Apps Missing After Windows 10 Upgrade? Fixes

If apps disappear after a Windows 10 upgrade, the most common cause is that the upgrade process moved them to the Windows.old folder or reset the Start menu tile database. You can usually restore them by checking Windows.old, re-pinning from the Start menu’s “All apps” list, or reinstalling the app from the Microsoft Store.

Why Apps Go Missing After an Upgrade

When Windows 10 upgrades to a new feature update (like version 22H2) or a major build, it performs a complex migration of your user profile, settings, and installed programs. Most of the time, everything transfers correctly, but occasionally apps can disappear for several reasons:

Start menu tile corruption: The database that stores your pinned tiles and app shortcuts can become corrupted during the upgrade, making apps appear missing even though they are still installed.
Windows.old folder: If the upgrade fails partway and rolls back, or if you upgraded from an older version, your previous Windows installation (including some apps) may be in the C:\Windows.old folder.
App compatibility issues: Some older desktop apps may not be compatible with the new Windows version, so Windows hides or removes them from the Start menu.
User profile issues: If your user profile was temporarily corrupted during the upgrade, Windows may create a temporary profile, and your apps appear missing because they are tied to the original profile.

How to Find Missing Apps

Before reinstalling anything, check whether the app is actually still installed but just not showing up in the Start menu.

Open Settings (Windows key + I) and go to Apps > Apps & features.
Scroll through the list or use the search box to look for the app by name.
If you find it, click on it and select Modify or Repair (if available) to fix any broken shortcuts.
If the app is listed but not in the Start menu, click the Start button, then click All apps (the list of all installed apps, usually at the bottom left of the Start menu). Scroll through the alphabetical list to see if it’s there.
If you find it in All apps, right-click it and select Pin to Start to restore the tile.

If the app is not in Apps & features, it may have been removed during the upgrade. In that case, you’ll need to reinstall it.

Restoring Apps from Windows.old

If you upgraded from an older Windows version (e.g., Windows 7 or 8.1) or from a previous Windows 10 build, the old system files are stored in C:\Windows.old for 10 days after the upgrade. This folder contains the previous installation, including your old user profile and some app data.

Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows.old.
Look inside C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData for app data, but note that most desktop apps are not portable—you cannot just copy the executable and expect it to work.
For apps that were installed per-user (like some older programs), you may find the installation files in C:\Windows.old\Program Files or C:\Windows.old\Program Files (x86).
If you find the app’s folder, you can try running the executable, but it may fail because the registry entries are gone. The safest approach is to reinstall the app from the original installer or from the Microsoft Store.

After 10 days, Windows automatically deletes the Windows.old folder to free up disk space. If you need to recover files from it, do so before then.

Reinstalling Missing Apps

For apps that are truly gone, reinstalling is the most reliable fix.

Microsoft Store apps: Open the Microsoft Store, click the three-dot menu (top right), select My Library, and you’ll see a list of apps you’ve previously installed. Click Install next to any missing app.
Desktop apps: Re-download the installer from the official website or use the original installation media. If you have a license key, you may need it again.
Apps that came with Windows: Some built-in apps like Mail, Calendar, or Calculator can be reinstalled via PowerShell. Open PowerShell as Administrator and run: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Select Name, PackageFullName to see all installed packages. To reinstall a specific app, use Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$env:ProgramFiles\WindowsApps\[PackageName]\AppxManifest.xml"—but this is advanced and usually unnecessary.

Preventing Future Disappearances

To reduce the chance of apps going missing after future upgrades, follow these tips:

Keep your system updated: Install all quality updates before a feature update, as they often include fixes for upgrade issues.
Back up your app list: Before a major upgrade, note down the apps you have installed, or use a tool like winget export (Windows Package Manager) to save a list.
Use Microsoft account sync: If you sign in with a Microsoft account, some app settings and Start menu layouts can sync across devices, making it easier to restore after a reinstall.
Free up disk space: Ensure you have at least 20 GB of free space before upgrading, as low disk space can cause the upgrade to fail and roll back.

What If the Apps Are Still Missing?

If you’ve checked Apps & features, looked in All apps, and reinstalled the app, but it still doesn’t appear, try these advanced steps:

Create a new user account: Sometimes the user profile is corrupted. Create a new local account (Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC) and see if the apps appear there. If they do, you can migrate your files.
Run the System File Checker: Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run sfc /scannow to repair system files that may be corrupted.
Use DISM: If SFC finds issues, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair the Windows image.
Reset the Start menu database: You can restart the Start menu process by opening Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), finding Windows Explorer, right-clicking it, and selecting Restart. This often refreshes the Start menu tiles.

If none of these work, you may need to perform a repair upgrade by downloading the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and running it while keeping your files and apps. This reinstalls Windows without losing your data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my apps disappear after the Windows 10 upgrade?

The most common reasons are a corrupted Start menu tile database, the upgrade rolling back to a previous version, or apps being incompatible with the new build. Check Apps & features to see if they are still installed.

Can I recover apps from Windows.old?

Yes, but only within 10 days of the upgrade. You can manually copy app data, but most apps need to be reinstalled because the registry entries are gone. Use Windows.old primarily to retrieve personal files.

How do I reinstall Microsoft Store apps?

Open the Microsoft Store, go to My Library, and click Install next to any app you previously owned. If the app isn’t listed, search for it and install it again—you won’t be charged again if it was free or already purchased.

Will a system restore bring back my apps?

System Restore can undo system changes, but it usually does not affect user-installed apps. If you created a restore point before the upgrade, you could roll back, but you’d lose any changes made since then. It’s better to reinstall missing apps.

Is there a way to prevent apps from disappearing in the future?

Keep your system updated, back up your app list, and ensure you have enough disk space before upgrading. Also, sign in with a Microsoft account to sync some settings.

What if the app is in Apps & features but not in the Start menu?

Right-click the app in Apps & features and select Modify or Repair. If that doesn’t help, click Start, type the app name in the search box, and if it appears in search results, right-click it and select Pin to Start.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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