Basics

12 reasons why Photos app doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)

by Jonathan Dudamel
9 min read

If your pictures won’t open or the viewer crashes, the short answer is that Photos app doesn’t work in Windows 10 because of app corruption, system problems, driver conflicts, or configuration issues — and most of these can be fixed with simple resets, updates, or reinstalls. In this article you’ll learn the common causes and step-by-step fixes to get the Photos app working again.

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Key Takeaway

The fastest reliable fix is to try a reset or reinstall of the Photos app (Settings > Apps > Photos > Advanced options > Reset or remove and reinstall via PowerShell/Microsoft Store); if that fails, run SFC/DISM, update display drivers, and check Microsoft Store/OneDrive and privacy permissions.

Quick Fix Guide

Quick Fix Guide

Reason for the Problem Quick Solution
1. Photos app cache/data corruption Reset the Photos app via Settings > Apps > Photos > Advanced options > Reset.
2. Outdated or broken Photos app Update the Photos app via Microsoft Store > Library > Update or reinstall it.
3. Pending Windows updates or restart required Install Windows updates and restart via Settings > Update & Security.
4. Corrupted app package/registration Re-register or reinstall the Photos app with PowerShell commands.
5. Wrong default app or file association Set Photos as default under Settings > Apps > Default apps.
6. System file corruption (SFC/DISM needed) Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth as admin.
7. Graphics/display driver issues Update or reinstall your GPU driver from Device Manager or vendor site.
8. Microsoft Store or account problems Reset Microsoft Store with wsreset.exe and sign in again.
9. Corrupted thumbnail cache Clear the thumbnail cache via Disk Cleanup or delete thumbcache files.
10. Third‑party codec conflicts Uninstall suspicious codec packs and test again, or use built-in codecs.
11. OneDrive Files On‑Demand / inaccessible files Disable Files On‑Demand or mark photos Always keep on this device.
12. Antivirus or security blocking the app Temporarily disable real‑time protection or whitelist Photos in your AV.
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Detailed Fixes for “Photos app doesn’t work in Windows 10”

1. App cache/data corruption

Why this causes the problem

  • The Photos app stores temporary data and settings. If these become corrupt the app can freeze or fail to open images.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
  2. Find Photos (Microsoft Photos) and click Advanced options.
  3. Click Repair first; if that doesn’t help, click Reset (this clears app data and returns to default).
  4. Restart the PC and test Photos.

Notes: Repair keeps your data; Reset deletes saved app settings but not your pictures.

2. Outdated or broken Photos app

Why this causes the problem

  • Bugs in older app versions can cause crashes or incompatibility with Windows updates.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Open Microsoft Store.
  2. Click Library (bottom-left) then Get updates or locate Photos and click Update.
  3. If Update isn’t available or fails, uninstall Photos (Settings > Apps > Photos > Uninstall) and reinstall from the Microsoft Store.

Tip: Make sure you’re signed into the Microsoft Store with your Microsoft account.

3. Pending Windows updates or restart required

Why this causes the problem

  • System components used by Photos may be outdated or waiting to finish an install, causing instability.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
  2. Click Check for updates, install any updates, and then click Restart now if prompted.
  3. After restart, test the Photos app.

4. Corrupted app package/registration

Why this causes the problem

  • The Photos app is an MSIX/UWP package; if registration is damaged the app won’t run.

Step-by-step solution (PowerShell)

  1. Open Start, type PowerShell, right-click Windows PowerShell, choose Run as administrator.
  2. To remove the broken package:
    Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.Photos | Remove-AppxPackage
  3. Reinstall/re-register (first try reinstall from Microsoft Store). If you need to re-register:
    Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.Windows.Photos | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
  4. Restart and test.

Caution: Removing packages affects only that user. Use the re-register command carefully and only if you’re comfortable with PowerShell.

5. Conflicting file associations or default app settings

Why this causes the problem

  • If a different app is set as the default photo viewer or associations are broken, Photos may not open files.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Default apps.
  2. Under Photo viewer choose Photos.
  3. For specific file types go to Choose default apps by file type and set .jpg, .png, .HEIC etc. to Photos.

Tip: If an unexpected app shows as default, choose Photos and test.

6. Missing or corrupted system files (SFC/DISM)

Why this causes the problem

  • Photos relies on system libraries; corrupted system files can break app behavior.
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Step-by-step solution

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator (Start > type cmd > right-click > Run as administrator).
  2. Run: sfc /scannow and wait for it to complete.
  3. If problems persist, run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
  4. Reboot and try Photos again.

Note: SFC checks and replaces corrupted Windows system files; DISM repairs the system image.

7. Graphics/display driver problems

Why this causes the problem

  • Photos uses hardware acceleration; bad GPU drivers can cause freezes or black/blank displays.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Open Device Manager (Start > type Device Manager).
  2. Expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU and choose Update driver.
  3. Choose Search automatically or download the latest driver from the GPU vendor (Intel, NVIDIA, AMD) and install.
  4. As an alternative, right-click and choose Uninstall device, then restart Windows to force reinstall.

Tip: If a new driver caused the issue, roll back using Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver in Device Manager.

8. Microsoft Store or account issues blocking app updates

Why this causes the problem

  • Photos app updates come via Microsoft Store; a broken store or sign-in can prevent updates and proper app function.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Reset Microsoft Store: press Windows + R, type wsreset.exe, press Enter.
  2. Open Microsoft Store, click your profile icon and ensure you are signed in.
  3. If problems persist, go to Settings > Apps > Microsoft Store > Advanced options > Reset.
  4. Reattempt updating or reinstalling the Photos app.

9. Corrupted thumbnail cache or image metadata

Why this causes the problem

  • Corrupt thumbnails or metadata can make Photos hang when loading folders.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Run Disk Cleanup (type Disk Cleanup in Start).
  2. Select drive C: and check Thumbnails, then click OK to delete caches.
  3. Or manually delete thumbnail cache files at %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer (files named *thumbcache_.db**) — you may need to stop Explorer or reboot after deletion.

Tip: Keep a backup if you’re unsure; Disk Cleanup is safest.

10. Third‑party codecs or codec packs conflict

Why this causes the problem

  • Non-standard codec packs can interfere with image decoding and cause Photos to crash.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Open Control Panel > Programs and Features, look for recent codec packs (e.g., K-Lite), and uninstall them.
  2. Reboot and test Photos.
  3. If you need extra formats (HEIF/HEVC), install the official Microsoft HEIF Image Extensions or HEVC Video Extensions from the Store rather than third‑party packs.

11. OneDrive Files On‑Demand / inaccessible files

Why this causes the problem

  • If images are stored in OneDrive and marked online-only, Photos may fail to open them.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Open OneDrive from the system tray, click Help & Settings > Settings.
  2. Under Settings, disable Files On‑Demand or right-click a folder/file in File Explorer and choose Always keep on this device.
  3. Wait for files to download and try opening them in Photos.

Note: Also try opening a local file (C:\Pictures) to confirm OneDrive involvement.

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12. Antivirus or firewall blocking the app

Why this causes the problem

  • Overly aggressive antivirus/security can block app components or the store update process.

Step-by-step solution

  1. If using Windows Defender: open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings and temporarily turn Real‑time protection Off (remember to turn it back on after testing).
  2. For third-party AV, use its UI to temporarily disable protection or create an exclusion for Microsoft.Photos.exe (typically located in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps; path may be protected).
  3. If disabling fixes the issue, add an exclusion rather than leaving protection off.

Caution: Only disable security briefly for testing.

Additional tips and when to get help

  • Use Event Viewer (Windows Logs > Application) to check error details when Photos crashes — look for source Microsoft-Windows-AppModel-Runtime or Application Error.
  • If multiple UWP apps are broken, consider creating a new Windows user account to isolate profile corruption: Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC.
  • As a last resort, use Reset this PC (keep files): Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC → choose Keep my files. This reinstalls Windows but preserves personal files.
  • If you rely on advanced RAW formats or professional workflows, consider using a third-party photo viewer (IrfanView, XnView, FastStone) while troubleshooting.

FAQ

Q: How can I prevent Photos problems in the future?

Keep Windows and the Photos app up to date, avoid installing unknown codec packs, and routinely check GPU and system updates.

Q: Can I restore the old Windows Photo Viewer?

Yes — the legacy Windows Photo Viewer is still present on some Windows 10 installs and can be re-enabled via registry tweaks or third‑party tools; proceed carefully and back up the registry first.

Q: Are there logs or diagnostic tools to capture Photos app crashes?

Use Event Viewer (Application logs) and Reliability Monitor (type Reliability in Start) to find crash reports and faulting module names for deeper troubleshooting.

Q: What about HEIC/HEVC files not opening?

Install the official HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions from Microsoft Store (some HEVC extensions are paid). Avoid random codec installers.

Q: I can open images in other apps — should I switch to another viewer?

If other apps (e.g., Paint, third-party viewers) open images fine, Photos-specific issues are likely app/Store-related; you can use an alternative viewer temporarily while resolving Photos problems.

Conclusion

Most instances where the Photos app doesn’t work in Windows 10 are resolved by resetting or reinstalling the app, repairing system files, updating drivers, or fixing Microsoft Store/account issues. Start with the simple fixes (reset/update) and progress to SFC/DISM and driver or store repairs if needed — and you’ll usually have Photos working again within a short troubleshooting session.

About the author

Jonathan Dudamel

Jonathan Dudamel

I'm Jonathan Dudamel, an experienced IT specialist and network engineer passionate about all things Windows. I have deep expertise in Microsoft project management, virtualization (VMware ESXi and Hyper-V), and Microsoft’s hybrid platform. I'm also skilled with Microsoft O365, Azure ADDS, and Windows Server environments from 2003 through 2022.

My strengths include Microsoft network infrastructure, VMware platforms, CMMS, ERP systems, and server administration (2016/2022).

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