Share this article
Improve this guide
Reinstall Preinstalled Apps on Windows 10 [How to]
Sometimes you need to reinstall default apps to fix issues
4 min. read
Updated onDecember 5, 2023
updated onDecember 5, 2023
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
Sometimes, you might encounter issues with certain apps; if that happens, you must reinstall preinstalled apps on Windows 10.
If your apps are missing or have any problems, a quick reinstall should help; this guide will show you how to do it properly.
What are preinstalled apps on Windows?
Preinstalled apps are Microsoft Store apps available on your system as you install them. Thanks to those apps, users can perform basic tasks without downloading specialized software.
How do I reinstall preinstalled apps on Windows 10?
1. Use a specialized uninstaller before reinstalling apps from the Store
Sometimes, regular uninstalling procedures are not enough to completely uninstall an application. And if the app leaves some files behind, those can prevent you from adequately reinstalling that app.
That’s why we advise using aneffective uninstaller software, an excellent solution that is easy to run and removes any app and leftovers that it may leave behind.
IObit Uninstalleris one of the best uninstalling software options; it has a free version and a pro version at an affordable price, and both come with top-notch performance.
This tool helps you uninstall unnecessary apps, especially when talking about many of them, and it helps you optimize the overall PC system performance.
IObit Uninstaller
2. Remove applications manually to reinstall Microsoft Store apps
2.1. Remove apps from Apps & Features
One of the simplest ways to reinstall Microsoft Store apps is to uninstall them manually.
However, you will notice that some built-in apps have a grayed-out uninstall button, which means that you can’t uninstall them, at least not by using traditional means.
However, you can also uninstall those too. We have an excellent guide to help youquickly uninstall greyed-out apps on Windows 10.
2.2. Uninstall apps by right-clicking them
2.3. Reinstall the app from the Microsoft Store
As you can see, this is a relatively simple method, and by using it, you can easilyreinstallanyapplicationdownloaded from theMicrosoft Store.
If you want to remove built-inMicrosoft Storeapps from your PC, you might want to check out some of our other solutions.
3. Reinstall Microsoft Store apps using PowerShell
If you want to reinstall any built-in Microsoft Store app such as Calculator or Mail, you’ll have to usePowerShellan advanced command line tool.
In order to reinstall the apps, you need to uninstall them first. For safety reasons, it’s better to perform a complete backup or tocreate a restore point in Windows 10before using this command to uninstall any app.
1. PressWindows Key + Sand enterpowershell.
2. Click onRun as administratorunder PowerShell to open the app with elevated privileges.
- WhenPowerShellopens, enter the following command and pressEnter:Get-Appxpackage –Allusers | Select Name, PackageFullName
4. Now you should see a list ofapplicationsalong with their full names.
-
Find theapplicationyou want to remove and copy its full name by pressingCtrl + C.
-
Now enter the following command and pressEnterto run it:Add-AppxPackage -register “C:\Program Files\WindowsApps<PackageFullName>” –DisableDevelopmentMode
-
In our example this command would look like this:Add-AppxPackage -register “C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_11.2307.4.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe” –DisableDevelopmentMode
-
After running this command, theapplicationor applications should be reinstalled and you’ll be able to use it once again.
-
If you want toreinstallall built-inMicrosoft Storeapplications, including theMicrosoft Store, you can do it by running the following command in PowerShell:Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}
PowerShell is an advanced tool, so be careful when using it. You can cause problems with your PC if you’re not careful.
4. Create a new user account to reinstall Microsoft Store apps
If you’re having problems with built-in Microsoft Store apps and can’t reinstall them using the methods above, you might have to create a new user account.
All built-in apps on it will be reinstalled by creating a new user account.
How do I remove preinstalled bloatware?
To do that, you can manually uninstall apps one by one or use debloating scripts to automate the process.
We wrote in detail how toremove bloatware from Windows 10in a separate guide, so don’t miss it.
Does reset Windows remove preinstalled apps?
Depending on the type of reset you perform, you might remove all preinstalled apps and their data. However, the reset process will reinstall all preinstalled apps as well.
To learn more, we have a guide on how tofactory reset Windows 10, so be sure to check it out.
As you can see, it’s easy to reinstall preinstalled apps on Windows 10, and by using these steps, you canreinstall Microsoft Storeor restoremissing default apps on Windows.
Did you find a different way to restore preinstalled apps on Windows 10? If so, let us know in the comments section.
More about the topics:Microsoft Store Fixes,Windows 10 Guides
Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Passionate about all elements related to Windows and combined with his innate curiosity, Ivan has delved deep into understanding this operating system, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
When he’s not tackling diverse driver-related problems, Ivan enjoys watching good movies and spending time hiking with his family and friends.
User forum
7 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Ivan has delved deep into understanding the Windows OS, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
