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Try these fixes in order
1. Restart Windows and finish pending updates
Choose Start → Power → Restart. A restart can complete an update that is blocking app installation. If Windows Update installed updates recently, check for any remaining updates and restart again before continuing.
2. Confirm the app is available to this account and device
Open Microsoft Store and search for the app. Make sure you are signed in with the Microsoft account that owns or uses it. If it does not appear, check that the publisher has not removed or renamed it, and confirm the app supports your device and Windows version. Availability can differ by country or device type, including between PC and Xbox.
On Windows 11, check Settings → Time & language → Language & region to confirm your actual region. Do not change region simply to bypass availability restrictions: doing so can affect Store content, purchases, subscriptions, or licensing. Family settings or an organization’s device policy can also hide or block an app. If the Store listing is gone, check the publisher’s official site for availability and support.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match3. Clear the Microsoft Store cache with wsreset.exe
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
wsreset.exeand select OK. - A blank Command Prompt window may appear. Wait for it to close; Microsoft Store should open automatically, usually after several seconds.
- Search for the app and try again.
Microsoft recommends wsreset.exe for resetting the Store cache. It clears cache data; it is not a full Windows repair and cannot recreate missing app files. If nothing happens, check the command spelling, restart, and try once more. If Store opens but the same app still fails, move on rather than repeatedly running the cache reset.
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4. Repair Microsoft Store, then reset it if necessary
In Windows 11:
- Open Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
- Find Microsoft Store, select its three-dot menu, then choose Advanced options.
- Select Repair and test Store.
- If the error remains, return to the same page and select Reset.
In Windows 10, the comparable path is Settings → Apps → Apps & features → Microsoft Store → Advanced options. Menu names may vary slightly by Windows release. Microsoft explains the Repair and Reset options for Windows apps: Repair attempts to fix the app without clearing its data; Reset returns it to a fresh state and may require you to sign in again. This is a reset of the Store app, not “Reset this PC,” and it does not uninstall Windows or erase your personal files.
5. Repair or reset the affected app
If the app is listed in Settings, open Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find it, and select Advanced options. Choose Repair first. If that does not help, use Reset, then test again. In Windows 10, look under Settings → Apps → Apps & features.
Not every app offers these controls, and resetting an app can clear its local data. Check whether the app syncs or backs up its content before resetting it, especially for games, notes, mail, and creative work.
6. Reinstall only the affected app
If the app remains unusable, back up or sync its app-specific data, then uninstall it through Settings or the Start menu. Restart Windows, run wsreset.exe once, and reinstall from Microsoft Store or the publisher’s official source. Uninstalling may remove data stored only on the PC; do not assume that it is backed up online.
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If the app was installed with a conventional desktop installer rather than as a Store app, use the publisher’s repair or uninstall instructions instead of AppX commands.
Advanced: re-register one app package
Use this only when the affected Store app’s files still exist but Windows may have lost its registration. Open PowerShell normally, not as administrator, while signed in to the Windows account experiencing the problem. Replace APPNAME with a distinctive part of the package name:
Get-AppxPackage *APPNAME* | ForEach {
Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"
}For example, to target a package whose name includes “calculator”:
Get-AppxPackage *calculator* | ForEach {
Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"
}This uses the package’s existing AppXManifest.xml to register it; it cannot restore files that are missing. Microsoft’s Store and inbox app troubleshooting guidance distinguishes current-user registration from elevated operations. The Add-AppxPackage documentation describes the -Register and -DisableDevelopmentMode parameters.
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- No output: the command may have completed; test the app.
- Red deployment error: record the full text before taking further action.
- Blank InstallLocation or a path-not-found error: the package files may be missing, so re-registration cannot fix it. Reinstall the app or consider Windows repair if the Store itself is affected.
- Access denied: verify you used a normal PowerShell window for current-user registration and that permissions have not been changed.
Do not run scripts that remove or re-register every AppX package as a generic fix. Do not delete or take ownership of the protected WindowsApps folder.
Advanced: check and re-register Microsoft Store
If the Store itself is broken, first inspect whether its package exists. Open PowerShell as administrator and run:
Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.WindowsStore* -AllUsersA result indicates the package exists on the machine, though it may not be registered correctly for your account. If it exists, close the elevated window. Open ordinary PowerShell under the affected user account and run:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsGet-AppxPackage *Microsoft.WindowsStore* | ForEach {
Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"
}Use administrator PowerShell only for the -AllUsers inspection above; use a normal window to register the Store for the current user. Microsoft’s Store download troubleshooting guidance says complete uninstallation of Microsoft Store is unsupported. Do not manually delete the Store package.
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Special cases
The problem started after System Restore
MSIX apps can have launch or registration problems after System Restore. Try opening the app again, reinstall it from Store or its original source, and run Windows Update. Microsoft documents this post-restore issue and these workarounds for affected apps.
The app reappears after removal
This can point to a stale update or package-provisioning state, particularly if a debloating tool, privacy script, or manual PowerShell removal was used. Avoid removing provisioned packages unless you understand the effect on other users and future updates. Try restoring the app through Store; if package state is broadly inconsistent, undo the tool’s changes or seek Windows repair support rather than applying another broad script. A historical Windows 10 user report describes a similar repeated-install message, but it is anecdotal—not an official explanation of this error.
Microsoft Store is missing
Check whether you are using a local account, whether the PC is managed by work or school, and whether Store access has been disabled by policy. Microsoft notes that account type and organization management can affect Store availability. See its guidance on finding the Microsoft Store app. On a managed PC, contact the administrator rather than trying to bypass policy.
Which direction should you take?
| Symptom | Next step |
|---|---|
| One app fails; other Store apps work | Verify availability, then repair, reset, reinstall, or re-register that app. |
| All Store apps fail | Restart, install updates, run wsreset.exe, repair/reset Store, then consider Store re-registration. |
| App is absent from search or Install is unavailable | Check account, region, family or organization policy, compatibility, and whether the publisher still offers it. |
| App returns after removal | Investigate a stale package, update, provisioning record, or debloating change; avoid broad removal scripts. |
| Issue began after System Restore | Try the app again, reinstall it, and run Windows Update. |
| Store itself is missing | Check account and device-management policy; inspect the Store package before attempting repair. |
When to escalate
If one app remains broken after reinstalling, contact its publisher. If multiple Store apps fail, Store cannot be repaired or registered, or Windows has other symptoms, use Windows Update repair options or seek Microsoft support. An in-place repair or Reset this PC → Keep my files is a much broader step; back up important data first and use it only after app-level fixes fail. Microsoft’s Windows recovery options explain the available escalation paths.
These steps apply to Windows 11 and Windows 10, but the Settings labels differ. Windows 10 reached the end of normal free support on October 14, 2025; see Microsoft’s Windows recovery and support information for context. The troubleshooting steps may still be relevant to an installed Windows 10 system, but that does not extend its support period.
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