We all have a collection of essential programs on our computers that we rely on heavily, and new ones are frequently added. However, many users have reported issues with installing anything on their Windows PC. This problem can be challenging, as the Windows OS has few built-in tools to fulfill the requirements. In this case, the only option is to follow the troubleshooting methods mentioned below to fix this issue and install the applications you need the most on your PC.
Note : Microsoft prevents Windows S operating system users from installing Third-Party apps on their PCs, so these steps will not work for any user with a Windows S operating system. The only option is to convert Windows S OS to Windows Home edition and install any apps.
Based on extensive user reports from forums and communities, several factors can prevent you from installing and updating apps on a Windows PC. Here are some common issues:
Temporary Glitch. Occasionally, a simple restart can resolve temporary issues that prevent app installations.
Incorrect Installer Settings. Windows OS supports traditional desktop and Microsoft Store apps, but certain settings might restrict you from installing third-party apps.
Insufficient Permissions. Many apps require administrative rights for installation. If your user account lacks admin privileges, you won’t be able to install programs.
Low Disk Space. Programs often need a significant amount of disk space to install. If your disk space is critically low, you won’t be able to complete installations.
Incompatibility Issues. Apps come in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. A 64-bit app will only work on a 64-bit Windows system, and some apps may not be compatible with your version of Windows PC.
Windows Corruption Errors. Corrupted system files or components can also cause issues when installing programs on a PC.
The basic step of troubleshooting any issue is restarting the device to determine whether the issue is permanent or just a temporary glitch. If the problem does not appear after reboot, you can forget about it and start using the PC. However, if the issue persists, follow the methods mentioned below.
We recommend occasionally rebooting the router/modem and the PC to clear the cache and other temp files.
Microsoft recommends installing apps on Windows only from the Microsoft Store. But it does not restrict you from installing third-party applications from elsewhere. There is a setting you need to check and change if required. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Press Win + I to open the Settings box.
Step 2: Click on the Apps tab in the left pane and then click on Advanced App Settings in the right section.
Step 3: Next, locate the “Choose Where To Get Apps From” option and click on the dropdown next to it to select “Anywhere”.
This will allow you to install apps from any source.
Another method experts recommend is enabling the Developer mode to install certain apps. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Press Win + I to open the Settings box.
Step 2: Click on the System tab in the left pane and then click on For Developers in the right section.
Step 3: Locate the Developer Mode option and slide the toggle button toward the right to enable it.
Step 4: Click on The Yes button on the next prompt box.
This will allow Windows to install apps from any source, including Loose Files.
The Windows installer process might interfere with the installation of third-party apps. Here are the steps to disable this process.
Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
Step 2: Use the search bar on the top and type “msiexec.exe.”
Step 3: Right-click on this process and choose End Task.
Step 4: If you find multiple processes by the same name, close all the processes.
Install the app now and check if the issue has been resolved.
Lack of free space can prevent the installation of new apps on your PC. Hence, we recommend using Windows’s built-in tool, Disk Cleanup, to delete unwanted files and create some space for installing new apps. Here is what you need to do:
Step 1: Press the Win key and type Disk Cleanup.
Step 2: Click on the relevant result, and a new box will open with a list of temporary files that can be removed.
Step 3: Select the checkboxes next to the type of files you wish to remove and click on the OK button.
Step 4: Click on Cleanup System files to gain more hard disk space after the cleanup.
Note : All the files deleted by this process are temporary files that can be created again by Windows OS when necessary.
Some apps require special permissions and access to system resources to install. In this case, we recommend you run the app installer files in the administrator mode. Here is what you need to do:
Step 1: Right-click on the app installer exe file and choose Properties from the context menu.
Step 2: Click on the Compatibility tab on the top.
Step 3: Place a checkmark next to “Run This Program As An Administrator.”
Step 4: Click on Apply and then OK.
Step 5: Retry installing the app on your PC.
Many software applications come in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The 64-bit software is compatible only with 64-bit versions of Windows, whereas 32-bit applications can run on 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, as 64-bit Windows supports backward compatibility. After determining your Windows version, check software download pages to ensure you select the version that matches your system. “x86” indicates a 32-bit version, while “x64” refers to a 64-bit version.
If the app you wish to install is for an older version of Windows, it might not install on Windows 11. You can follow these steps to lower the compatibility mode:
Step 1: Right-click on the app installer exe file and choose Properties from the context menu.
Step 2: Click on the Compatibility tab on the top.
Step 3: Check the box next to “Run this program in compatibility mode for” and choose Windows 7 or 8 from the drop-down menu.
Step 4: Click on Apply and then OK.
Step 5: Retry installing the app on your PC.
The next step to fix this issue is to run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Press Win + I to open Settings.
Step 2: Click on the System tab on the left side and then click on the Troubleshoot option in the right section.
Step 3: Click on Other Troubleshooters.
Step 4: Next, click the Run button next to Program Compatibility Troubleshooter and follow the steps to identify and fix the issue.
Step 5: Reboot your PC and try to install the app again.
If you’re logged in as an administrator but unable to install software in Windows 10, the Fast Startup feature might be the culprit. While Fast Startup is intended to speed up boot times, it has frequently interfered with the operating system’s performance.
Step 1: Press Win + R to open the RUN box, type Control, and click the OK button.
Step 2: Ensure the Control Panel View By is set to Category.
Step 3: Click on System And Security and locate Power Options.
Step 4: Click on “Change What The Power Buttons Do”.
Step 6: Now, remove the checkmark in the checkbox before turning on the fast startup option and clicking on the Save Changes button at the bottom of the window.
The UAC settings help protect your PC and provide certain restrictions. Here are the steps to disable UAC settings.
Step 1: Press the Win key and type “Change User Account Control settings.”
Step 2: Click on the relevant result, and a new box will open.
Step 3: Drag the slide in the box to the bottom and click the OK button.
If you have an older version of software installed on your PC, it is recommended that you remove it before installing the new version. This mostly happens with MS Office, where old versions conflict with the new versions. Here are the steps to remove software from your PC.
Step 1: Press Win + S to open the search box and type “Add Or Remove Programs.”
Step 2: Click on the relevant result under Best Match, and a new box with the list of the installed apps will appear on your screen.
Step 3: Click on the three dots next to the app you wish to remove and choose Uninstall.
Step 4: Follow the steps on the screen to remove the app and reboot your PC.
Some experts have suggested pausing the antivirus program temporarily to install the app. However, this could result in a malicious app being installed on your system. If you are sure about the authenticity of a particular app installer, then here are the steps to disable Windows Security:
Step 1: Press the Win key and type Windows Security.
Step 2: Click on the relevant result under Best Match.
Step 3: Next, click on Virus & Threat Protection.
Step 4: Click on Manage Settings.
Step 5: Slide the toggle button under Real-Time Protection towards the left to disable it.
Note: After you have installed the app, you need to follow the steps again to enable Real-Time Protection.
The System File Checker is a useful tool for fixing and replacing corrupted system files with fresh, clean ones. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Press Win + R to open the RUN box and type “cmd.”
Step 2: Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the Command Prompt in admin mode.
Step 3: Type the following command and hit the Enter key.
Sfc /Scannow
There is another tool that helps to fix internal issues called the DISM. This tool can fix many issues, and here is what you need to do:
Step 1: Press Windows + S, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
Step 2: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Step 3: Allow the process to complete and reboot your PC.
Most users who cannot install third-party apps have fixed this by running the Chkdsk tool. The easiest way to diagnose and fix hard disk issues is by using the Check Disk tool in Windows. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Press Win + R to open the RUN box.
Step 2: Type CMD and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open Command Prompt in elevated mode.
Step 3: If you get the User Account Control Prompt box, click Yes.
Step 4: Copy and paste the following command.
chkdsk /f /r
Step 5: Reboot your PC.
After using Windows 10/11 for an extended period, various services may be scheduled to start automatically when you boot your PC. These can sometimes cause problems. To address this, we will disable third-party services and ensure that Windows only loads essential system services. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. Type “msconfig” and click OK.
Step 2: Next, navigate to the ‘Services’ tab.
Step 3: Check the box for ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ to ensure these services are hidden. Then, click ‘Disable All’.
Step 4: Click ‘OK’ when finished and restart your system to apply the changes.
If the app installation issue is limited to a particular app, then you can probably find an alternate app that performs the same task and use it instead. This will save time and effort.
If you can uninstall apps after performing all the above methods, consider creating a new account and deleting the old one. In Windows Settings, go to Accounts -> Other Users, and click Add Account to set up a new account. Be sure to create it as an administrator account.
Once you’ve created the new account, transfer your data from the old account by copying and pasting the files from the Users folder on the system drive. After transferring the data, you can delete the corrupted profile from the Other Users page.
If the previous solutions haven’t worked, resetting Windows may be the final step to fix the App install/update issue or error. Here’s how to reset Windows 10 and 11:
Step 1. Open the Start menu and search for ‘Reset this PC.’ Then, select the appropriate option from the search results.
Step 2. Click on “Reset PC.”
Step 3. Select “Keep my files.”
Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions to start the reset process for your Windows computer.
Note: Although Windows provides an option to keep your data during the reset, it is recommended to manually back up your files externally to prevent any potential data loss.
We hope you can install and update on your PC after such extensive troubleshooting methods. Press CTRL + D to bookmark this page for future issues and share it with everyone who faces the same issue. Write to us in the comments section about the issue and which method helped you fix it.
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