How to Fix "This App Can't Open" Error in Windows?

Windows Troubleshooting
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Originally published at: How to Fix "This App Can't Open" Error in Windows?

The ‘This app can’t open’ error message occurs when you attempt to open one of the core utilities in Windows. This issue is usually the result of inconsistencies in the app’s installation files or the User Account Control feature in Windows. This App Can’t Open Error Message Interference from third-party programs may also be a…

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there has been a lot of reports in relation to the photos app recently, and many users have had this issue as a result of an update. I do not have solution specific to the photos app, but if you want you can apply this work-around:

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Is there any data on your system?

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Try creating a new user account and see if it works.

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  •             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    • CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (C:WindowsSyst…ppXManifest.xml:String) [Add-AppxPackage], Exception
    • FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand

Add-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073D02, The package could not be installed because resources it
modifies are currently in use.
error 0x80073D02: Unable to install because the following apps need to be closed
Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost_10.0.18362.449_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] 4104adf8-50ac-0001-e9a4-0641ac50d601 in the Event Log or use
the command line Get-AppPackageLog -ActivityID 4104adf8-50ac-0001-e9a4-0641ac50d601
At line:1 char:38

  • … | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.I …
  •             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    • CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (C:WindowsSyst…ppXManifest.xml:String) [Add-AppxPackage], Exception
    • FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand

Add-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073D02, The package could not be installed because resources it
modifies are currently in use.
error 0x80073D02: Unable to install because the following apps need to be closed
Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_10.0.18362.449_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] 4104adf8-50ac-0001-eda4-0641ac50d601 in the Event Log or use
the command line Get-AppPackageLog -ActivityID 4104adf8-50ac-0001-eda4-0641ac50d601
At line:1 char:38

  • … | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.I …
  •             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    • CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (C:WindowsSyst…ppXManifest.xml:String) [Add-AppxPackage], Exception
    • FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand
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Oh well and good, but the wsreset.exe does not run, just sits there blinking at me after I hit enter. Help please.

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These steps will fix the “This app won’t open” issue and the broken Start menu:

Step 1: Ensure your Windows Firewall Service is running by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Computer Management, Services and Applications, Services.

Then:
Right-click the start button and select Command Prompt (Admin). At the command prompt C:Windowssystem32> prompt type powershell and hit enter. Type in exactly or copy/paste into the powershell window the following:

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

Windows will update the core apps that were disabled and you should be able to use the start button normally when it’s finished installing.

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i tried that, but it did not work, also tried the 3 methods, don’t know what to do.

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Many thanks! I had not expect such a prompt response. And thanks for that information - I’ll be doing this later today and report back.

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Yeaaaaahhhhh what if the problem is an app, not Store? I’m getting it with Photos. Exact same error message you quote, no further details.

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Didn’t work- indicated I already had a higher package installed yet I cannot access photos, store, calculator and other apps

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I am also facing the same issue …the error is ““This app cannot be opened -there’s a problem with @{Microsoft.ZuneVideos_306017801.0x64_8wekyb3d8bbwe?ms-resource://Microsoft.Zune =Video/resources/IDS_MANIFEST_VIDEO_APP_NAME}. Contact your system administrator about repairing it or reinstalling it.””

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what’s the error you’re getting hen you try to access apps?

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ive tried what seems like all the command line for seperate and all windows 10 apps…a buuunch are missing for some reason…cant even access my camera please help