Why Microsoft Store app is blocked? 10 ways to unblock it

Getting Error message “Microsoft Store app is blocked,” while trying to access it on your Windows PC? This issue usually occurs if, for some reason Store app is disabled, the Store app is experiencing a minor glitch, the Store app’s cache files are corrupt, a third-party antivirus program is interfering with the app, and more. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to resolve this error and regain access to the Microsoft Store. In this guide, we’ll explore the potential causes of this issue and provide detailed solutions to fix “Microsoft Store Is Blocked” Error Windows 11/10.

Why Microsoft Store App is Blocked

There are several possible reasons why you meet this “Microsoft Store app is blocked” error.

• It may be Certain Registry keys can be set to disable the Microsoft Store, either intentionally or due to system changes.
• On Your PC Group Policy might be configured to block access to the Microsoft Store.
• Sometimes, Security software or third-party applications may inadvertently block access to the Microsoft Store.
• If Parental Controls are enabled, they might restrict access to the Microsoft Store based on user settings.
• Some networks, especially in schools or workplaces, might have policies in place that block access to the Microsoft Store.

Enable Microsoft Store using Group Policy Editor

Group Policy Editor can be used to enable or disable access to the Microsoft Store. If the store is blocked through Group Policy, you’ll need to adjust these settings.

Note: Windows 10/11 home edition doesn’t have Group policy feature, so they can skip this step.

• Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store.
• In the right pane, look for the policy named Turn off the Store application.
• If this policy is set to Enabled, double-click it and change the setting to Not Configured or Disabled.
• Click Apply and OK to save the changes, then restart your computer.

Modify Registry Settings

If the Group Policy Editor is not available or doesn’t resolve the issue, you can modify the Registry directly

• Press Windows + R, type regedit and ok to open the Windows registry editor.
• Now, first backup registry Database, then navigate to the following path,
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore
• Here, double click on RemoveWindowsStore and change its value 1 to 0

Note: If the key WindowsStore is not available, then you need to create it. To do so, perform a right-click on Microsoft, “New” and click “Key“. Name this key as WindowsStore.

• Now, right-click on WindowsStore and create a new DWORD (32-bit).
• Name this new DWORD as RemoveWindowsStore and double-click on it.
• To fix Error Code 0x800704EC of Store, set 0 as the Value data and click OK.
• Restart Windows and open the Microsoft Store on the next login let us know if this tweak fixed the issue.

Clear the store app Cache

If you are still getting the error, I recommend temporarily uninstalling any third-party antivirus you have installed. Also, follow the following steps to clear the Microsoft Store cache.

• Press Windows + R, to open the Run dialogue box
• here type WSRESET.EXE and ok to clear if any temporary cache causing the issue.

Run Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

You can run the built-in Store app Troubleshooter Following the steps below that automatically diagnose and fix Microsoft Store problems.

• Open the Settings app using the keyboard shortcut Windows + I,
• Click Update & security then Troubleshoot
• Scroll down and locate Windows Store Apps
• Click Run the troubleshooter

This will check for the problems that may prevent Windows Store apps from working properly.

Reset Microsoft Store app

If the problem persists, try to reset the Microsoft store to its default setup, which may fix the problem if there is any incorrect configuration causing the issue. To do this

• press Windows + I to open settings, click on app then click Apps & features. 
• Scroll down and look for the Microsoft Store app, click on it and select advanced options.
• Click Reset, and you’ll receive a confirmation button.
• Click Reset and close the window. Restart your computer and check if the problem has been sorted out.

Re-register Store through PowerShell

If the above steps don’t work, you might need to reinstall the Microsoft Store using PowerShell.

• Press Win + X and select Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
• In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter

Get-AppXPackage -Name Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose}

Wait for the process to complete, then restart your computer and check this, probably fixes the Microsoft store app problem.

Disable or Reconfigure Third-Party Software

Security software, firewalls, or other third-party applications might block the Microsoft Store by mistake.

1. Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall software and check if the Microsoft Store opens.
2. If disabling the software resolves the issue, consider adding the Microsoft Store as an exception in the security settings.
3. Ensure that any third-party application management tools are not set to block access to the Microsoft Store.

Update Windows

An outdated version of Windows could be causing the problem. Ensuring your system is up to date might resolve the issue.

1. Open Settings (Win + I), then go to Update & Security.
2. Click Check for updates and install any available updates.
3. After updating, restart your computer and try accessing the Microsoft Store again.

Check with new user account profile

Also, users suggest creating a new user account profile help them to fix the Error 0x800704EC Windows Store app is blocked. Simply open the command prompt as administrator, type net user UserName  /add

* Replace the  UserName  with your preferred  username:

Then give this command to add the new user account to the Local Administrators Group:

net localgroup administrators UserName /add

e.g. If the new username is “User1” then you have to give this command:
net localgroup administrators User1 /add

Sign out and log in with the new user. And check you will get rid of Windows store problems.

Check Network Restrictions

If you’re on a network that restricts access to certain services, such as a school or workplace network, the Microsoft Store might be blocked by network policies.

1. Test your access by connecting your device to a different network, such as a mobile hotspot or home Wi-Fi.
2. If the store works on a different network, the issue likely lies with the network restrictions.
3. Contact your network administrator to inquire about the possibility of unblocking the Microsoft Store on the network.