How to Fix the “Page Could Not Be Loaded” Error in the Microsoft Store for Windows

The Microsoft Store is a great place to get apps on Windows 11. But despite its huge usability, you’ll find it running into issues every now and then. One such issue is the “Page could not be loaded” error message that appears upon searching for apps on the Microsoft Store.

As such, if you also see this error message on the Microsoft Store, then this is the place where you need to be. Here, we’ll share seven different ways to fix the “Page could not be loaded” error message.

What Is the Microsoft Store “Page Could Not Be Loaded” Error?

Usually, the “Page could not be loaded” error message appears when the app you are searching for is unavailable on the Microsoft Store. But sometimes, it appears even on searching for available apps like Minecraft. The error message comes along with the 0x80131505 code.

Some of the prime culprits behind this error are corruption in the Microsoft Store, misconfigured date and time, and any active proxy server. Fortunately, you can make certain changes to troubleshoot the problem.

1. Sign Out and Back Into the Microsoft Store

Most Microsoft Store errors often appear due to a temporary account glitch and can be resolved by signing in again to the Microsoft Store. So, sign out and back into the Microsoft Store to check if it fixes the issue. Here’s how to do that:

1. Launch the Microsoft Store app and click your profile icon at the top bar.
2. Choose the Sign out option.

3. Next, restart the Microsoft Store, click the profile icon and choose Sign in.

4. Select your account and then click the Continue option.
5. Enter your PIN to confirm your identity.

2. Change the Microsoft Store Region to the Country You’re In

If you’re using the Microsoft Store in a different country, make sure to change the region; otherwise, you will face issues accessing it. You can do this by following the below instructions:

1. Press the Win + S hotkeys to open the Search menu.
2. In the search bar, type Region settings and choose Open from the right pane.

3. Click the drop-down icon next to Country and region and choose your country name from the list.

That’s it. You might need to restart your computer (see how to restart a Windows PC) for the changes to take effect.

3. Use the Built-In Windows Troubleshooter

Microsoft is aware of issues users face regularly; that’s why they offer various troubleshooters that can come in handy in fixing them. To eliminate any kind of Microsoft Store issue, you can use the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter.

Here’s how to access and use the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter:

1. Press the Win + I hotkeys to open the Settings app.
2. Select System from the left sidebar and then Troubleshoot option in the right pane.
3. Choose Other troubleshooters.
4. Under the Other section, click the Run button next to the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter.

Now, the troubleshooter window will appear and start detecting problems. If it finds any, it will automatically fix it without much user input.

4. Check Your System Date and Time

It doesn’t matter how outlandish it may sound; the “Page could not be loaded” error message is likely to appear if your computer is showing an incorrect date and time. The reason is that Microsoft Store matches the official time with the time shown on your computer.

If there’s a difference between them, then Microsoft Store throws different issues, including one at hand. So, you must correctly configure your computer’s date and time to eliminate the error. Here’s how:

1. In the Settings app, choose Time & language from the left sidebar.
2. Click Date & time.
3. Enable the toggle next to the Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically options.

Now open the Microsoft Store and check if you are still facing the problem. If yes, then try the next solution on the list.

5. Reset the SoftwareDistribution Folder

Corruption in the SoftwareDistribution folder can also be a reason behind the error message. You’ll have to reset this folder to remove the corruption.

Here’s how to do that:

1. Open the Windows Search, type Command Prompt in the search bar, and choose Run as administrator from the right pane.
2. If Yes to the UAC that crops up.
3. In the elevated Command Prompt window, type and press Enter after each of the following commands.

    Net Stop bits
   Net Stop wuauserv
   Net Stop appidsvc
   Net Stop cryptsvc
   Ren {18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add}systemroot{18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add}SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
   Ren {18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add}systemroot{18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add}system32catroot2 catroot2.bak
   Net Start bits
   Net Start wuauserv
   Net Start appidsvc
   Net Start cryptsvc 

6. Turn Off Any Active Proxy Server Settings

Using a proxy server can come in handy when you want to access websites and apps blocked in your region. But on the negative side, it can cause issues in apps like the Microsoft Store, Xbox, and YouTube.

So, disable any proxy server and check if it resolves the problem. Follow these steps to do that:

1. In the Settings app, choose Network & internet from the left sidebar.
2. Choose Proxy.
3. Click the Set up button.
4. Disable the toggle under the Use a proxy server option.

7. Repair and Reset the Microsoft Store

Windows offer Repair and Reset troubleshooting options for most of the built-in applications. The Repair option repairs the broken and corrupt files of the app. In contrast, the Reset option deletes all the app’s data.

To use these troubleshooting options, follow the below instructions:

1. Open Apps & Features in the Settings app. Our guide on launching Apps and Features in Windows 11 tells you how to access this option.
2. Search for and click on the three dots next to the Microsoft Store.
3. Choose Advanced options.
4. Click the Repair.

Windows will now start repairing the Microsoft Store. After the process is complete, you’ll see a checkmark next to the repair option.

Now, launch the Microsoft store and check if the problem continues. If yes, then click Reset present under the Repair option.

Fixing the “Page Could Not Be Loaded” Error in the Windows Store

It’s very common to face issues in the Microsoft Store. Fortunately, most of these issues can easily be resolved by applying some simple fixes. If you see the “Page could not be loaded” error message, you can fix it using the above solutions.

However, if none of the solutions was helpful, consider resetting your computer to factory defaults.