How to reset WindowsApps folder permissions in order for Windows 10 programs to work like new

Question

I changed permissions on the WindowsApps folder many times and now Windows 10 programs do not work. I have searched all the internet search engines and I need a method to restore WindowsApps like new without a full restore on Windows 10. Ideally I need most of the files to stay the same. I am familiar with permissions and ICACLS and TAKEOWN commands but I need a standard operating procedure to fix WindowsApps so all programs work again without restoring windows to the very beginning and wiping the hard drive. Thanks

Answer 1

Hello Pran, My name is Jayshri. I'm an Independent Advisor and I'll be glad to help you today.

Changing the permissions of the WindowsApps folder can cause built-in Windows 10 apps to stop working, but we can fix it by restoring the original permissions without wiping your files or doing a full system restore.

1. Take Ownership of the Folder

We need to get control of the folder before we can fix it.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator (search for "cmd", right-click it, and choose Run as administrator).

Type this command and press Enter:

takeown /f "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" /r /d y

This makes you the owner of the folder, so you can make changes.

2. Give Yourself Full Permissions

Now that you own the folder, let's give you full access to make any changes needed.

In the same Command Prompt, type the following and press Enter:

icacls "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" /grant "%USERDOMAIN%%USERNAME%":(F) /t

This grants you full control over the files inside.

3. Reset the Folder Permissions Back to Default

We need to reset everything back to the way Windows originally had it.

To reset the folder's permissions, type the following and press Enter:

icacls "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" /reset /t /c /q

Then, set the owner back to TrustedInstaller (the default owner for system files):

icacls "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" /setowner "NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller" /t /c /q

4. Reinstall Apps (if needed)

If some of your apps still don’t work properly, we can try reinstalling the default apps.

Open PowerShell as Administrator (same way you opened Command Prompt).

Run this command to reinstall all the default Windows apps:

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

5. Restart Your Computer

After you've done all of this, restart your computer to make sure all the changes take effect properly.

Try not to change the permissions for WindowsApps again unless absolutely necessary. It can be sensitive and affect how apps work.

You should always back up important data when making big changes, just in case something unexpected happens.

By following these steps, your Windows 10 apps should work like new again!

If anything seems unclear or you run into trouble, feel free to ask for help!

Just a friendly reminder this isn't a live chat, so responses might take a bit longer. I really appreciate your understanding, and I'll do my best to respond as quickly as I can!

Answer 2

Following these instructions has now bricked my ability to open any files. I now receive an error message saying "the parameter is incorrect" when trying to open exe files or images. I completed steps 1, 2 and 3, and restarted my PC.

Answer 3

Hello again. Another problem related to WindowsApps folder. Your solution helped me with the Windowsapps not working. But now I am trying to get another microsoft product Winget to work. I tried to reinistall Winget and it does not work in windows powershell admin I use winget command and get the following:

Program 'winget.exe' failed to run: The process has no package identityAt line:1 char:1

• winget

At line:1 char:1

• winget

•     + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException  
      + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed
  
  

Ive been trying to follow videos and use the Environment Variables and install the following

C:\Users\Paul Randall\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe

And still can not install Winget or make it to work....Any suggestions to try next?

Answer 4

Yes, this solution was better than all the other ones on the internet. It got me about 95% almost like new Windows 10 apps. Calculator appears to crash, but generally all the Microsoft Windowsapps work well....For some reason I had to use powershell for non-Microsoft apps. NVIIDIA control panel no longer worked so I will uninstalll/install that and Mylio apps did not work. But generally, I am pleased with your solultion. Thank you

Answer 5

Hello Pran,

I'm really glad the solution worked for you and got things running almost like new! I understand the minor issues with the Calculator and non-Microsoft apps like NVIDIA Control Panel and Mylio, but reinstalling them should help.

Thanks again for your feedback, and feel free to reach out if anything else comes up. I'm happy you're pleased with the result! Take care!