Alex Ruben
How To Accelerate Microsoft Store Apps & Games Download Speeds
If you’re stuck with your Microsoft Store crawling along when trying to download apps or games, yeah, you’re not alone. Sometimes everything looks fine — internet’s fast, other apps download smoothly — but the Store just drags. It’s super frustrating. Luckily, there are a handful of tricks that can actually speed things up, or at least get you closer to normal. No promises, but these steps are what actually worked for a few people I know, including some machine setups that are borderline quirky. Just a heads-up: some of these methods involve digging into settings or running commands, so a little patience and some admin access is needed. If one fix doesn’t work, move on to the next; sometimes, it’s a weird combination of stuff that’s messing with the download speeds. Once you get everything synced up, the Store should run a lot smoother. Finally, keep in mind, sometimes it’s just poor server connections on Microsoft’s end, but try all these anyway.
How to Fix Slow Microsoft Store Downloads for Apps and Games
Method 1: Reset the Microsoft Store Cache
This is usually the easiest fix—Windows’ store cache gets corrupted or bloated and slows downloads down. Clearing it refreshes everything and often fixes the lag. Plus, it’s quick.
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type
wsresetand hit Enter. - The command runs, and a blank Command Prompt window appears then disappears after a few seconds. The Microsoft Store opens automatically afterward.
- Check if your downloads are faster now. Usually, this fixes minor cache hiccups. Fun fact: on some setups, you need to run it twice, or reboot for changes to kick in.
Method 2: Tweak Delivery Optimization Settings
This one helps by making sure your PC can pull app chunks from other local devices or the internet, which can boost download speeds if configured right. In my experience, it’s a total game-changer when network bottlenecks are present.
- Go to Settings > Windows Update.
- Click on Advanced options > Delivery Optimization.
- Make sure Allow downloads from other PCs is turned on.
- Choose Devices on their local network (my LAN) or Devices on the internet, depending on your setup. The more, the merrier, usually.
- Hit Advanced options again and check that download limits aren’t set super low — just uncheck any caps to let it run free. On some setups, this is what kicks download speed into gear.
Method 3: Confirm Date & Region Settings Are Correct
Not sure why, but if your date, time, or region are off, the Store can get all confused and slow down. It’s like the server can’t figure out your timezone or thinks you’re in the wrong region, and just stalls.
- Open Settings, then go to Time & Language > Date & Time.
- Ensure Set time automatically is on.
- Back in Time & Language, click on Region and set your country to the US or something close by, just to match what Microsoft tends to prefer.
- After making changes, restart your PC and see if downloads are quicker. This step may sound trivial but sometimes it’s all about syncing your digital location with the servers.
Method 4: Reinstall Microsoft Store via PowerShell
If cache clears and settings tweaks don’t cut it, reinstalling the Store sometimes helps. Yeah, it’s a little more involved, but if your Store’s broken or stuck, this can fix underlying problems causing slowdowns.
- Open PowerShell as administrator: search for PowerShell in the Start menu, right-click, and pick Run as administrator.
- Paste this command:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage –DisableDevelopmentMode –Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}Method 5: Clear Windows Update Cache
Sometimes the Windows Update cache gets corrupted and hampers your download speeds — weird, but happens. Cleaning it out can help the Store get new updates faster and maybe make your downloads smoother.
- Press Windows + R, type
services.msc, press Enter. - Scroll to Windows Update, right-click, choose Stop.
- Do the same for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS).
- Open File Explorer and go to
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download. - Delete all files inside this folder — yeah, it’s safe, just let Windows clear out the cache.
- Go back to the services window, restart both services, and then see if the Store downloads pick up speed.
Method 6: Check Network and Proxy Settings
If your network is misconfigured or using a proxy, it could slow things down or prevent full speeds. This part’s kinda boring but worth checking:
- Search for Internet Options in the Start menu and open it.
- Head to the Connections tab, then click LAN Settings.
- Make sure Automatically detect settings is checked.
- Uncheck Use a proxy server for your LAN unless you’re deliberately using one. Sometimes, proxies or misconfigured LAN settings just choke your download speeds.
Method 7: Suspend VPN & Review Store Settings
If you’re running a VPN, it’s probably slowing the connection and throttling downloads. Try disabling it temporarily to test. Also, within the Store, make sure permissions aren’t limiting your downloads:
- Pause or disconnect your VPN.
- Open the Store, click your profile icon, go to App settings.
- Make sure Offline permissions are enabled — sometimes this helps with download stalls or slow loads.
- If on a laptop, logging out of your Microsoft account and signing back in can refresh the session, sometimes resetting download priorities.
Method 8: Last Resort — Reset the Microsoft Store
If all else fails, resetting the Store resets all related settings and data, sometimes the only fix left. It’s a nuclear option but can resolve deep issues.
- Go to Settings > Apps.
- Find Microsoft Store, click the three dots, then Advanced options.
- Scroll down and click Reset. Confirm when prompted, and this will wipe out all local data associated with the Store.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Sometimes, little things can make a difference: keeping Windows updated, temporarily disabling third-party antivirus or firewall (yeah, it’s annoying), or creating a new user profile to see if your current account’s bugging out. Usually, these help if the core options don’t clear up the speed issues.
Wrap-up
If following all these steps doesn’t fix the slow download problem, maybe the problem’s with Microsoft’s servers or the app itself. But most of the time, it’s an issue local to your machine, which these fixes should help with. Just keep an open mind, and don’t get too frustrated if it takes a bit of trial and error. Good luck.
FAQ
Why is my Microsoft Store downloading so slowly?
Usually, it’s because of cache issues, network quirks, or misconfigured settings. Running through these troubleshooting steps often sorts it out.
How do I know if my internet connection is solid?
Use sites like Speedtest.net to check your connection’s stability and speed. If your internet’s slow everywhere, fixing that will help the Store too.
What if nothing helps and downloads remain slow?
At that point, it could be a larger Microsoft server issue, or maybe some deep Windows glitch. Consider reaching out to Microsoft Support or trying on a different network. Sometimes, it’s just one of those things.