How to Fix Microsoft Store Error Code 0xC002001B

Although a great place to download and install free and paid apps, the Microsoft Store (like all other Windows apps) is error-prone. It is not uncommon for users to experience issues while installing, using, and updating apps.

One such issue is error code 0xC002001B, which appears when users try to install updates from the Microsoft Store. In this guide, we will look at troubleshooting methods to fix this problem in detail.

1. Install KB 5015020 update

If the Microsoft Store on your Windows PC shows error code 0xC002001B, the first thing to do is to install the KB 5015020 update.

This update has been released by Microsoft to address two relevant issues; one that prevents services from authenticating machine accounts and one that prevents users from installing apps from the Microsoft Store.

To install the update, follow these steps:

1. press the Earn + I keys together to open Windows Settings.
2. Picking out Windows Update from the left pane.
3. Click on Check for updates on the right side and look for KB 5015020 update.

4. Once found, check the box associated with it and click Download and install.

After the update is successfully installed, check if you can now download apps from the Microsoft Store. If you cannot find the update in Windows Settings, you can install it manually using the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Follow these steps if you want to take this route:

1. Launch your browser and go to Microsoft Update Catalog.
2. Type 5015020 in the search bar in the upper right corner and click on the Look for button. You should now see a list of available updates.

3. Click the appropriate one for your version of Windows and follow the on-screen steps to install it.

You should be able to download apps from the Microsoft Store after installing the update.

2. Run Windows Store App Troubleshooter

Microsoft Windows has a built-in troubleshooter for almost all common issues that users are likely to encounter while using the operating system. This includes a troubleshooter for Windows updates, hardware components like keyboard and mouse, and Windows Store apps.

In this method, we will use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter to scan the system for corruption errors that may be causing the error in question. If the troubleshooter manages to find a problem, they will suggest a fix which we will then apply to fix the problem.

Follow these steps to use the Windows Store App Troubleshooter:

1. Launch Windows Settings and head to the System section.
2. Click on Troubleshoot on the right side of the window.

3. In the next window, click Other convenience stores.

4. Now look for it Windows Store apps troubleshooter and click on the To run button associated with it.

5. This will initiate a system scan. After the troubleshooter completes the scan, it displays the issues found (if any) and suggests fixes. Click on Apply this hotfix proceed.

If however, the troubleshooter does not find any issues in the system that could be contributing to the current error, proceed to the next method below.

3. Change Software Distribution Folder

In some cases, users have also discovered that the problem lies in the downloads subfolder of the software distribution folder in File Explorer. The Software Distribution folder contains information about Windows updates.

If any components of its download folder are corrupted, you may experience issues when trying to download anything from Microsoft programs and third-party options.

However, since the files in these folders are not critical, you can delete them from the system to fix the problem.

Here’s how:

1. First, we will stop the affected Windows services. To do this, open Run by pressing To win + R and type services.msc in Run.
2. Hit Walk in to start Windows services.
3. In the next window, find the Windows Update service and double click on it.

4. Click on the Stop button.

5. Perform the same steps for Background Intelligent Transfer Service and also stop its processes.

6. Once done, launch File Explorer and navigate to the following location:

   C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution

7. look for it To download folder in that location and delete it.

8. Restart your PC.
9. On restart, follow steps 1-3 again for Windows Update Service and Background Intelligent Transfer Service and this time click the Start button.

4. Check the date and time

It is important to set the correct date and time on your system; for you and your system at the same time. If either of these details are incorrect, programs like the Microsoft Store will fail to verify certain system certificates, leading to issues like this.

If you haven’t done so already, we recommend adjusting the Windows date and time.

5. Repair or Reset the Microsoft Store

You can also try repairing the Microsoft Store app using the built-in repair option. If repairing the app doesn’t fix the problem, you can reset the Microsoft Store to its default state.

Here’s how:

1. Launch Windows Settings and navigate to apps > Apps and Features.

2. In the next window, locate Microsoft Store and click on the three dots next to it.
3. Picking out Advanced options.

4. Now click on the Repair and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. Check if this solves the problem for you.

5. If the error persists, repeat steps 1-3 and this time click the Reset button.

6. Reinstall Windows Store

Finally, if none of the above methods solved the problem for you, chances are the underlying problem is serious. If this scenario applies, we suggest that you do a complete reinstallation of the Microsoft Store.

Hopefully, reinstalling the Store will fix the problem for you once and for all.

Microsoft Store error 0xC002001B

The above methods should help you fix the problem and install Microsoft Store updates correctly. However, if you are still experiencing the issue, we recommend that you contact Microsoft’s official support team and report the issue to them.