Microsoft Store Acquiring License Error: Fix it With 6 Steps

Learn to fix your Microsoft Store app and get back to downloading apps

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Key notes

  • Many users reported receiving the Acquiring license error when downloading or updating certain apps from the Microsoft Store.
  • An excellent way to eliminate this problem is to reset the Microsoft Store cache.
  • You can scan your system for possible issues and then run the System File Checker.
  • Disable your antivirus, as it can block Microsoft Store from connecting to a remote server.
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Let us explore the Microsoft Store acquiring license error and tell you all you need to know.

The transition from old standard programs to new metro apps would be much smoother without day-to-day issues plaguing Microsoft Store.

One of those problems occurs when users try to download or update a specific app. Unfortunately, they’re shortly prompted with the Microsoft Store Acquiring License Error prompt, and the process stops.

Some users have found issues with the MS Store getting stuck on pending when downloading updates.

What does it mean to acquire a license on Microsoft Store?

This is a standard Microsoft Store error, often followed by the error code 0x803F7000, but that’s not the rule. This makes Microsoft Store almost entirely unusable and out of sync with its primary purpose.

It is often triggered by the following:

  • A bug in the app – This simply means your specific copy may be corrupted and need a change or fix.
  • Cache issues – An overload on your Microsoft Store cache data may trigger a stuck-on acquiring license problem.

While there may be other causes, these are the most frequent among users.

The following solutions would come in handy if Microsoft Store failed while acquiring a license, if Microsoft Store is getting a license error, or if Windows Licensing failed to update critical data for Microsoft Windows Store.

How can I fix the Microsoft Store Acquiring License Error?

1. Reset the Microsoft Store cache

  1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run elevated command line.
  2. In the command line, type WSReset.exe, and press Enter.
    microsoft store acquiring license error
  3. This will restart Microsoft Store.

Microsoft Store, like any other Windows Shell app, collects the related data and configuration files.

Sometimes, the corruption of the named files prevents the installation of the new app or even the store’s initialization.

There are various ways to address this, and we enlisted most of those in this article. However, before we move to a ted complicated troubleshooting steps, let’s try a straightforward command.

WSReset.exe is a native Microsoft Store file that resets the Microsoft Store settings to their default values.

Therefore, it clears the cache and can come in handy with halts in Microsoft Store-related processes. For example, the Microsoft Store Stuck on Acquiring License Error should be gone now.

2. Run the Microsoft Store Troubleshooter

  1. Right-click Start, and open Settings.
    microsoft store acquiring license error
  2. Select Update & security.microsoft store acquiring license error
  3. Choose Troubleshoot from the left pane.microsoft store acquiring license error
  4. Scroll to the bottom and highlight the Microsoft Store troubleshooter.
  5. Click on the Run the troubleshooter button.
    microsoft store acquiring license error

Another viable solution might lie in the Windows 10 revamped troubleshooting menu.

As you might know, after the Creators Update, Windows 10 got a dedicated unified menu with all troubleshooting tools in one place.

And there, between the plethora of various troubleshooters, is Microsoft Store Troubleshooter that might help you with the Acquiring license issue.

3. Double-check time, date, and region settings

  1. Right-click on the Start menu, and open the Settings app.
    microsoft store acquiring license error
  2. Choose the Time & language section.
  3. Select Date & time from the left pane, then toggle on Set time automatically and Select time zone automatically.
    microsoft store acquiring license error
  4. Now, choose Region & language from the same pane, and change Country or region to United States.
  5. Exit Settings, and look for changes in the Store.

Users too often neglect the importance of proper time and date settings. Those are correlated with Microsoft Store’s adequate functioning, so ensure that both date and time are correctly set.

Furthermore, region settings can also affect the Microsoft Store, and the best way to be sure that Microsoft Store will work on your PC is to set the United States as your region.

This should resolve the halt, and you should be able to install apps from Microsoft Store seamlessly.

On the other hand, if you’re still stuck with the same problem, make sure to continue with the remaining steps.

4. Disable the antivirus

  1. Click on the hidden access arrow in the Taskbar.
  2. Click on your antivirus icon, hover over Avast shields Control and select Disable for 10 minutes (This step varies for different antivirus software).

Furthermore, we can’t skip the possibility that a third-party antivirus is blocking your Microsoft Store from connecting to a remote server.

Sometimes the problem lies in the servers themselves. Still, the Microsoft Store Acquiring License Error is frequently caused by a pesky overeager antivirus that prevents the app from updating or downloading.

Some tech-savvy users advised uninstalling the third-party antivirus, but we’ll settle with disabling real-time protection.

After you’ve done that, open Microsoft Store and look for changes. If the problem is persistent, move to the next step on the list.

5. Run SFC

  1. In the Windows Search bar, type cmd.
  2. Right-click on the Command Prompt and run it as an administrator.
  3. Type the following command in the command line and press Enter:
    sfc /scannow
    acquiring license error windows store
  4. Wait for the procedure to end, and try downloading apps from Microsoft Store again.

If you want to solve this process more safely and quickly, then you should opt for a dedicated repair tool to scan your computer and replace damaged or missing files with new parts from its repository.

6. Re-register Microsoft Store

  1. Right-click the Start button, and open PowerShell (Admin).
  2. In the command line, type (or copy-paste) the following command and press Enter:
    Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}acquiring license error windows store
  3. This will force Windows to reinstall the default apps and restore the changes one of the latest updates has made.
  4. After it’s done, close PowerShell and restart your PC.

That should do it. We hope that at least one of these steps helped you resolve the issues with Microsoft Store and app installation.

Also, if the Microsoft Store app is stuck on starting download, check out our comprehensive guide and fix it in no time.

If you have an alternative solution or question regarding the Microsoft Store Acquiring License Error other than the ones we provided, feel free to share it with us in the comments section below.

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