How to fix ‘Pending’ status while updating or installing Windows 8.1 apps

Windows Store loading splash

In Windows 8.1, one of the many things Microsoft wanted to do was to remove the fiction installing new software on your PC. With the Windows Store, users can easily find apps, hit “Install” and like if it was magic, the app installs. But it’s not always the case as many users will experience a “Pending” status while installing or updating apps. 

This can be a bit frustrating as relaunching the Windows Store or restarting the PC won’t fix the problem, and it is not easy to find Microsoft documentation to fix this problem. As such, what follows is a list of steps you can easily follow to resolve this issue: 

Instructions 

1. Use the Windows 8 Key +X and then hit “A” to open the Command Prompt with administrator rights.

2. Type the following command to stop the Windows Update service:

net stop wuauserv

Net stop wauserv

3. Now navigate to:

C:\Windows

And rename the SoftwareDistribution folder to SoftwareDistribution.old

SoftwareDistribution folder Windows 8.1

4. While in the Command Prompt re-start the Windows Update service:

net start wuauserv

5. Restart your PC and try to update or install the Windows 8.1 apps you were unable before because of the “Pending” status.

That’s all there is to it.