Quick answer: Close the Xbox app, install Windows and Microsoft Store updates, then use Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Xbox > Advanced options > Repair. Use Reset only if Repair does not clear error 0x80073CF9.
Before you start
- A stable internet connection and the Microsoft account that owns or accesses your games.
- Administrator access to Windows Settings.
- A note of your Xbox app sign-in and custom app settings; Reset can sign you out and clear local app data.
How to fix Xbox app error 0x80073CF9
- Restart the PC. A normal restart clears a stuck Store or Xbox app process without changing files.
- Install Windows updates. Open Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates, install anything offered, and restart if requested.
- Update Microsoft Store apps. Open Microsoft Store, choose Library > Get updates, and let updates for Microsoft Store, Xbox, Gaming Services, and related components finish.
- Repair the Xbox app. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, open the three-dot menu beside Xbox, choose Advanced options, terminate the app if that control appears, and select Repair. Reopen Xbox and test.
- Reset the Xbox app only if Repair fails. Return to Advanced options, select Reset, confirm, then sign back in. This clears the app’s local settings; it is a stronger step than Repair.
- Reinstall only as a final app-level step. If the error remains, uninstall and reinstall the Xbox app from Microsoft Store. Do not delete game folders manually.
Why these steps work
Error 0x80073CF9 commonly appears when a Microsoft Store app package cannot update, register, or write its working data correctly. Updating the Store stack and repairing the Xbox app restores damaged app files while preserving more local data than a reset. Reset rebuilds the app’s local state when Repair is not enough.
Other safe options
- Confirm Microsoft Store and the Xbox app are signed in with the intended Microsoft account.
- Make sure the system drive has free space and that Windows date, time, and region are correct.
- If game installation—not app launch—is the failing operation, use the official Xbox game-installation troubleshooter instead of repeating app resets.
Warnings and how to undo changes
Do not use registry-cleaner scripts, take ownership of WindowsApps, or delete Gaming Services folders from an unverified guide. Those changes can break Store permissions. Repair is reversible by simply reopening the app. Reset cannot restore cleared local app settings, but you can sign in again and reconfigure them; cloud-synced game saves remain governed by each game’s own sync support.
Source video
The video is source material, not a guarantee. Where its advice differed from current first-party support, the safer official sequence is used above.
Frequently asked questions
Will Reset uninstall my installed games?
Reset targets the Xbox app’s local data, not the contents of every installed game folder. It can sign you out or clear app preferences, so use Repair first and verify your library afterward.
What if the Xbox app has no Advanced options?
Update Windows and Microsoft Store first. If the control still is not available, reinstall the Xbox app through Microsoft Store rather than changing protected folders manually.
Is 0x80073CF9 an Xbox server outage?
Not necessarily. It is usually an app-package or Store problem on the PC. Check Xbox status if sign-in and cloud features also fail on other devices.
Official references
- Microsoft: Repair apps and programs in Windows
- Microsoft: Fix problems with apps from Microsoft Store
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