Windows 11 This App Can’t Run on Your PC: How to Fix?

What to do when Windows 11 This app can’t run on your PC error appears? This comprehensive guide offers you a preparation tip with 6 solutions to easily solve the problem.

Posted by @Irene July 24, 2024 Updated By @Irene June 6, 2024

User case: Windows 11 This app can’t run on your PC

 

My Windows 11 PC keeps giving me a message that says, "This app can't run on your PC. To find a version for this PC check with software developer." I disregarded it the first time and just closed it but it keeps coming back. I've looked for solutions everywhere and none of them work. I feel like I've been having problems all the time ever since I upgraded to Windows 11. I don't know what to try anymore to get rid of this.

- Question from Microsoft Community

Are you always seeing the "This app can't run on your PC” error on your Windows 11 computer? If a restart or a simple close doesn't fix it, you'll need to look into the error message and take the necessary steps to fix it. Don't worry; we've got you covered. Here are the top 6 solutions to fix this problem. Give them a try now to eliminate the error.

How to fix This app can’t run on your PC in Windows 11?

The error message "This app can't run on your PC" in Windows 11 can manifest in 6 different notifications.

Common notifications of "This app can't run on your PC": ✍ This app can’t run on your PC access is denied. ✍ This app can’t run on your PC check with software publisher. ✍ This app can’t run on your PC game error. ✍ This app can’t run on your PC batch file. ✍ This app can’t run on your PC Kaspersky, Bitdefender, Avast. ✍ This app can’t run on your PC Windows Store error.

And here, we provide 6 common solutions that have been proven effective in addressing these situations.

Before you do

When you begin This app can't run on your PC in Windows 11 fix, it is better to create a backup of your PC beforehand as it may involve many system-related changes or trying, which may lead to data loss.

For easy data transfer, AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard is a free disk cloning software that can be compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7. This tool is made to easily back up your files, operating system, disks, and partitions with a simple click. For an effective file backup experience, click the free download button below and give it a go.

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download
Note: 
Ensure your destination SSD has a capacity equal to or greater than the used space on the source disk.
If you plan to clone a disk between MBR and GPT formats, confirm that your computer's motherboard supports EFI or UEFI boot.
The Standard Edition exclusively supports the cloning of MBR data disks. To clone MBR system disks or perform operations involving GPT disks, consider upgrading to the AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional Edition.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, click "Clone" in the main interface and select "Clone Disk".

Step 2. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk and click "Next".

Step 3. Select the destination disk to store the data on the source disk, and then click "Next".

Step 4. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to “Sector to Sector clone”, and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.

Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to improve the reading and writing speed of SSD if the target disk is an SSD drive.

Step 5. At last, click "Apply" and "Proceed" in the main interface to start cloning the hard drive.

Solution 1. Run as an administrator

If an app doesn't have the right permissions to work on your computer, it might not start and show the "This app can't run on your PC" error in your Windows 11 PC. To check this, try running the app as an Administrator. Here's how:

Step 1. Right-click on the app's shortcut icon and choose "Run as administrator" from the menu.

Step 2. Click Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt shows up.

If the app runs fine, you can set it to always run with admin rights. Right-click the app shortcut, choose Properties, go to the Compatibility tab, check "Run this program as an administrator," and click Apply.

Solution 2. Check the version of the malfunctioning app

One of the most common reasons for this problem is downloading and installing the incorrect program on your Windows 11 PC. For instance, if you have a 32-bit Windows OS but download a program intended for a 64-bit system, it can easily lead to the "This app can't run on your PC" error.

Step 1. Right-click the This PC icon and select Properties. In the pop-up window, check the Windows 11 operating system type (32-bit or 64-bit) under the System section.

Step 2. Right-click the problematic app and choose Properties.

Step 3. Navigate to the Compatibility tab, then check "Run this program in compatibility mode for" (Windows 8 is recommended) and the "Run this program as an administrator" option. Click Apply and then choose OK to save the changes.

Solution 3. Open the Developer Mode

Activating Developer Mode in Windows 11 enables you to install and run apps from various sources outside the Microsoft Store, even though it comes with certain risks that cause data loss or corruption. If you're facing issues with your app, consider enabling this option to check if it resolves the problem.

Step 1. Right-click on the Start icon and choose Settings from the menu. Go to the Privacy & Security tab and click on For developers.

Step 2. Turn on the toggle next to Developer Mode.

Then, reopen your app and check This app can't run on your PC in Windows 11 fixed.

Solution 4. Reinstall the problematic app

If the "This app can't run on your PC" error occurs only when launching a specific program, consider reinstalling it on your computer. This can resolve issues stemming from an improper installation.

Step 1. Press the "Win + R" to open the Run dialog box. Type "appwiz.cpl" and press Enter.

Step 2. From the list, select the problematic app and click the Uninstall button at the top. Follow the on-screen prompts to remove the app.

Reinstall your app or program, and the error should no longer persist.

Solution 5. Clean boot your Windows 11

When you run Windows in a clean boot state, it only loads essential services and programs. This helps identify whether a third-party program or service is causing interference with Windows and causing the error This app can't run on your PC Windows 11.

Step 1. Press the "Win+ R" to open the Run dialog box, type "msconfig" in the Open field, and press Enter.

Step 2. Go to the Services tab and check the Hide all Microsoft services box. Then, click the Disable All button.

Step 3. Switch to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.

Step 4. Disable third-party apps or programs by selecting each and clicking the Disable button. Repeat this step until all third-party apps and programs are disabled.

If your app loads normally during a clean boot, it's likely that a third-party app or program is causing the error. To resolve this, individually remove recently installed apps and programs.

Solution 6. Check corrupted system files

Another reason for this error Windows 11 This app can't run on your PC could be damaged system files. To fix this, you need to run two scans on your computer called SFC (System File Check) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) to find and repair any corrupted system files.

Step 1. Press the Win + X to open the Power User menu and choose Terminal (Admin). Click Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.

Step 2. Type the following command in the console and press Enter: SFC /scannow

Step 3. Once the SFC scan is finished, run the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each command:

• DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Step 4. Wait for the DISM scan to complete and then restart your PC. Afterward, try opening your apps again.

Final words

The 6 solutions can be practical when you encounter Windows 11 This app can't run on your PC. But don’t forget to create a backup before troubleshooting with AOMEI Partition Assistant in case of unexpected accidents.

If you fail to take precautions and experience data loss, AOMEI Partition Assistant also provides a "Recover Data" function for easy data restoration. In addition to these data protection features, this versatile software also supports expanding drive space, fixing boot issues, and converting the system disk between MBR and GPT. For Windows Server users, it has the AOMEI Partition Assistant Server edition.