Mar 16, 2026 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions
Installing updates to your Windows PC is something any user should regularly perform. It's an excellent way to protect your computer from virus attacks, unexpected system shutdowns, system errors, and crashes, etc. This is also how Windows can repair any bugs that may be present in the old version of the OS. Overall, it's a good decision to do this because this improves functionality overall. However, sometimes upon downloading or installing updates, you might come across the error code 0x80246019.
| Solution Category | Action Required | Estimated Time |
| Quickest Fix | Run WSReset.exe to clear store cache. |
2 Minutes |
| System Repair | Run SFC and DISM commands. | 15-20 Minutes |
| Environment Fix | Check Time/Date and Unplug USBs. | 5 Minutes |
| Advanced Fix | Clean $WINDOWS.~BT directory. |
10 Minutes |
This error is a Windows store error. This usually happens upon the release of Windows 10 insider preview 14385. When you encounter this error, your PC might refuse to download the new update. This may be due to missing or corrupt system files, glitches in your PC, and other errors.
Now that we know the possible causes of this error, it's time to fix it. You may always call contact support or reach out via the web, but we all know that takes a long time and sometimes doesn't even reach a proper resolution.
Here are 12 methods you can use to fix Windows Store error 0x80246019.
WSReset is Windows Store Reset. This is usually done if the Windows Store cache is damaged for some reason. By resetting Windows Store, we can rid it of any errors it may have by restoring it to its default state. Here's a 2-step guide on how you can do this.

If you're unaware of it, Windows 10 has its built-in troubleshooting feature. This is usually used to fix any problems within the OS. Follow the steps below to perform this:

There are some cases that Windows Firewall may prevent the Windows Store from working. We can find out if this is the cause of the issue by disabling the firewall. Follow the instructions below on how to do this:


| Tool | Command to Copy & Paste | Function |
| SFC | sfc /scannow |
Repairs missing/corrupt system files. |
| DISM | dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth |
Repairs the Windows System Image. |
| PowerShell | Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage...} |
Re-registers all Microsoft Store apps. |



If there are a lot of USB devices connected to your system when trying to update your computer, you could encounter error 0x80246019. The reason is that some USB devices can hinder your system and avert from installing the latest version.
Here’s how to unplug the USB devices:
Sometimes, you can encounter error 0x80246019 as a result of enabled Windows Defender and its Real-time security feature. Windows Defender can block particular files unintentionally, leading to this error. To resolve the problem, disable the Real-time security feature in Windows Defender. To do so, follow the steps below:




Now, try installing the latest build to see if the problem persists.
| Setting | Status for Update | Why? |
| Real-time Protection | Off (Temporary) | Prevents false positives during file extraction. |
| Windows Firewall | Off (Temporary) | Ensures the Store can "handshake" with servers. |
| Insider Preview | Paused | Clears the update queue for a fresh start. |
Run the DISM tool to restore the Windows System Image and the Windows Component Store in your Windows 10. With this tool, you can resolve error 0x80246019 as the tool has various options such as “/ScanHealth", "/CheckHealth" and "/RestoreHealth."
Step 1. Start the Command Prompt with admin rights.
Step 2. Then enter the following commands, making sure to press Enter immediately after each one:
Step 3. Do not close the window if the procedure takes a while, as it would most likely take a few minutes to complete.
| Tool | Command to Copy & Paste | Function |
| SFC | sfc /scannow |
Repairs missing/corrupt system files. |
| DISM | dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth |
Repairs the Windows System Image. |
| PowerShell | Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage...} |
Re-registers all Microsoft Store apps. |
If you are unable to update the most recent builds due to error 0x80246019, the issue might be with your system’s settings. To resolve the problem, make a few adjustments in the Settings app. To do so, follow these steps:

Sometimes, the $WINDOWS.~BT directory can be the reasons behind the error you’re facing now. It is a file that Windows update creates, and it stores temporary files. Unfortunately, these files can be damaged, causing many problems in your system. To fix the error, you need to delete $WINDOWS.~BT directory by following the below steps:

Before making any changes, create a System Restore first so that you can always revert to your PC's previous state if ever an unexpected error comes up. Hopefully, one of the solutions above will fix the Windows Store error on your PC.
Is 0x80246019 a hardware or software error?
Does resetting the Microsoft Store delete my apps?
What if Method 12 (Deleting $WINDOWS.~BT) fails?
David Darlington
staff Editor