Windows Store Error 0x80090016: Fixes That Work

Windows Store error 0x80090016 stops app downloads and updates with a message about the Microsoft Store needing to be fixed. The cause is almost always a corrupted or missing certificate tied to your Windows user profile, and the fix is to clear the Store cache or re-register the Store app. Below are the exact steps to resolve it, plus what the error means and why it happens.

What Error 0x80090016 Actually Means

The code 0x80090016 maps to NTE_BAD_KEYSET, a Windows cryptography error that means the system cannot access the cryptographic keys it needs. The Microsoft Store uses a certificate stored in your user profile to sign and verify app installs. When that certificate is missing, corrupted, or blocked by a security policy, the Store fails with this error even though your internet connection and account are fine.

This error is not a sign of a broken Windows installation. It is specific to the current user profile, so another user account on the same PC may be able to use the Store normally. That distinction matters because it rules out system-wide issues like corrupted Windows files or driver problems.

Fix 1: Clear the Microsoft Store Cache

The simplest fix resets the Store’s temporary files, which often clears a bad certificate state. This does not remove your installed apps or sign you out.

1. Press Windows + R, type wsreset.exe, and press Enter.
2. A blank Command Prompt window opens; wait until it closes on its own (usually 10–60 seconds).
3. The Store launches automatically. Try downloading or updating an app again.

If the error persists, restart your PC after running wsreset. The cache reset also clears the Store’s local database, which can resolve a corrupted catalog that triggers the error.

Fix 2: Re-register the Microsoft Store App

When the cache reset fails, the Store app itself may have a broken registration. Re-registering it rebuilds the app’s package and restores its default certificates.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
2. Copy and paste this command, then press Enter:

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

3. Wait for the command to finish (it shows no success message), then close PowerShell and restart your PC.

This command re-registers the Store for all user accounts. If you see a red error about the package being blocked, run the same command without -AllUsers — that targets only your profile, which is where the certificate problem lives.

Fix 3: Repair the User Profile Certificate Store

Error 0x80090016 specifically points to the personal certificate store of your Windows profile. If re-registering does not help, the certificate store itself may be damaged. Windows has a built-in tool for this:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (search “cmd”, right-click, Run as administrator).
2. Run certutil -store My and look for any certificate with an expiration date in the past or a status of “Keyset does not exist”.
3. If you see a broken certificate, run certutil -delstore My <serialnumber> (replace with the actual serial number shown).

Do not delete certificates you do not recognize — some are required for Windows Hello or corporate logins. If you are on a work or school PC, contact your IT admin before deleting anything. For personal PCs, the Store will recreate the certificate it needs on the next launch.

Fix 4: Create a New User Account

Because the error is tied to your profile, creating a fresh local user account and moving your files there is a reliable last resort. This is more work but avoids reinstalling Windows.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
2. Click Add account and choose Add a user without a Microsoft account.
3. Create a local account, sign out of your current one, and sign into the new account.
4. Open the Store and test the download. If it works, move your personal files from the old profile’s C:\Users\[YourName] folder.

Your installed apps and settings do not carry over automatically. You will need to reinstall desktop apps, but the Store apps can be downloaded again. This fix effectively proves the problem was profile-specific, not a hardware or system fault.

Why This Error Happens: Background and Triggers

The certificate that the Store relies on is generated when you first sign into Windows. Several routine events can corrupt it:

• Disk cleanup tools that delete “temporary certificate files” — some third-party cleaners remove the wrong entries.
• Interrupted Windows updates that leave the cryptographic service in a partial state.
• Antivirus or security software that blocks the Store’s certificate access as a false positive.
• Switching from a local account to a Microsoft account mid-session, which can orphan the old certificate.

The error is more common after a feature update (like upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11) because the update process may not migrate the certificate properly. It is not caused by the Store itself being broken — the Store is just the messenger.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

Many guides tell you to run sfc /scannow or DISM to fix this error. Those tools repair system files, but 0x80090016 is not a system file problem — it is a user-profile certificate problem. Running them wastes time and rarely helps.

Another mistake is resetting Windows entirely. That works, but it is overkill for a profile issue that a new user account solves in minutes. Also, do not manually delete the Certificates folder under AppData — that can break Windows Hello and other encrypted features. Stick to the commands above.

Finally, note that this error code is different from 0x8009000F (which means the certificate store is read-only) and 0x80090011 (which means the keyset does not exist). The fix for 0x80090016 is specifically about re-creating or re-registering the keyset, not about permissions.

When to Seek Further Help

If none of the fixes above work, the issue may be caused by a group policy or a third-party security tool that actively blocks the Store. Try temporarily disabling your antivirus (not Windows Defender) and testing the Store. If it works, re-enable the antivirus and add an exception for the Store.

For enterprise-managed PCs, a domain policy may restrict certificate access. In that case, only your IT administrator can resolve it. For personal PCs, the last option is an in-place upgrade repair: download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant (or Windows 10 Media Creation Tool) and run it while keeping your files. This reinstalls Windows but preserves your apps and data, and it rebuilds the certificate store from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing the Store cache delete my installed apps? No. wsreset only removes the Store’s temporary files and local database. Your apps, games, and downloads remain untouched. You may need to sign into the Store again.

Do I need to be an administrator to run these fixes? Yes. Re-registering the Store and using certutil require administrator privileges. If your account is standard, you will be prompted for an admin password or need to ask the PC owner.

Can I fix this error without losing my files? Yes. All fixes in this guide preserve your personal files. The new user account method does require moving files manually, but nothing is deleted.

Why does the error appear only for one user account? Because the certificate is stored per-user, not per-system. Another account has its own certificate, so it is unaffected. This is the key clue that the fix is profile-specific.

Is this error caused by a virus? No. It is a cryptographic key access failure, not a malware symptom. However, some security tools can trigger it by blocking the Store’s certificate access, so temporarily disabling them is a valid test.

What if the error returns after a few days? This usually indicates a third-party cleanup tool is repeatedly deleting the certificate. Uninstall such tools and rely on Windows’ built-in Disk Cleanup or Storage Sense, which do not touch certificate stores.

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