"This app can't open" issue in Windows 11 version 22H2

This app can't open is a new error message that Windows users may receive when they try to launch certain Windows applications on Windows 11 version 22H2 devices.

With the 2022 Update, Windows 11 Is Finally Worth an Upgrade

Microsoft confirmed the new issue on a new support page. It affects Windows 11 Home, Pro, SE, Enterprise and Education editions, and occurs only on devices with the Windows 11 2022 Update.

The company notes on the support page:

"After running a System Restore to a previous restore point on a device that is running Windows 11, version 22H2, some Windows applications that use the MSIX Windows app package format may experience [..] the following symptoms."

System restore operations, more precisely, the restoring of an older system restore point on a Windows 11 version 22H2 device, may cause one or multiple issues on the system.

The issues that users may experience are versatile. Besides the already mentioned "This app can't open" error that is displayed when the app is launched, users may also notice multiple entries of the same app in the Start menu, that nothing happens when the app is started, or I/O errors that may lead to app crashes.

Only MSIX Windows app package format applications are affected by the issue. Microsoft confirms that some of its applications, including Microsoft Office, Microsoft Paint, Notepad and Terminal, are affected. The issue is not limited to Microsoft applications, as all apps that use the MSIX Windows app package format may experience the issue.

Affected users may try a number of workarounds, which Microsoft published on the support page. Sometimes, restarting the app may resolve the issue. At other times, reinstallation of the app from the Microsoft Store or the original source it was downloaded from, may resolve it.

Microsoft suggests to run Windows Update also, but this may not resolve the issue just yet as an official fix that is delivered as a Windows Update is not yet available.

Now You: do you use System Restore?

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