Windows 11 users in the latest 22H2 operating system build should be wary of a bug that corrupts some important apps after performing a system restore.
sleeping computer (Opens in a new tab) He referred to this development, which was discussed in a Microsoft support post (Opens in a new tab) About an issue where affected users are experiencing a “This application cannot open” error message with some core Windows applications.
The error pops up after you roll back your computer to an earlier system restore point, and it infects some applications that use the MSIX Windows package format.
This includes Notepad, Paint, Microsoft Office, Cortana, Terminal, and possibly other Windows apps, Microsoft notes. But note that some applications that use the MSIX format are still fine.
In addition to the aforementioned error message, users may also encounter other glitches, including an I/O error followed by application freezing and then crashing. Furthermore, the affected program may simply fail to run when you double-click to start it, and it may also be the case that the application ends up with multiple entries in the Start Menu.
Analysis: Will Microsoft investigate the strange case of mysterious bugs?
Microsoft provides no indication that it is preparing to fix the issue or further investigate the issue here. We assume this is the case, but there is no mention of this (and there are usually errors like this). Instead, Microsoft offers a number of possible solutions for those who encounter problems.
The first of which is basically that old favorite “Turn it off, then turn it back on”; Just start the app again and it might work just fine, if you’re lucky a second time. Alternatively, reinstalling the app can resolve the errors (which is basically an extended form of “turn off, on” of course).
Or a last resort is to run Windows Update, although we’re not told why that might help. Presumably if there is an update for the app in question, or a pending cumulative update for Windows, it might be something loose in the system that helps (if the wind is blowing in the right direction etc).
We hope that Microsoft will actively look into this bug, as it seems very annoying for the percentage of users that may be affected. Restore your system is a rare action you’ll be forced to take, but in cases where it’s necessary, it’s hard to avoid — and there’s bound to be quite a bit of restore across a relatively large user base like that of Windows 11 22H2. And with Office potentially affected, it can be very frustrating for those trying to get work done.