Photos keep opening in Paint

Question

Photos keep opening in Paint and my Photos App is not even showing up in Apps. I went on YouTube and watched videos to no avail as Photos App is not there to repair. MS Store does not have PHOTO APP. When I go to Default Apps I can only open scanned items & photos using Corel PSP, I deleted PAINT cause it was making me furious.

Please help!

Nancy

Answer 1

Hi, good day!

Please try to reinstall Photos app via PowerShell

Press Windows key+X then select Windows PowerShell/Terminal (Admin)

Copy and paste the command below then press Enter

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

Restart your computer

I look forward to receiving your update and I'm willing to collaborate with you till we resolve the issue. Do keep me informed by clicking "Add comment" below.

Answer 2

Follow these steps to get the Photos app back and stop images opening in Paint/Corel.

1. Make sure Microsoft Store is available

• Select Start and type Microsoft Store.
• If it appears in search, open it.
• If it does not appear:
  • Confirm the device is signed in with a Microsoft account, not a local account.
  • If this is a work or school PC, the Store may be disabled by the administrator.

2. Reset Microsoft Store so Photos becomes searchable

If Store opens but you cannot find the Photos app:

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Type wsreset.exe and select OK.
   • A blank Command Prompt window opens for a few seconds, then closes.
   • Microsoft Store will reopen automatically.
3. In Microsoft Store, search again for Microsoft Photos.
4. Reinstall Photos from Microsoft Store / My Library

Once Store is working:

1. In Microsoft Store, select See more (three dots) > My Library.
2. Look for Microsoft Photos in the list of apps.
3. Select it and choose Install.
4. If it is not in My Library, use the Store search box for Microsoft Photos after running wsreset.exe as above.
5. Repair or reset Photos if it is installed but not visible

If Photos is installed but not behaving correctly:

1. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
2. Find Microsoft Photos in the list.
3. Select it, then choose Advanced options.
4. Select Repair. If that does not resolve the issue, select Reset.
5. Reinstall Paint (optional)

If Paint was removed and needs to be restored (for example, to have it available but not as default):

1. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. If Paint is missing, open Microsoft Store.
3. Search for Paint and install it again.
4. Set Photos as the default app for pictures

After Photos is installed and working:

1. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps.
2. Scroll down and, if Photos appears, select it and set it as default for image formats.
3. To control by file type:
   • In Default apps, select Choose defaults by file type.
   • For each extension such as .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, change the default app to Photos instead of Corel PSP or Paint.
4. If apps still fail from Microsoft Store

If Store apps (including Photos) still will not install or appear correctly after wsreset.exe and My Library:

1. Run the Windows Store apps troubleshooter:
   • On Windows 10: Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Windows Store apps > Run the troubleshooter.
2. If individual apps are still broken, use Settings > Apps > Apps & features and use Advanced options > Repair or Reset on affected apps.

These steps restore Microsoft Store functionality, reinstall the Photos app, and then set it as the default so photos no longer open in Paint or Corel PSP.

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References:

• Can't find Microsoft Store app
• I can't find or install an app from Microsoft Store
• Fix problems with apps from Microsoft Store
• Repair apps and programs in Windows
• Uninstall and reinstall Paint and Snipping Tool
• Get help with Microsoft Photos app