How Do I Fix Microsoft Store Stuck on Pending in Windows 11?

Issue type: Software — Microsoft Store app downloads permanently stuck showing “Pending” with no download activity

SEO focus: If you are looking for microsoft store stuck on pending windows 11, this guide starts with the fastest diagnosis, then moves to the exact fix that matches the symptom.

Short answer: Pending in the Microsoft Store almost always means either one download is silently blocking the entire queue, or the Store’s local cache is corrupted and the download service can’t read its own queue correctly. Running WSReset.exe clears the cache without affecting your account or installed apps and fixes this in most cases within two minutes.

Microsoft Store Stuck on Pending Windows 11: Quick Diagnosis

Open the Microsoft Store and click the Library icon (bottom-left). Look at the Downloads section. Check whether one specific item is paused, waiting, or showing an error above the others — the Store processes downloads sequentially, and a single stalled item at the top of the queue blocks everything behind it from starting. If you see one item with a pause icon or a small error indicator, that item is holding the entire queue.

Also check whether the system is currently running a Windows Update download in the background. The Store and Windows Update share the same Delivery Optimization service. When a large Windows Update is actively downloading, it can claim the full bandwidth allocation and leave Store downloads in a waiting state until the update finishes. Check Settings > Windows Update to see if an update is in progress.

If the Library shows all items as Pending with no stalled item at the front, and no Windows Update is running, the Store’s local cache is the problem — it has a broken queue entry that prevents new downloads from being dispatched at all.

What to do first

1. Open Microsoft Store > Library and check for a paused or errored item at the top of the download queue. Click the resume button (play icon) next to it. If it resumes and starts downloading, the other Pending items will begin automatically once it completes or you can click their download buttons individually.
2. Cancel all current downloads and try again fresh. In Library, click the X next to each pending item. Once all are cancelled, go back to the app page and start the download again from scratch. A fresh download request bypasses the corrupted queue entry.
3. Run WSReset to clear the Microsoft Store cache. Press Win + R, type WSReset.exe, and press Enter. A black Command Prompt window appears with no text — this is normal. Wait until it closes on its own (usually 30–60 seconds). The Store reopens automatically when the reset finishes. Try your downloads again immediately after.
4. Restart the Windows Update and Store licensing services. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run these commands one at a time:
   net stop wuauserv
net stop clipsvc
net start clipsvc
net start wuauserv
   Then reopen the Store and attempt the download.
5. Sign out of the Microsoft Store and sign back in. Open the Store > click your profile icon (top-right) > Sign out. Wait 30 seconds, then sign back in with your Microsoft account. Some Pending states are tied to a stale account session token that signing out clears.
6. If nothing above works, reset the Store app through Windows Settings. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps > search Microsoft Store > click the three dots > Advanced options > click Reset. This clears all app data including cache and sign-in state. Sign back in after the reset and try downloading again.

Common mistake

Running WSReset and immediately clicking Download again before the Store has finished reopening. WSReset needs to complete its process, close the Command Prompt window, and fully relaunch the Store before the reset takes effect. If you attempt a download while the Store is still in mid-relaunch, the queue picks up the same corrupted state it just cleared. Wait for the Store to fully open on its own after WSReset before touching anything.

Best next step

If the Store still shows Pending after WSReset, service restarts, and a full app reset, the issue is likely a conflict with your Windows Update components rather than the Store itself. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run net stop bits followed by net start bits to restart the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, which handles the actual file download behind both Windows Update and the Store. If BITS fails to start (you’ll see an error message), run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth — a corrupted Windows image can break BITS, which breaks every download service that depends on it.

Official reference: For official update guidance, check Microsoft’s Windows Update FAQ before using advanced repair steps.

Quick Q&A

Will WSReset delete any of my installed apps or account data?

No. WSReset only clears the Store’s temporary cache files — the same category of data as browser cookies. Your installed apps, purchase history, Microsoft account, and app licenses are stored server-side and are not affected. The only thing that gets wiped is the local queue and cache data, which is exactly what you want to clear when downloads are stuck.

The Store shows Pending but then switches to an error code after a few seconds. Is that a different problem?

Yes. If Pending transitions to an error code (0x80070005, 0x803F8001, etc.), the download actually attempted to start but hit a specific failure. Search the exact error code — each one has a distinct cause. Common ones: 0x80070005 means a permissions issue (try running the Store as Administrator or checking that your account has app installation rights), and 0x803F8001 means a licensing issue (signing out and back into the Store usually resolves it).

Every app shows Pending but the Store itself says it’s up to date. Why?

The Store application and the Store’s download queue are handled by separate services. The Store app being current doesn’t mean its download service is healthy. Run WSReset regardless of the Store’s version status — it clears the download queue cache specifically, which is the component responsible for dispatching downloads, and it works even when the Store itself appears to be running normally.