Activation error 0xc002001b

Question

Issue: How to fix Microsoft Store error 0xC002001B?

Hello, I can’t download or update any apps from Microsoft Store – I get an error code 0xC002001B every time I try. Also, I tried downloading some apps through the browser and it worked sometimes, even though I did receive the same error a few times as well. Any tips on this?

Solved Answer

Microsoft Store is an official Windows app that allows users to download and update approved applications, removing the necessity of visiting third-party marketplaces. First introduced in 2012,^[1] the Store was met by users positively overall, and since then, became one of the integral Windows parts most people don’t imagine a modern operating system without.

Just like any other component, this one might also malfunction sometimes. Whenever some users attempt to download or update an app via Microsoft Store, they receive the 0xC002001B error, which automatically stops the process. Store App download errors are not uncommon, as we previously talked about 0x8007064a, 0x800B010FI, 0x80073D01, and others.

In this case, users receive the error after initiating a download, which then returns a generic message asking to try again later. Trying to download the app or its update later does not yield any positive results, and users are still stuck with the same issue after a while. It is also worth noting that the error code might be shown within the Windows Script Host pop-up window when trying to activate Windows.^[2]

There could be several reasons for the 0xC002001B error code to show up. For example, corrupted system files, bugged^[3] Windows Store cache, inconsistent internet connection, and similar issues could all be causing it. Sometimes, it is difficult to determine what is causing the error to show up, so we recommend trying the ReimageMac Washing Machine X9 PC repair utility, which can often save hours of troubleshooting time and automatically resolve computer problems. Alternatively, proceed with the manual solutions below.

Fix 1. Reset Windows Store cache

Bugged app cache might prevent you from downloading new data from the Store thus you should try resetting it:

• In Windows search, type wsreset.exe and press Enter
• Wait till a black window shows up – do not close it
• Once it’s gone, Microsoft Store should restart
• Try using the Store again.

Fix 2. Reset or repair the app

A more thorough reset or repair can be performed via the app’s Advanced options.

• Right-click on Start and pick Apps & Features
• Scroll down to locate Microsoft Store and click Advanced options
• Click Terminate and Repair
• If that has no effect, select Reset.

  

Fix 3. Run the troubleshooter

Troubleshooters are extremely convenient tools that come pre-installed with the operating system. They can be useful when diagnosing certain Windows problems and sometimes even solving them automatically.

• Type Troubleshoot in Windows search and hit Enter
• In the new window, on the right side, click Additional troubleshooters
• Scroll down to find the Windows Store Apps entry
• Select it and click Run the troubleshooter

  

• Apply the suggested fixes.

Fix 4. Repair corrupted system files

You can attempt to restore damaged system components with the help of SFC and DISM scans.

• Type in cmd in Windows search
• Right-click on Command Prompt and pick Run as administrator
• When the User Account Control window shows up, click Yes
• In the new window, type in sfc /scannow and press Enter
• Wait till the scan is finished and follow up with these commands, pressing Enter after each:
  Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• Restart your PC.

  

Fix 5. Reset your internet connection

• Open Command Prompt as administrator as explained above
• Copy and paste each of the following commands, pressing Enter every time:
  ipconfig /flushdns
  ipconfig /registerdns
  ipconfig /release
  ipconfig /renew
  netsh winsock reset

  

• Restart the computer and see if that helped.

Fix 6. Reset your PC

Before proceeding with this step, please backup your personal files as a precautionary measure (you will be given the option to keep them, however). Also, disconnect all the unnecessary peripherals, such as printers or cameras.

• Right-click on Start and pick Settings
• Go to the Update & Security section and select Recovery
• Under Reset this PC, click on Get Started
• Select Keep my files and Cloud download
• Click Next in the following prompt
• Click Reset.

  

Fix 7. Reinstall Microsoft Store via PowerShell

• Right-click on Start and pick PowerShell (Admin)
• When UAC shows up, click Yes
• In the new window, paste in the following command and hit Enter:
  Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
• Restart the PC.

  

Fix 8. Use Media Creation Tool

If none of the above methods helped you, you should perform an in-place Windows upgrade. For that, you need to download Media Creation Tool. Once again, make sure you backup all your personal files first.

• Visit the official Microsoft website and download Windows 10 installation media (Windows 11 version)
• Double-click the installer and select Yes when UAC shows up
• Agree to terms
• Pick Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD or ISO file) for another PC option and click Next
• Select the Use Recommended options for this PC checkbox and click Next
• Choose the ISO file and click Next

  

• Once you have prepared the ISO, put it into the malfunctioning PC
• Restart your machine and rapidly press F8, F10, F12, Del, or another button that would let you load into BIOS
• Here, go to the Boot section and set the boot priority to Flash drive
• Restart your system, and then proceed with on-screen instructions to reinstall Windows.

More ways to fix 0xC002001B

In some cases, the issue lies within simple things one could not think of. Below you will find several tips that you might have already tried; if not, we recommend you try them.

• Perform a full system scan with anti-malware software to ensure it is not infected.
• If you are using a third-party security app, uninstall it and see if the problem is resolved. This also applies to everything that could interfere with the network – it includes VPN software, third-party firewalls, etc.
• Make sure your time and date are correct. Right-click the time on your taskbar and select Adjust date/time. Make sure the Set time automatically option is ticked, and then click Sync now below.
• Restart your computer if you haven’t already.
• Try to log out of your account in the Microsoft Store, reboot the system, and then log back in.
• Install all pending updates for Microsoft Store and Windows.

Repair your Errors automatically

ugetfix.com team is trying to do its best to help users find the best solutions for eliminating their errors. If you don’t want to struggle with manual repair techniques, please use the automatic software. All recommended products have been tested and approved by our professionals. Tools that you can use to fix your error are listed bellow:

Some Windows 10 and Windows 11 users are reporting that they always get the 0xC002001B error code when attempting to install a pending update for the Microsoft Store component. The vast majority of users are reporting that the issue persists even after restarting their PC. 

After investigating this issue thoroughly, we realized that there are actually several different scenarios that might be responsible for this particular error code. Here’s a shortlist of culprits that you should look out for when troubleshooting the 0xC002001B Microsoft Store Error Code:

1. Run the Store App troubleshooter

If an automated repair approach already covers the cause of the Microsoft Store Error code 0xC002001B, running the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter should allow you to quickly resolve the problem.

Keep in mind that all native programs running on the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) share a set of requirements with the primary store component (Microsoft Store).

You can expect these shared dependencies to become corrupted and affect the app retrieval process in certain situations (after a bad update, after some type of file corruption) – in situations like this, the best course of action is to run the Windows Apps Troubleshooter and let the automated repair component take care of the issue.

Note: The Windows Apps Troubleshooter is a repair component with a ton of automated repair strategies that can be used if a recognizable scenario is found.

If you haven’t already done so, run the Windows App Troubleshooter and apply the recommended remedy to correct any shared dependencies using the procedures below:

1. Press the Windows key + R to bring up the Run dialog box.
2. Then, in the text box, type ‘ms-settings:troubleshoot’ and click Enter to bring up the Troubleshooting tab of the Settings menu.
3. Navigate to the right-hand pane of the Troubleshoot window, then select Other troubleshooters at the bottom of the screen.
4. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the screen in the dedicated Other Troubleshooters menu and click the Run button linked with Windows Store Apps.
   
5. After you’ve opened the Windows Store App troubleshooter, wait until the initial scan is finished to see if a viable fix has been found.
6. If a repair method is provided to you, select it and click Apply this Fix.
   

   Note: Depending on the type of repair indicated, you may be required to follow a series of manual instructions in order to complete the task.

7. Reboot your Windows machine after the fix has been successfully applied to determine if the problem has been resolved.

If you’re still unable to bypass the Windows Store 0xC002001B error, move down to the next method below. 

2. Install the pending Windows Update hotfix

Keep in mind that the most likely cause of this issue is a faulty Windows update, which Microsoft began distributing on May 10th.

Note: This update resulted in this issue because it stopped some services from authenticating machine accounts on clients in an indirect manner (required when performing certain tasks in Store).

Since then, Microsoft has developed a solution for the problem, which you may apply by simply installing all pending updates from Windows Update.

So, before you do anything else, go to the Windows Update window and make sure that all pending updates (particularly cumulative and feature updates) have been installed. If Microsoft has recently released a remedy for this issue, applying all pending updates should immediately resolve the problem.

If you find yourself in this situation, take these steps to install all of the pending Windows Updates on your Windows installation:

1. Press the Windows key + R to bring up the Run dialog box.
2. To launch a Run dialog box, type ‘ms-settings:windowsupdate’ and hit Enter once inside the Run box.
3. When the User Account Control prompts you, select Yes to grant admin access.
4. Scroll down to the right-hand pane on the Windows Update screen and click Check for Updates.
   
5. Once the first scan is complete, go ahead and install all pending updates (as directed) and reboot your computer when prompted.
6. After your PC boots back up, repeat the action that was causing the 0xC002001B error code and see if the problem is now fixed. 

If the problem is still not fixed, move down to the next method below. 

3. Install the KB5015020 MSU hotfix manually (Windows 10 only)

If you’re having trouble with this on Windows 10, the first thing you should try is installing the KB5015020 MSU hotfix. A large number of people have confirmed that manually applying this update fixed the problem.

In case this scenario looks like it could be applicable, start by accessing this official download MSU link to begin the download of the KB5015020 update for Windows 11. 

After the download is complete, navigate to the location where you previously downloaded the MSU hotfix, right-click on it and choose Run as administrator. 

Next, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation of the hotfix, then restart your PC at the end of this operation. 

Note: After installing this hotfix, you should have effectively dealt with the 0xC002001B error.

If the same kind of issue is still occurring, move down to the next method below. 

4. Update the Store Apps (Windows 11)

If you get this problem when trying to open specific Store apps (UWP apps), it’s most likely because a UWP app update is missing. If this scenario applies to you, you can solve the problem by updating all Store apps.

You can do this manually, but our recommendation is to do it in bulk by reinstalling the entire Windows Store app package. 

You should expect this issue to arise in some cases as a result of an App package issue that impacts the entire fleet of UWP applications. In most cases, situations like these cannot be remedied by simply resetting the main Store component from the Windows UI menu.

If you find yourself in this situation, the best thing to do is run a command (with admin rights) that will remove the Microsoft Store app package from all accounts and require a clean re-installation.

In an elevated Powershell window, use a special Get-AppxPackage command to do this. Other users who had the same problem said that reinstalling the Windows Store software bundle via the Windows Terminal program fixed the problem completely.

Important: This method is only confirmed to be effective on Windows 11. 

Here’s what you need to do:

1. To access the taskbar interface’s context menu, press Windows key + X.
2. From the taskbar’s context menu, select Windows Terminal (Admin) from the available selections.
3. When the User Account Control (UAC) panel prompts you, select Yes to grant admin access.
4. Type or paste the following command into the elevated Windows Terminal interface and press Enter to run it:

   Get-AppXPackage *WindowsStore* -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}

5. Restart your PC after the command has been successfully processed, and wait for the next startup to finish before attempting the identical action that caused the Microsoft Store listings to crash.

If the problem persists, move on to the next possible solution.

5. Re-Register the Store app

This issue can also occur if the Windows Store software has been de-registered, according to several impacted customers. If this is the case, the problem can be resolved by re-registering the Windows Store app for all accounts.

In this situation, you should be able to resolve the issue by re-registering the Store app using Powershell. Several Windows 11 and Windows 10 users who were suffering from the 0xC002001B problem have confirmed that this solution works.

Here’s how to re-register the Store app using an elevated Powershell window:

1. To launch the Run dialog box, press Windows key + R.
2. Type ‘powershell’ into the newly opened window and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to launch an elevated Powershell window.
3. At the UAC (User Account Control) window, click Yes to allow it to open with admin access.
4. Inside the elevated Powershell window, type the following command and press Enter to re-register the Windows Store component:

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

5. Restart your computer after entering the command and see if the problem is addressed on the next system startup.

If the 0xC002001B error reappears, proceed to the next possible solution below.

6. Reset the Windows Store Component

Badly cached data is probably the most typical cause of this type of behavior with the Microsoft Store on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Even though cached files are essential for your Microsoft Store installation (they improve reaction times and overall speed), removing them will not cause any underlying issues with the store component – after all, you can’t use Windows Store effectively if you’re having this problem.

Fortunately, you won’t have to do it manually; instead, you can use WSReset.exe, a troubleshooting application, to reset and clear the Windows Store without affecting your account settings or removing your installed apps.

All you have to do is execute this utility in an environment with administrative capabilities, and all damaged cached data that may be influencing Windows Store behavior should be removed.

To use the WSreset.exe application to clear the Windows Store cache and refresh the Store component, follow the steps below:

1. To launch the Run dialog box, press Windows key + R.
2. Type ‘wsreset.exe’ into the text prompt in the Run box, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run the tool with admin capabilities.
3. When you’re prompted by the User Account Control prompt, click Yes to grant admin access.
4. Inside the elevated command prompt, the utility will automatically run and clear the cached data of your Windows Store installation.
5. After 10 seconds or so (depending on your storage capabilities) the window will automatically close and Microsoft Store will open automatically.
6. Reopen the Microsoft Store and repeat the action that caused the utility to display the error to verify if the problem has been resolved.

If the same 0xC002001B error is still occurring, move down to the next method below. 

7. Clear the LocalCache folder manually

According to many afflicted customers, you may anticipate running into this problem if the Microsoft Store’s LocalCache folder includes damaged data that interferes with the installation of pending updates. In this scenario, manually clearing the LocalCache folder should resolve the problem.

In case you’re still unable to make the error go away (even aver performing the wsreset procedure), follow the instructions below to manually clear the cache folder of the Windows Store:

1. Make sure the Windows Store component is turned off fully.
2. To launch a Run dialog box, hit Windows key + R.
3. Type ‘%APPDATA%’ into the text field in the Run box, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to reveal the secret AppData folder.
4. Navigate to the following place under the AppData folder:

   C:UsersUser_nameAppDataLocalPackages Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe

5. Next, right-click on LocalCache and select Delete from the pop-up menu.

   Note: The Store component will automatically rebuild this folder the next time you run the program, thus removing it will have no underlying repercussions.

6. After deleting the LocalCache folder, relaunch the Microsoft Store and see of the error is now fixed.

if you’re still struggling with the same 0xc002001b, move down to the next method below. 

8. Enable the Microsoft Store Install Service

Another possibility is that the main service responsible for deploying infrastructure updates (Microsoft Store Install Service) has been deactivated from the Services panel. If this situation applies to you, make sure the Microsoft Store Install Service is turned on.

Take a look at your Services page to confirm if this service is indeed deactivated before dismissing this possible culprit.

Note: A number of system optimization software packages may temporarily stop this service in order to save system resources.

To keep the Microsoft Store Install service enabled, follow these steps:

1. To launch the Run dialog box, press Windows key + R.
2. Next, type ‘services.msc’ into the text box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to enter the Services panel with Administrator access.
3. Start looking for the Microsoft Store Install Service service once you’re on the Services page.
4. Once you’ve located it, right-click it and select Start from the context menu that appears.
5. Once the service is enabled, repeat the action that was causing the 0xc002001b error and see if the problem is now fixed.

If the same kind of issue is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below. 

9. Install the KB5011831 update manually

If you only get the KB5011831 issue when trying to install a pending update from the Microsoft Store, it’s likely that you’re dealing with corruption in the Windows Update component. In this instance, one approach to get around the problem is to manually install the pending update (via the Microsoft Update Catalog).

Note: This approach has been proven to work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

With this in mind, take the steps below to manually install all of the pending KB5011831 updates via the MUC infrastructure:

1. Open your favorite browser and go to the Microsoft Update Catalog (MUC) directory’s main page.
2. Use the search option in the MUC root directory to hunt for the update that is failing in your circumstance (for example KB5011831).
   
3. Review the findings and select the necessary update versions to apply, taking into consideration your current OS architecture and Windows versions.
4. When you’ve determined which update is compatible with your system, click the Download icon next to it.
5. Once the download is complete, open File Explorer and go to the location where the update was saved (most likely in the Download folder).
6. Once you’ve found the correct location, right-click the .ini file and select Install from the context menu.
7. Follow the remaining directions on the screen to finish installing the Windows Update that was failing to install previously.
8. Restart your PC one final time and see if the problem is now fixed.

If the method is still not fixed, move down to the next potential fix below. 

10. Create a new user account

As it turns out, some form of system file corruption that affects the presently signed-in account can also create this problem. To remedy this issue, establish a new user account and check to see whether the issue has been repaired.

Several customers who were having trouble opening games have reported that the problem was fixed after switching to a local Microsoft account.

Important: Note that this action will remove any damaged dependencies presently associated with your current user profile.

If you haven’t tried this already, follow the instructions below to create a new user account in an attempt to bypass the 0xc002001b error:

1. To launch a run dialog box, press the Windows key + R.
2. Then, in the text box, type ‘ms-settings:otherusers’ and click Enter to enter the Family & Other People tab of the Settings app.
3. Scroll down to the Other user’s tab under the Family & other users menu and select Add someone else to this PC.
   
4. Proceed with the remaining steps to create a new account, then restart your PC and sign in with the newly created Windows account and see if you manage to get past the 0xC002001B error.

If the problem is still occurring even after you migrated to a different account, move down to the next method below. 

11. Perform a repair install

If none of the approaches above have worked for you, the only option is to go nuclear and replace all of the affected system file dependencies with healthy alternatives.

If you’re dealing with system file corruption, your only alternatives are to perform a clean install or a repair install (in-place upgrade).

• Repair install (in-place upgrade) – If you have the option, this is our official advice if you’re stuck in this situation. Only the system files will be touched during a repair install (in-place upgrade) (while keeping your personal files, user preferences apps & games)
• Clean install – If particular kernel processes are impacted, a clean install may be the best alternative, but it has the disadvantage of wiping away any personal data saved on the OS disk. However, you should be aware that if you go this option, you will lose all of your personal information.

12. Upgrade to Windows 11 (if applicable) 

If you’ve come this far and you’re still unable to bypass the 0xc002001b error and you’re using Windows 10, one last thing you can do is to upgrade to Windows 11. 

There are a lot of users confirming that migrating to the latest Windows iteration meant that the 0xc002001b error related to the Windows Store component was finally resolved.

If you’re looking for specific instructions on upgrading to Windows 11, follow this article.