Guide: Fix ‘Photos App Crashing on Windows 10’ Issue
Windows 10’s Photos app is far from optimized, with slow start-up times, lagging when loading photos, and even displaying some images incorrectly. It also crashes randomly or repeatedly when performing basic tasks like editing and printing.
If you’re having trouble with the Photos app, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to get it working again.
Before attempting to troubleshoot the Photos app, users should back up their custom albums and video projects to OneDrive. To do this, open an album or project and click ‘Save to OneDrive’. Resetting and reinstalling the Photos app are potential solutions for any issues.
Terminate, repair or reset the app
Photos app crashes are a common issue, but Windows 10 offers solutions. System process failure, old data cache, and corrupted program files can all be addressed with the range of options available.
To access settings, open the Action Center and click ‘All Settings’.
Go to the Settings app and select Apps.
Navigate to the Apps & Features panel, select Microsoft Photos, and click Advanced options.
Users can end, reset, or fix the Photos app by selecting the appropriate options on the next screen.
End the Photos app and see if it runs without crashing.
If the Photos app continues to crash, you’ll need to repair corrupted files to get it running again. This should only take a few minutes, so check if the issue persists after the repair.
Resetting the app can help resolve issues caused by an incorrect configuration. To do this, delete all cached data and return the app to its default settings. Before proceeding, back up your albums and video projects to OneDrive for safekeeping.
After resetting the Photos app, users may need to log back into their Microsoft account and reconfigure certain preferences in the app’s settings panel, such as the default color mode. However, it should now be functioning properly.
If you’re still experiencing difficulties, here are some potential solutions to try.
Reinstall the app
Uninstalling and reinstalling the Photos app is a potential fix for any underlying issues that can’t be resolved through normal means. To do this, however, users must use Windows PowerShell as built-in Windows apps cannot be removed like other programs.
Back up your custom albums and video projects to OneDrive for safekeeping before continuing.
To access PowerShell, users can type it into the Start menu and click Open.
In the PowerShell window, type the code and press Enter to execute it.
The Photos app can be removed from Windows devices by using the command ‘Remove-AppxPackage’ with the package name ‘Microsoft.Windows.Photos’.
Uninstalling the Photos app is a quick process: simply exit PowerShell and restart your computer.
Install Microsoft Photos on your PC by searching for it in the Windows Store.
After reinstalling the Photos app, click the Launch option in the action center to open it and sign in. If you have backed up your albums and projects to OneDrive, everything should be as it was before.
The Photos app has seen improvements, but users may want to explore other options if stability is still an issue.
Register the Photos app again
Re-registering the Photos app with your user account can help resolve any conflicts between the app and Windows, allowing it to work properly. To do this, use the Command Prompt Console.
To gain administrator access, open the Start menu, type “cmd” and select “Run as administrator.”
Enter the command line “xyz” into the command prompt console to proceed.
Run the PowerShell command “PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command “& {$ manifest = (Get-AppxPackage * Photos *). InstallLocation + ‘AppxManifest.xml’; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $ manifest}” to reinstall the Photos app on Windows 10.
Once the re-registration process is done, users should exit the command prompt.
The Photos app wasn’t fixed - so users should proceed.
Update Windows 10
It’s time to check if your Windows 10 is up-to-date, as new updates often contain fixes for issues that can’t be solved with standard troubleshooting. Though Windows 10 is set to update itself automatically, it’s wise to double check.
To ensure your Windows 10 PC is up-to-date, type ‘Windows Update’ into the Start menu and press Enter. If new updates are available, they will be installed automatically. If you experience any issues, our troubleshooting guide can help.
Consumers should be wary of installing Windows updates, such as the Windows 10 Update Assistant, as force-installing new versions can cause more harm than good. It is best to wait for updates to be certified for your PC’s hardware configuration.
Try updating the Photos app and see if it stops crashing.
Switch to Windows Photo Viewer
If Microsoft’s Photos app continues to crash, there is no current solution. Despite the long-standing issue, an update from Microsoft may not be forthcoming.
If you’re looking for an alternative to the Windows 10 Photos app, there are plenty of options. From third-party apps to the classic Windows Photo Viewer, which was available in Windows 7 and earlier versions, you can easily switch to a new photo viewing experience.
Ten Forums users can access a registry file to help them with their computer needs. Download the file from the Ten Forums website.
Users can now access the Windows Photo Viewer, previously removed from Windows 10, by downloading a registry file.
Double-click the downloaded registry file and confirm the prompt to complete installation.
Restoring Windows Photo Viewer as the default image viewer is now possible through a registry file. To do this, right-click an image and select “Open with” to open it in Windows Photo Viewer instead of the Photos app.
Open the Default Apps window and select Photos as your Photo Viewer.
Select Windows Photo Viewer from the context menu to view your image.
From now on, Windows Photo Viewer will be the go-to for viewing photos. It may not have the same editing capabilities as the Photos app, but it’s optimized for viewing and is a good alternative until an update is released to fix the Photos app.
Patch it, Microsoft!
To avoid frequent crashes of the Photos app, users can try a few troubleshooting tips. If these don’t work, they may need to switch to the Windows Photo Viewer.
Users should be aware that the app may crash after prolonged use, and if this occurs, they should seek out troubleshooting solutions. Microsoft is working to resolve any issues with the app.
Fix ‘Photos App Crashing on Windows 10’ Issue: benefits
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Final note
If you’re having trouble with the Photos app crashing on Windows 10, this guide can help. Got questions? Reach out to us. And don’t forget to share the love and spread the word!
If you have any questions about fixing the Photos app crashing on Windows 10, please ask us in the comments section or contact us directly. This guide is for educational purposes only. If you want to correct any misinformation, please contact us. If anyone wants to add more methods to this guide, they can also contact us. For help, use our contact page or follow us on Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter. We answer questions within 24-48 hours (weekends excluded). For software updates and discussion join our Telegram channel.
