In much the same way mobile apps “just work,” Windows Store apps and features are intended to be installed and configured with a single click without a lot of futzing around with setup options and parameters. When things do go wrong with apps like Calculator, Mail, Groove or Photos, this simplicity by design can backfire. Faulty Windows Store apps and features often give vague, unactionable error messages. Or worse, they may not give any error messages at all—they’ll just fail to load or update properly.
In cases like these, any first level support technician will tell you to start by uninstalling and reinstalling the software. Luckily, with Windows Store apps and features, there’s an even easier way. There’s a one-click “Reset” button for apps and features hidden in the Advanced Options that can often kickstart misbehaving Windows apps into working again.
Once you know where to look, it’s super quick and easy to use. Check it out.
Reset Windows Store Apps Using Advanced Options in Windows 10
Before we start, a quick disclaimer: Resetting your app will cause all the data associated with the app to be lost, unless it’s saved to the cloud or your hard drive. If you have data in the app that you don’t want to lose, first try installing the latest Windows Updates and updating your universal apps.
If the app is still broken, try resetting it.
Open Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & Features.
(If you are running Windows 10 1607 or earlier releases, look under System > Apps & Features.)
Select the app you’re experiencing problems with, then click Advanced options.
Click Reset and hopefully, this should fix whatever glitch you might be experiencing.
Remember, this works for all apps, including those that come with Windows 10 such as Calculator, Mail, Groove or Photos.
If Reset doesn’t work, then you can move on to more advanced Windows app troubleshooting options. You can also try performing a repair upgrade.
Let me know what you think. I’m also curious to know, whats your experiences been like with Microsoft’s first-party apps. Are they living up to expectations or have you switch to more robust options?