How to Reset an App in Windows 10?

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Diana Todea Shield
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Resetting an app in Windows 10 helps you fix crashes, missing features, startup failures, and corrupted data.

Windows 10 includes several built-in tools that let you repair, reset, re-register, and reinstall apps depending on how severe the issue is. Usually, its a misbehaving app that you want to reset totally, and we will help you below do it without making your PC burn.

Table of contents

How to reset an app in Windows 10 properly?

1. Reset an app from Settings

Windows 10 includes a built-in reset button for Microsoft Store apps and many desktop apps. This method wipes the app’s data and restores it to factory defaults.

  1. Select Start, open Settings, then select Apps.
  2. Choose Apps & features to see everything installed.apps and features
  3. Select the app you want to fix and choose Advanced options.
  4. Scroll down and select Reset.
  5. Confirm the prompt to delete the app’s saved data.

Why this works?

Resetting removes corrupted cache, local files, and broken configuration entries that cause instability. If you run into system-level reset errors, see this guide on fixing Windows 10 “There was a problem resetting your PC“.

2. Repair an app before resetting it

Repairing keeps your data while Windows replaces missing or broken files. Many Windows 10 apps support this option.

  1. Open Settings and select Apps.
  2. Choose Apps & features.apps and features
  3. Select the app and choose Advanced options.
  4. Choose Repair and wait for Windows to complete the fix.

When to use this?

Use Repair when the app loads but freezes or runs slowly.

3. Run WSReset to fix Microsoft Store apps

Store apps in Windows 10 often break because the Store cache becomes corrupted.

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run.
  2. Type wsreset -i.
  3. Select OK and wait for the Microsoft Store to reopen.

Why this works?

WSReset clears and rebuilds the Store cache so apps can update and launch properly. Clearing the cache helps for app errors just like resetting temporary internet files to their default location does for browser-related issues.

4. Re-register apps with PowerShell

This method restores system-wide app registrations that Windows 10 uses to launch Microsoft Store apps.

  1. Right-click Start and choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Paste the following command:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

  1. Press Enter.
  2. Wait while Windows 10 restores all Store app registrations.

Why this works?

Re-registration fixes issues where apps refuse to open or appear blank. If File Explorer stops responding while performing these actions, you can also look into how to reset File Explorer to restore normal behavior.

5. Reset apps with Command Prompt (advanced)

Command Prompt lets you remove broken app packages when the normal uninstall/reset options fail.

  1. Right-click Start and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Run the following command to find the package:

Get-AppxPackage appname

  1. Identify the full package details.
  2. Remove it with:

Get-AppxPackage appname | Remove-AppxPackage

  1. Reinstall the app through the Microsoft Store afterward.

Why this works

CMD deletes corrupted packages that the Settings app cannot remove.

6. Use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

Windows 10 includes a dedicated troubleshooter that automatically detects and fixes Store-related problems.

  1. Open Settings and select Update & Security.
  2. Choose Troubleshoot.
  3. Select Additional troubleshooters.
  4. Choose Windows Store Apps.
  5. Run the troubleshooter.

Why this works

The tool fixes account issues, update failures, and licensing problems. Similar automation can help with features like resetting File History when backups stop working.

7. Manually delete leftover app files (advanced)

Reinstalling an app may require removing leftover configuration files that Windows 10 doesn’t delete automatically.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Enter %localappdata% in the address bar and delete leftover folders from the app.
  3. Enter %appdata% and remove additional remnants.
  4. Reinstall the app.

Why this works

Leftover files can conflict with clean installations and cause the same issue to return.

Tips

• Restart Windows 10 after every Repair or Reset.
• Keep Microsoft Store apps updated.
• Use PowerShell only when Settings can’t fix the app.
• Back up local app data if the app supports exporting.

FAQs

What does resetting an app do in Windows 10?

Resetting removes the app’s stored data and restores it to its original state.

Why can’t I find the reset button for a specific app?

Classic desktop programs don’t always support reset. You may need to repair, uninstall, or reinstall them manually.

Will I lose data when resetting an app?

Yes. Resetting clears all app-specific data. Use Repair if you want to preserve it.

Does PowerShell re-registration affect all users?

Yes. PowerShell commands modify system-wide app registrations for every user account.

Diana Todea

Diana Todea Shield

With a keen interest in online privacy, she is going all out in making sure we share practical and up-to-date methods to stay safe in the digital space. She’s got a cybersecurity certification from Infosec and a data privacy specialization from UCI.

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