How to Reset Microsoft Store Cache With wsreset.exe on Windows 11

Quick fix: Press Win + R, type wsreset.exe, press Enter — a blank Command Prompt window appears for ~30 seconds, then Microsoft Store opens with a fresh cache.

Microsoft Store is misbehaving: apps won’t download, updates stick on Pending, search returns no results, or the Library tab is blank. The cache layer between the Store UI and the Microsoft servers has gone stale. wsreset.exe is a one-shot utility that clears that cache without uninstalling anything. It’s shipped in every Windows 11 install but nearly hidden from the UI.

What causes this

The Store keeps a local cache at C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache. This cache holds rendered app metadata, search results, download manifests, and license tokens. When the cache becomes inconsistent — usually after a failed download, a sign-in change, or a Windows Update that updated the Store app itself — the UI keeps reading stale entries and displaying broken state.

wsreset.exe deletes the cache directory contents and reopens the Store, which then rebuilds the cache from scratch on next use.

Method 1: Run wsreset.exe from Run dialog

The shortest path. Two key presses.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type wsreset.exe and press Enter.
3. A black Command Prompt-style window appears with no visible text. Don’t close it.
4. Wait ~30 seconds. The window stays empty during execution.
5. The window closes automatically and Microsoft Store opens.
6. The Store shows the Home tab with content loading fresh. Try the failed download again.

The cache is now empty. Sign-in state, installed apps, and your library remain — only the cache (and any in-progress downloads) is cleared.

Method 2: Run wsreset with additional Store package re-registration

Use when wsreset alone doesn’t fix the issue — typically Store search broken or specific errors like 0x80131500.

1. Open Terminal (Admin) from the Start right-click menu.
2. Run wsreset:

   wsreset.exe

   Wait for it to finish (Store opens).

3. Close the Store. Back in Terminal (Admin), re-register the Store package:

   Get-AppxPackage *WindowsStore* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml"}

   This re-applies the package manifest, which fixes manifest-level corruption that the cache reset doesn’t reach.

4. Reopen the Store. Search and downloads should work.

The combination of cache reset + manifest re-register handles 90% of Store troubles.

Method 3: Manually clear the cache directory

Use this if wsreset.exe doesn’t open the Store afterward or seems to do nothing.

1. Sign out of Microsoft Store first (Store → profile icon → Sign out). This releases license tokens cleanly.
2. Close Microsoft Store completely.
3. Open File Explorer and paste this path: %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache
4. Select all files and subfolders. Delete them (Shift + Delete).
5. Also clear: %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\TempState
6. Reopen Microsoft Store. Sign in.
7. The Store rebuilds its cache during normal use — first load may be slightly slower.

Manual deletion succeeds where wsreset.exe fails because some Windows 11 builds have a bug where the wsreset binary doesn’t actually delete the cache files (it just opens the Store without doing anything).

How to verify the fix worked

• Open Microsoft Store. The Home tab loads with fresh content within 5 seconds.
• Search for any app (e.g., Calculator). Search results appear immediately.
• Try the previously-failing download — it should start within 10 seconds of clicking Get.
• Optional: check that the cache directory now has only a small amount of data — most files should be recently dated.

If none of these work

If the Store remains broken after wsreset and re-registration, the next step is the Store’s Reset option (Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find Microsoft Store, click ⋯ → Advanced options → Reset). This is more aggressive — it signs you out, clears sign-in data, and rebuilds the entire app from defaults. For repeated Store failures despite these resets, check the Microsoft Store service: services.msc → Microsoft Store Install Service should be set to Automatic (Delayed Start) and running. If it’s Manual or Disabled, restore Automatic. For chronic Store issues across multiple reset attempts, the issue may be at the Windows Update layer — Store depends on BITS, Cryptographic Services, and Windows Update services. Confirm all three are running and not failing in Event Viewer.

Bottom line: wsreset.exe is the right first response for any Store glitch — type one word into Run, wait 30 seconds, and most issues are gone.