I'm having a frustrating issue with my Windows 11 PC. For some reason, I can't open several key applications like Gamebar, Xbox, Security, and the Microsoft Store. The search function in my taskbar is also completely unresponsive. Whenever I try to launch these apps, I just see a blue loading circle by the cursor. Sometimes the apps like Microsoft Store and Xbox will pop up for a moment before closing on their own. Other applications, like Chrome and the EA launcher, work just fine. This problem started unexpectedly and has occurred before, but it usually resolves itself. Unfortunately, this time it's back and sticking around. If anyone has any ideas or solutions, I would really appreciate the help!
3 Answers
Could be a Windows 11 update causing this. Sometimes, updates seem to mess with app functionalities. You might want to check if there's a pending update or rollback if there was a recent one that might’ve caused the issues.
You can try running a couple of commands to fix weird Windows issues. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator and use these commands:
1. SFC /scannow (if it finds problems, restart and run it again)
2. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
These might help resolve your app issues!
It sounds like a strange glitch, and it could be linked to File Explorer misbehaving. Have you tried restarting your computer? That often helps reboot the File Explorer process, which might fix the search bar and app loading issues.
I've restarted my PC a few times already...
Hmm, I don’t think I’ve had an update in the last two weeks, and these issues just started a few days ago.