Quick fix: Uninstall via Settings → Apps → Installed apps → [app] → Uninstall, then open Microsoft Store, search for the app, click Install. For apps stuck in “Pending,” run wsreset.exe first to clear the Store cache.

An app from Microsoft Store is broken — crashes on launch, stuck on a loading splash, or shows blank windows. Reinstalling is the most reliable fix. Windows Store handles the license carry-over automatically: even if you paid for the app or it’s a Game Pass title, your entitlement stays linked to your account so reinstall doesn’t cost anything.

Symptom: Microsoft Store app misbehaving; want a clean reinstall.
Affects: Windows 11 (and Windows 10) Microsoft Store apps and games.
Fix time: ~10 minutes depending on app size.

What causes this

UWP and Microsoft Store apps store data in two locations: the app package itself (read-only, in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps) and per-user data (writable, in %LocalAppData%\Packages\<PackageFullName>). Crashes and bad states usually live in the per-user data. Uninstalling clears both, and reinstalling lays down a fresh package. The Microsoft Account license stays — Store apps you’ve purchased show in your Library regardless of install state on this PC.

An alternative to uninstall+reinstall is the in-place Reset option in Advanced options, which clears per-user data without removing the package. Faster than reinstall and handles 80% of broken-app cases.

Method 1: Try Reset first, then full reinstall

Reset is a lighter-weight first attempt; reinstall is the fuller cleanup.

Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
Search for the misbehaving app. Click the three-dot menu next to it → Advanced options.
Scroll to Reset. Click Repair first (a non-destructive option that re-registers the package).
Launch the app. If it works now, you’re done.
If still broken: return to Advanced options → Reset. Click Reset. This clears all app data, sign-in tokens, settings.
Launch the app again. Sign in, set up. If still broken, proceed to Method 2.
If still broken: return to Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Uninstall. Confirm.
Open Microsoft Store. Click Library in the left sidebar.
Search for the app or scroll to find it. Click Install. Wait for download and install.
Launch from Start menu.

Repair → Reset → Reinstall is the right escalation. Each step takes more time but handles deeper issues.

Method 2: Use PowerShell for stubborn cases

For apps that won’t uninstall via Settings (greyed-out Uninstall button, or error during uninstall).

Open Terminal (Admin).
List installed Store apps to find the package name:
```
Get-AppxPackage | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*PartialAppName*" } | Format-Table Name, PackageFullName
```
Replace PartialAppName with part of the app name (e.g., "Spotify" for Spotify, "Netflix" for Netflix).
Note the full package name from the output (e.g., SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic_1.234.567.0_x64__zpdnekdrzrea0).

Uninstall by package name:

Get-AppxPackage SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic | Remove-AppxPackage

For apps that won’t uninstall this way (system-level packages): use Remove-AppxPackage -Package <FullPackageName> -AllUsers as administrator. The -AllUsers flag removes from every user account.
For Windows-pre-installed apps (Cortana, Photos, etc.) that lack uninstall buttons: PowerShell is the only way. Use with caution — removing some pre-installed apps can break system functions.
After uninstall, install via Microsoft Store as in Method 1.
If the app is hard to find in Store: open ms-windows-store://pdp/?ProductId=<ID> using the app’s product ID from microsoft.com/store URLs.

This handles every Store app, even ones that resist normal uninstall.

Method 3: Use winget for reinstall automation

For scripted bulk reinstalls or maintenance routines.

Open Terminal. winget is bundled with Windows 11.
Search Store catalog:
```
winget search "Spotify"
```
Output shows ID, Source. The Source msstore means Microsoft Store.

Install:

winget install --id 9NCBCSZSJRSB --source msstore

Replace ID with the value from search.

Uninstall via winget:
```
winget uninstall "Spotify Music"
```
Bulk install: create a JSON file listing apps to install, then winget import -i apps.json. Useful for setting up a fresh PC with your usual app set.
For non-interactive scripts: add --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements --silent flags.

winget is the right approach for repeated reinstalls and for setting up many PCs with consistent app sets.

How to verify the fix worked

Launch the reinstalled app from Start menu. It should open without errors.
Sign in (if required). Confirm previously-saved cloud data syncs back: documents, library, settings.
Run Get-AppxPackage <AppName> | Format-List Name, Version, Status in PowerShell. Status should be Ok.

If none of these work

If install fails with errors like 0x80073CF9, 0x80073CF3, or 0x80073D0A, the underlying Store infrastructure has issues. Try WSReset: Win + R → wsreset.exe. Clears Store cache. Wait for the reset, then retry install. Reset Microsoft Store itself: Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Microsoft Store → Advanced options → Reset. Sign in to Store again. Verify Store services: in services.msc, confirm Microsoft Store Install Service is Running and StartType is Manual. License issues: open Store → profile icon → Library. If the app appears in Library but install fails, click the app in Library and try Install from there rather than from search results. Last resort for system apps: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Microsoft.<AppName> | Foreach { Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml" }. This re-registers the system-installed copy without going through Store.

Bottom line: Repair, Reset, then Reinstall via Settings → Apps. For stubborn cases, PowerShell’s Remove-AppxPackage and Microsoft Store reinstall is fully reliable. winget enables scripted automation.