It’s always a good idea to keep the apps and games on your PC up to date. You can set up Microsoft Store so that app updates are downloaded and installed as soon as they come out. But if the Microsoft Store doesn’t automatically update your apps, you may want to fix the problem right away.
There could be a number of reasons, like the app not having the right permissions or the cache data being too old. No matter what the problem is, the troubleshooting tips below should help you fix it quickly. So, let’s check them out.
Microsoft Store Apps Not Updating Automatically
1. VERIFY AUTO UPDATE SETTINGS IN MICROSOFT STORE
If Microsoft Store isn’t updating your apps automatically, check the auto-update settings in the Microsoft Store app as a first step. This is how.
Step 1: Click on the Search icon on the Taskbar, type microsoft store, and press Enter.
Step 2: Click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select App settings.
Step 3: Enable the App updates option if it isn’t already.
Step 4: After you enable it, head to the Library tab in the bottom-left corner to see if the automatic updates have started.
2. RUN MICROSOFT STORE APPS TROUBLESHOOTER
Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a tool for fixing problems with the Microsoft Store and its apps. It can figure out what’s wrong with the Microsoft Store app and fix it for you. Here’s how it works.
Step 1: Open the Start menu, type in troubleshoot settings, and select the first result that appears.
Step 2: Click on Other troubleshooters.
Step 3: Scroll down to click on the Run button next to Windows Store Apps.
After running the troubleshooter, Microsoft Store should initiate automatic updates for apps and games.
3. DISABLE METERED CONNECTION
You can limit how much data your PC uses by making your Windows network a metered connection. But this also stops Windows from automatically downloading system and app updates. To stop this from happening, you need to turn off the “metered connection” option on your Wi-Fi network.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to launch the Settings app. Navigate to Network & internet tab and click on Wi-Fi.
Step 2: Click on your Wi-Fi network to open its properties.
Step 3: Turn off the toggle for Metered connection option.
4. ALLOW MICROSOFT STORE TO RUN IN THE BACKGROUND
Microsoft Store may not automatically update apps if the app doesn’t have the permissions it needs to run in the background. Here are some ways to change that.
Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Installed apps from the menu that pops open.
Step 2: Locate Microsoft Store on the list. Click on the three-dot menu next to it and select Advanced options.
Step 3: Use the drop-down menu under Background app permissions to select Always.
Restart the Microsoft Store app to see if it updates apps automatically.
5. CONFIGURE WINDOWS UPDATE AND MICROSOFT STORE INSTALL SERVICE TO START AUTOMATICALLY
Microsoft Store won’t update apps if certain Windows services, such as Windows Update and Microsoft Store Install Service, aren’t configured to start automatically on boot. Here’s what to do about it.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to launch the Run command, type in services.msc, and press Enter.
Step 2: In the Services window, locate and double-click on the Windows Update service to open its properties.
Step 3: Change its Startup type to Automatic and click on Apply.
Step 4: Next, locate Microsoft Store Install Service. Double-click on it to open its properties.
Step 5: Change the Startup type to Automatic and hit Apply.
Reboot your PC after this and see if Microsoft Store starts updating apps automatically.
6. CLEAR MICROSOFT STORE CACHE
When you download or update apps and games from Microsoft Store on your PC, it makes temporary files. Even though this information is meant to help, it can sometimes get in the way of how the app works and cause problems.
To fix it, you’ll need to follow the steps below to clear the Microsoft Store cache.
Step 1: Right-click the Start button and select Run from the following menu.
Step 2: Type wsreset.exe in the box and press Enter.
A terminal window will open for a few seconds. After you clear the cache, Microsoft Store should open automatically and start functioning.
7. REPAIR OR RESET MICROSOFT STORE
If the fixes listed so far do not work, your last option is to repair Microsoft Store from the Settings app. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + S to open the search menu, type in microsoft store, and click on App settings.
Step 2: Scroll down to the Reset section and click on Repair.
The app should be fixed by Windows. After it has been fixed, check to see if it automatically updates apps.
If the problem doesn’t go away, you can try resetting the app from the same menu. If you do this, all of the app’s data will be erased, and the app settings will be reset to their original state.
BUILT FOR CONVENIENCE
You can save a lot of time in the Microsoft Store by turning on auto-update. But if the feature doesn’t work as it should, it can make you angry. You can fix the problem by doing one of the things above, and then Microsoft Store will be able to update apps again.