Microsoft fixes problem preventing built-in apps from opening on Windows 11

Windows 11 Update Checkforupdate Dark
Windows 11 Update Checkforupdate Dark (Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft fixed an issue that prevented some built-in apps on Windows 11 from opening.
  • The fix is available for Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.
  • The problem is caused by a digital certificate that expired on October 31, 2021.

Microsoft recently released Windows 11 KB5008295 to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview and Beta Channels. The update fixes an issue that prevents some built-in apps from opening on Windows 11. The Snipping Tool, Touch Keyboard, Emoji Panel, and several other built-in apps are affected. The update also addresses an issue that prevents the Start menu and Settings app from opening on PCs in S-mode.

The apps won't open because of a digital certificate that expired on October 31, 2021. Microsoft partially mitigated the issue with the KB5006746 update, but the KB5008295 update appears to be a complete fix.

Microsoft shared a blog post detailing the update:

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  • We fixed a known issue that might prevent some users from opening or using certain built-in Windows apps or parts of some built-in apps. This issue occurs because of a Microsoft digital certificate that expired October 31, 2021. This issue might affect the following applications:
  • Snipping Tool
  • Touch Keyboard, Voice Typing, and Emoji Panel
  • Input Method Editor user interface (IME UI)
  • Getting started and Tips
  • We fixed a known issue that prevents the Start menu and Settings app from opening as expected (S-mode only).

The blog post notes that PCs won't show a revised build number or appear as an update in "winver." To make sure that the update has been installed, Insiders can check Settings > Windows Update > Update history.

Sean Endicott
News Writer

Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.