Windows 11 apps like Notepad, Snipping Tool, and the Xbox Ally Armoury Crate aren't loading and throwing up a "Check your account" box — what is error code 0x803f8001? Here's what we know.
Armoury Crate, Notepad, and Snipping Tool are just a few apps affected by an ongoing issue.
This is an ongoing news story. We will update this piece as more information becomes available.
Windows 11 users are having a nightmarish start to their day. The error code 0x803f8001 is appearing for many trying to open apps on their PC. File system error (-2143322111) also appears on affected systems.
We've run into the issue when trying to open Armoury Crate, Notepad, and Snipping Tool. It seems like the issue affects a wider range of apps. I'll update this piece as more information becomes avaialble.
A post on a Microsoft forum by user "Kave" shared frustrations recently:
"Getting the error code 0x803f8001 for most my microsoft apps including my Notepad app which has important information and URLS i need for my job. This is getting pretty paralyzing. I can see other people saying they cannot open stuff like Alienware command center, Nitrosense, Snipping tool, etc with the same error code today."
According to Harold Milan, an Independent Advisor who replied to the post, that occur often occurs when the Microsoft Store cannot validate app licenses.
"In most cases, this is due to a corrupted Store cache, a temporary Microsoft account sync issue, or a Store registration glitch rather than actual data loss," said Milan.
Windows 11 won't allow me to open notepad.exe because of.. some error linked to my Microsoft account?It's getting harder to defend the weird choices this company makes in its world-leading OS :face_with_spiral_eyes: pic.twitter.com/WAYjlhGdWCJanuary 21, 2026
A Reddit thread illustrates that the error affects more applications. Specifically, The Xbox Ally and ROG Ally Armoury Crate apps are not able to load for some users, returning account errors.
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Our team is trying to remedy the issue on our respective PCs, but we have not found success yet. Specifically, we have tried resetting the Microsoft Store app on a PC, but to no avail.
One member of our team was able to fix the issue by manually uninstalling the Armoury Crate and reinstalling it from ASUS' website, for example. But the fact this issue seems to be affecting all sorts of apps beyond the Xbox Ally Armoury Crate, it stands to reason that it's some sort of account outage at Microsoft's end.
Our sources at Microsoft and ASUS have suggested that they're aware of the issue. We'll keep you updated.
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Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.
Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.
- Jez CordenExecutive Editor
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