How to Fix Calculator not Installed Error on Windows?

Windows 10 comes with many apps already preinstalled and that includes the Windows 10 Calculator with this nice design and useful features. However, users have reported that the Calculator simply disappeared from their computer and they failed to locate it anywhere. Additionally, users have reported that nothing happens when they try to download the Calculator app from Windows Store.

Windows 10 apps can’t be installed in Settings or Control Panel and that is what makes this problem more interesting. Check out the methods we have prepared below to resolve the problem. These are the methods which have confirmedly worked for other users so make sure you follow the instructions carefully.

What Causes Windows 10 Calculator to be Uninstalled on Windows?

Pinpointing the direct cause of this problem is difficult and various things can cause the Calculator app to go missing on Windows 10. Often there is a Windows update which causes bugs with Windows Store apps and you can circumvent that by reinstalling the Calculator app using PowerShell.

Alternatively, if the problem appears with multiple Windows Store apps, you can delete their registry entries to reinstall them easily.

Solution 1: Use the following PowerShell Command to Reinstall Windows 10 Calculator

When built-in Windows apps are uninstalled, it’s sort of difficult to retrieve them since you can’t just download them or reinstall them. However, it’s not impossible and you can do it using a PowerShell command after you run it with administrator permissions. This command will reinstall Windows 10 Calculator and the problem should be resolved.

1. Open the PowerShell utility by right-clicking the Start menu button and clicking the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option at the context menu.

2. If you see Command Prompt instead of PowerShell at that spot, you can also search for it in the Start menu or the search bar next to it. This time, make sure you right-click on the first result and choose Run as administrator.
3. In the PowerShell console, type in the command shown below and make sure you click Enter after typing it out.

get-appxpackage *Microsoft.WindowsCalculator* | remove-appxpackage

4. Let this command do its thing! It should take a couple of minutes to reinstall the Windows 10 Calculator app. Check to see if the Calculator appears in Windows Store where you should search for it and download it!

Solution 2: Enable Windows Defender Firewall

Users have reported not being able to download any built-in Windows apps after they have been uninstalled. Weirdly enough, the cause was Windows Defender Firewall being disabled. It may seem like a weird way to resolve the problem but you should try enabling Windows Defender Firewall before trying to troubleshoot this issue further. Check it out below!

1. Open up Control Panel by searching for the utility in the Start button or by clicking the Search button or the Cortana button at the left part of your taskbar (bottom left part of your screen).
2. After Control Panel opens, change the view to Large or Small icons and navigate to the bottom to open the Windows Defender Firewall option.

   

3. Click on it and click the Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off option located at the menu on the left side of the window.
4. Click the radio button next to the “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended)” option next to both the Private and Public network settings. Apply the changes you have made and try searching for Windows 10 Calculator on Windows Store. It should appear now!

Solution 3: Reset Data

If you notice that the Windows 10 calculator app is missing from Windows but you did nothing to remove or uninstall it, it might still be there but a problem may prevent it from showing up on your computer. This problem can be resolved rather easily: by resetting the app’s data completely. Follow the instructions we have prepared below to try out this method!

1. Open the Run utility by using the Windows Key + R key combination on your keyboard (press these keys at the same time. Type “ms-settings:” in the newly opened box without the quotation marks and click OK to open the Settings tool.
2. You can also use the Windows Key + I key combination to launch Settings or simply click the Start menu button and the cog icon afterward!

3. Click the Apps section in Settings and the list of installed apps should appear under Apps & features. Locate Calculator in the list, left-click its entry on the list, and click the Advanced options button which will appear.

   

4. Scroll down until you reach the Reset section and click the Reset button. Confirm any dialogs which may appear and wait for the process to finish.
5. Check to see if the Calculator appears on your computer!

Solution 4: Delete Certain Registry Keys

This is the best method of resolving the problem if you notice that multiple other Windows apps are missing or being displayed as corrupt on your computer. Deleting certain keys from the registry will cause Windows to reinstall them and they should be available on your computer quickly. Follow the steps below!

1. Since you are going to edit a registry key, we recommend you check out this article we have published for you to safely backup your registry to prevent other problems. Still, nothing wrong will occur if you follow the steps carefully and correctly.
2. Open the Registry Editor window by typing “regedit” in the search bar, the Start menu, or the Run dialog box which can be accessed with the Windows Key + R key combination. Navigate to the following key in your registry by navigating at the left pane:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\StateChange\PackageList

3. Click the PackageList key and make sure you select all registry entries inside it by holding the left mouse button and dragging over the list. Right-click the selection and choose the Delete option from the context menu which will appear. Confirm any dialogs or prompts which may appear!

   

4. You can now manually restart your computer by clicking Start menu >> Power button >> Restart and check to see if Calculator and other apps are where they belong after a while. This will probably resolve the problem immediately.

Solution 5: Perform an In-Place Upgrade

If the problem can’t be resolved by any other method, the simplest way to get rid of it is to simply perform an in-place upgrade where you get to keep all of your files, settings and installed programs. This comes with a price of having to reinstall a few apps but it can resolve the problem painlessly, especially if you struggle with it on multiple PCs.

1. Download the Media Creation Tool executable from Microsoft’s website and wait for the download to complete. Double-click on the downloaded file in your Downloads folder called MediaCreationTool.exe to open the setup. Tap Accept at the first screen.
2. Select the “Upgrade this PC now” option by enabling its radio button and click on the Next button to continue. The tool will download certain files, check for updates, and scan your PC to see if it is ready so please stay patient.

   

3. Accept the license terms from the next window if you want to continue with the installation and wait again to communicate with Microsoft for updates (again).
4. After that, you should already see the Ready to install screen with Install Windows and Keep personal files and apps options being listed. This has been chosen automatically since you are already running Windows 10 and you want to keep everything.

   

5. The install should now proceed so your computer should be updated after the tool finishes with its process and Calculator should be installed on your computer!