What’s actually slowing this PC down?
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If Paint, Notepad or Calculator is missing, reinstall it from Microsoft Store > Library. If the app is listed but will not open, use its Repair option in Windows Settings, then try Reset only if Repair fails. Paint also has a Microsoft installer for a specific Windows 10 release. Use a Windows repair reinstall or Reset this PC only when app-level recovery does not solve a wider system problem.
The correct route depends on two facts: whether the app is absent or malfunctioning, and which Windows version and build you are running. Follow the matching section below rather than removing system components or downloading packages from unofficial sites.
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Choose the recovery route that matches the symptom
| What you see | First action | Where to do it | What it affects |
|---|---|---|---|
| The app appears in Windows but will not launch, crashes or shows an error | Repair the app, then Reset it if necessary | Settings app options | One app; Repair is the least disruptive choice |
| The app is absent or was uninstalled | Install it from Microsoft Store Library | Microsoft Store | One app; other apps and files remain in place |
| Paint is missing on an eligible Windows 10 22H2 installation | Use Microsoft’s architecture-specific Paint installer | Microsoft’s Paint and Snipping Tool installer page | Paint and, if selected, Snipping Tool |
| Several Windows components are failing after app recovery attempts | Reinstall the current Windows version with Windows Update | Windows 11 Recovery settings, when offered | Windows system files while preserving apps, files and settings |
| Windows itself is seriously damaged and narrower fixes failed | Consider Reset this PC after backing up | Windows recovery settings | Windows, apps and settings; personal-file handling depends on the choice |
These choices move from a single-app change to an operating-system change. Starting with the narrowest option reduces the chance of losing app data, settings or installed software. Do not jump to a PC reset simply because a familiar utility is missing.
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First identify whether the app is missing or merely broken
Search Start for the exact name before changing anything. If Paint, Notepad or Calculator appears in the results, Windows may still have the package even if launching it produces an error. In that case, use the Repair path. If it does not appear and Microsoft Store Library does not show it as installed, treat the problem as a missing-app installation rather than a launch failure.
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This distinction matters because Repair and Reset apply to an existing installation, while Store Library supplies a package that is absent. It also prevents repeated installation attempts when the real problem is damaged app data or Windows components.
Repair an installed app before reinstalling it
Repair is designed for an app that is still installed but does not work correctly. It checks the app without removing it. Microsoft notes that Repair and Reset are not available for every app, so the absence of either button is not itself an error.
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- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Apps, then Installed apps.
- Find Paint, Notepad or Calculator. Open the three-dot menu beside the app and choose Advanced options, if that entry is shown.
- Select Repair and wait for Windows to finish.
- Launch the app again from Start.
If Repair is unavailable or the app still fails, return to the same page and choose Reset. Reset is more disruptive at the app level: it can clear that app’s stored data and return its settings to their defaults. Save anything important that the app stores locally before using it. If the app contains no important local data, Reset is still best treated as the second step, not the first.
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- Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
- Select the affected app and choose Advanced options, when available.
- Click Repair, test the app, and use Reset only if Repair does not resolve the problem.
The labels and availability can differ by app package and Windows build. If Advanced options, Repair and Reset are all missing, move to the Store reinstall procedure instead of repeatedly searching for a hidden control.
What Repair, app Reset and a Store reinstall preserve
| Action | Best use | Potential data impact |
|---|---|---|
| Repair | An installed app that is malfunctioning | Designed to fix the app without removing it; Microsoft does not promise this control for every app |
| Reset (app) | Repair failed or is unavailable | Can clear the app’s stored data and restore default settings |
| Store Install | The app is missing or was uninstalled | Installs the app package; Store availability depends on account, device, region and Windows build |
| Windows Update repair reinstall | Multiple Windows components are damaged | Reinstalls the same Windows version while preserving apps, files and settings when the option is available |
| Reset this PC | Broad Windows recovery after narrower methods fail | Removes apps and settings; “Keep my files” retains personal files but does not retain installed programs |
The table is a scope guide, not a promise that every device exposes every button. Edition, build and organizational policy can change which controls are visible.
Reinstall Paint, Notepad or Calculator from Microsoft Store
Use the Store route when the app is missing, was uninstalled, or cannot be repaired. Microsoft’s documented process is to install the app from your Store library.
- Open Microsoft Store from Start.
- Choose Library. Depending on the Store version, this may be shown in the left navigation or under your account menu.
- Find Paint, Notepad or Calculator in the list of apps associated with your account.
- Select Install and wait for the download and installation to complete.
- Open Start and search for the app by name.
A listing is not guaranteed to appear for every device, region or Windows build. Store sign-in state, device policy and compatibility can affect what Library displays. If the computer belongs to an employer or school, an administrator may have blocked Store installations; contact that administrator rather than attempting to bypass the policy.
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- Confirm that you are using the Microsoft account that originally installed the app, if one was used.
- Check Library rather than relying only on a Store search result; search pages can change and may not identify the package assigned to your device.
- Install pending Windows updates and restart before checking Library again.
- On a managed PC, ask IT whether Store access or built-in app deployment is restricted.
- Do not use unofficial app-package mirrors. They can provide an incompatible build or introduce malware and are not a supported restoration method.
If Library shows the app as installed but Start cannot find it, restart Windows and search again. If it then appears but will not launch, return to Settings and use Repair rather than repeatedly selecting Install.
Use Microsoft’s dedicated Paint installer on eligible Windows 10 systems
Microsoft documents a separate uninstall-and-reinstall route for Paint and Snipping Tool on Windows 10 version 22H2, build 19045.3758 or later. That prerequisite is specific: do not assume the same installer workflow applies to every Windows 10 build or to Windows 11.
- Verify that the PC is running Windows 10 version 22H2 and build 19045.3758 or a later build.
- Open Microsoft’s official Paint and Snipping Tool installer instructions.
- Choose the installer that matches the device architecture: 64-bit, 32-bit or ARM64.
- Follow Microsoft’s uninstall and installation prompts for Paint (and Snipping Tool if you are restoring both).
- Restart if the installer requests it, then search for Paint from Start.
Architecture matters. A package intended for a different processor type may refuse to install or fail to run. If you are unsure, open Settings > System > About and use the device’s listed system type to select the matching download. The Microsoft page is the authority for the current installer files and any changes to the workflow.
This is a targeted exception for the stated Windows 10 release, not a general replacement for Microsoft Store. On another Windows version, check Library first and do not force an installer intended for a different build or architecture.
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When an individual app fix is not enough: reinstall Windows 11 from Windows Update
Windows 11 includes a recovery option called Fix problems using Windows Update. When the option is available, it reinstalls the current Windows version, repairs system files and components, and preserves installed apps, personal files and settings. It is a system-level repair, not a replacement for the Store installation step when only one app is missing.
- Open Settings.
- Go to System > Recovery.
- Under Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now.
- Read the confirmation, connect the PC to power and maintain an internet connection.
- Allow Windows to complete the reinstall and any required restarts before testing the missing app.
The option is conditional. It may not appear on older Windows 11 builds, on editions that do not support it, or on PCs controlled by organizational policy. If you cannot see it, do not treat that as evidence that Windows is damaged; use the app-specific routes or the recovery choices available on that computer.
What this repair changes
- The installed Windows version is reinstalled rather than replaced with a different release.
- System files and Windows components are refreshed.
- Apps, files and settings are intended to remain in place.
- The process still requires enough time, power and network access for Windows to download and apply the installation.
Because this operation affects Windows rather than one utility, close your work and leave the computer connected to power. Do not interrupt it during restarts. Test the affected apps only after Windows reports that the process has completed.
Use Reset this PC only as a broad last resort
Reset this PC reinstalls Windows and can remove applications and settings. It is intended for a broad Windows recovery, not for restoring a single missing utility. Search Start for Reset this PC to open the recovery page, then read every option before confirming.
Understand the “Keep my files” choice
Microsoft describes Keep my files as reinstalling Windows while retaining personal files such as documents and photos. It still removes installed apps and Windows settings. Therefore, selecting it does not preserve Paint, Notepad, Calculator or other programs; those must be installed again after Windows finishes.
Prepare before resetting
- Back up documents, photos, browser data and any other files that are not already stored safely elsewhere.
- Record licenses, installers and sign-in details needed to reinstall applications.
- If device encryption is enabled, locate the BitLocker recovery key before starting. Windows may request it during recovery.
- Keep the computer connected to power and allow sufficient uninterrupted time for the reinstall.
- Afterward, run Windows setup, sign in as needed and reinstall Store apps through Library rather than downloading packages from unofficial sites.
Choose a full reset only after Repair, Store installation and the Windows Update repair option have either failed or are unavailable, and only after you understand which files, apps and settings each reset choice removes.
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Troubleshoot the common failure points
The app is listed but Repair and Reset are missing
Not every Windows app exposes those controls. Check Microsoft Store Library for an installation option. If the app is a built-in component controlled by your organization, only an administrator may be able to repair or redeploy it.
Install finishes but the app is still absent from Start
- Restart Windows so Start’s app index can refresh.
- Use Start search for the exact name: Paint, Notepad or Calculator.
- Return to Microsoft Store Library and verify that the app shows as installed.
- If it is installed but will not launch, use the Windows Settings Repair path rather than repeatedly selecting Install.
The Store Library is empty or Install is blocked
Confirm Store sign-in and check whether the PC is managed. A work or school policy can hide Library entries, prevent downloads or require an administrator-approved catalog. Regional availability and Windows-build compatibility can also affect listings. Do not substitute an unofficial download for a blocked Store deployment.
The dedicated Paint installer rejects the download
Recheck the Windows prerequisite and architecture. Microsoft’s documented installer applies to Windows 10 version 22H2, build 19045.3758 or later, and provides separate 64-bit, 32-bit and ARM64 packages. Selecting the wrong architecture or running an earlier build is outside that documented path; update Windows or use the Store route appropriate to your release.
Several built-in apps fail at once
When multiple Windows components are affected, an operating-system problem is more likely than three independent app failures. On an eligible Windows 11 installation, try Settings > System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update > Reinstall now. If that option is unavailable and the damage is extensive, review Reset this PC only after making the backups described above.
You are unsure which Windows release or architecture you have
Use Windows Settings to check the system information before choosing an installer. For Paint’s dedicated route, verify both the Windows 10 version/build requirement and the device’s 64-bit, 32-bit or ARM64 system type. A matching architecture does not make an unsupported Windows build eligible, and an eligible build does not make the wrong architecture safe to use.
Windows 10 support status matters in 2026
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free software updates, technical assistance or security fixes for Windows 10. The Paint installer prerequisite described above can still identify an eligible build, but restoring an app does not extend Windows 10’s support lifecycle.
If your hardware supports a supported Windows release, plan a supported upgrade separately from the immediate app recovery. If it does not, weigh the security and maintenance consequences of continuing to use an unsupported installation before relying on it for sensitive work.
A practical restore checklist
- Identify the symptom: installed but broken, or missing entirely.
- For an installed app, use Settings and try Repair first.
- Use app Reset only when Repair fails and you accept the possibility of losing that app’s local data and settings.
- For a missing app, use Microsoft Store > Library > Install.
- For Paint on Windows 10, confirm version 22H2 and build 19045.3758 or later before using Microsoft’s architecture-specific installer.
- If several Windows components fail, check whether Windows 11 offers Reinstall now under Fix problems using Windows Update.
- Reserve Reset this PC for broad system recovery, back up first, and keep the BitLocker recovery key available when encryption is enabled.
- After recovery, confirm the app opens and do not delete backup material until you have verified important files and settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get Paint back on Windows?
If Paint is missing, open Microsoft Store, go to Library and select Install. On Windows 10 version 22H2 build 19045.3758 or later, Microsoft also documents a separate Paint installer; choose the 64-bit, 32-bit or ARM64 package that matches the device.
How do I reinstall Notepad or Calculator?
Open Microsoft Store, select Library, find the app associated with your account and choose Install. Availability can vary by device, region, Windows build and organizational policy.
What should I do if Paint, Notepad or Calculator is installed but will not open?
Use Settings > Apps and open the app’s Advanced options. Select Repair first. If Repair is unavailable or fails, use Reset, understanding that it may clear the app’s local data and settings.
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When the Fix problems using Windows Update option is available, it reinstalls the current Windows version, repairs system files and components, and is intended to preserve apps, personal files and settings. Keep the PC connected to power and the internet.
Does “Keep my files” preserve installed apps?
No. Reset this PC’s Keep my files option retains personal files such as documents and photos, but removes installed apps and Windows settings. You must reinstall the apps afterward.
Why is Microsoft Store not showing the app?
Check that you are signed in with the relevant Microsoft account, look in Library, and consider device, region and Windows-build compatibility. A work or school administrator may also restrict Store access or app deployment.
Can I download a replacement app package from another website?
Avoid unofficial mirrors. They may provide an incompatible build or malware and are not a supported restoration route. Use Microsoft Store, Microsoft’s documented Paint installer where eligible, or Windows recovery.
Is Windows 10 still supported?
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. It no longer provides free software updates, technical assistance or security fixes for Windows 10 after that date.
The Bottom Line
Use the smallest fix that matches the symptom: Repair an installed but broken app, install a missing app from Microsoft Store > Library, and use Microsoft’s Paint installer only on the specified Windows 10 22H2 build with the correct architecture. Reserve Windows Update repair and Reset this PC for wider system failures, and understand their different effects on apps, files and settings before proceeding.
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