Broken modern app shortcuts in Windows 8.1 after updating from Windows 8

Anonymous

EDIT: See Page 3 for the solution to this problemNOTE: Please click the "Me too" link to the right of this post if you experiencing this issue so that Microsoft and Avast take notice of it. Thanks.

Short Story: Avast 2014 appears to interfere with the app shortcut cleanup process that occurs during the 8 -> 8.1 update. Also, Windows 8.1 really needs an easy/elegant way to remove dead Modern app shortcuts as you can with dead desktop app shortcuts

I updated from Windows 8 Pro x64 with Media Center on my 2 machines (Ivy Bridge Core i3 & i7) via the Windows Store and have had multiple broken/dead app shortcuts in All Apps on both machines as seen in the red rectangle below (direct image link):

When I attempt to launch any of the apps by clicking the shortcuts, I get the following message (the "Microsoft.Camera" part is specific to 1 of the shortcuts I tried) (direct image link):

Clicking the Go to the Store link only produces this message in the Windows Store app (direct image link):

Returning to All Apps and right clicking any of the dead shortcuts to remove it exposes no such option. There's no way to uninstall the app (it's probably gone already gone anyway) and also no way to remove the dead shortcut. As you can see below. the only options are Pin to Start and Customize (direct image link):

Does anyone know how to remove the dead shortcuts? I've tried going to *C:\Program Files\WindowsApps*, but access to that is denied and I can't find any way to give myself permissions for it. The offending shortcuts aren't listed in Control Panel -> Programs and Features, C:\Users<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs, or C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu either. Microsoft's own Apps Diagnostic utility doesn't fix it, and neither does syncing app licenses within the Windows Store app.

Help? Any ideas? TIA

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

OK -- I FIXED IT.

Through a lot of trial and error.

Head to users/user/appdata/local/microsoft/windows/applicationshortcuts

Once there do a search for each file within application shortcuts using the search bar in the top right of the explorer, you might need to play with the search terms. For example, mine found the photo app when I searched 'modern' but not 'photo'. Odd.

I used the following terms, camera, microsoft ((for skydrive)), bing, modern.

You need to delete the little white shortcut tile (I had to adjust security settings first and give myself permission to delete within the app shortcuts file, but Windows will guide you through it.)

For the chat app, just delete and reinstall the calendar/people/mail group and its gone.

Hope it works for you guys too...

this worked like a charm, thanks

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

OK -- I FIXED IT.

Through a lot of trial and error.

Head to users/user/appdata/local/microsoft/windows/applicationshortcuts

Once there do a search for each file within application shortcuts using the search bar in the top right of the explorer, you might need to play with the search terms. For example, mine found the photo app when I searched 'modern' but not 'photo'. Odd.

I used the following terms, camera, microsoft ((for skydrive)), bing, modern.

You need to delete the little white shortcut tile (I had to adjust security settings first and give myself permission to delete within the app shortcuts file, but Windows will guide you through it.)

For the chat app, just delete and reinstall the calendar/people/mail group and its gone.

Hope it works for you guys too...

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64 additional answers

Anonymous

2014-03-10T14:04:07+00:00

Born2xs,

Thank you. I ended up deleting my microsoft account from the system and re-creating it. Worked like a charm. I am glad to see your solution though as it gives me the work around if I don't want to go through the user accounts nightmare. I have seen some quirky issues but over all I have to say I am one of the few Windows 8.1 fans.

Thanks Again!

Chase
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Anonymous

2014-03-09T09:42:17+00:00

I too am having a rough go trying to fix apps. Below is an article I discovered on line as a solution to removing app shortcuts. It works for some people but unfortunately it didn't help me. I do hope you have better luck.

I created a new user account out of curiosity to see if the apps work there and they do but I really don't want to have two accounts on my computer just to be able to use my apps. One would think Microsoft would get on the ball to find the issue and fix it.

Anyway, below are the instructions.

a) Enter the Start screen

b) Press

Windows key + Con your keyboard to show the Charms bar (If you are using a touchscreen:

Touch the right edge of your screen and slide your finger toward the center of the screen to show the Charms

bar)

c) Click

Search

d) Type

PowerShellinto the search field

e) Right click

Windows PowerShell

f) Click

Run as administrator

g) Click

Yes

h) Enter the command:

Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers

This will display a list of all of the Metro style apps that are installed on your system. Find the Metro style app

that you want to uninstall and make a note of the "PackageFullName". You'll need this information for the

next step.

i) Enter the command:

Remove-AppxPackage TypeFullPackageNameHere

(for example: Remove-AppxPackage microsoft.microsoftskydrive_16.4.3364.511_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe)
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Anonymous

2014-02-24T14:37:40+00:00

Can u tell us wich of the shortcuts is for "ms-resource:ShortProductName" ?
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