How to Fix Calculator Not Working on Windows 11

Can’t figure out why the calculator is not working on Windows 11?

A calculator is a common tool that has been around since Windows 95. It has become an indispensable part of our daily lives. 

However, encountering problems with the calculator on Windows 11 can be frustrating. 

If you are here, we can assume that the calculator app is not working properly on your Windows 11 computer. 

A faulty system update usually causes problems with the calculator. However, it can also be due to temporary errors and improper configurations. 

Today, we will show you what to do if the calculator is not working on Windows 11. 

Let’s begin!

1. Restart Your Computer.

Restarting your computer is always a good option to start with if you encounter problems.

This will clear your system memory and stop unnecessary background processes from running. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Open the Start Menu by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard. 
  2. Now, access the Power Options tab in the lower left corner. 
  3. Choose Restart from the pop-up menu. 
Restart Windows 11

Wait for your computer to reboot and check if the problem is solved. 

2. Reset the Calculator. 

Resetting the calculator app should restore it to its default settings. There are instances when the settings of an app can become corrupted. 

When this happens, the calculator app may not function properly or even crash. 

Follow the steps below to reset the calculator app: 

  1. Access the Start Menu and click on the Gear icon. This should open Windows Settings.
  2. Inside the settings menu, click on Apps and access the Apps & Features tab. 
  3. Look for the Calculator on the list and click on it. 
  4. Go to Advanced options afterward. 
  5. Click the Reset button to roll back any changes to the calculator app. 
Repair Calculator

Close the settings and see if the calculator app works. 

3. Run Windows Troubleshooter. 

Windows Troubleshooter is a diagnostic tool that can detect and fix common issues. 

Using Windows Troubleshooter, you can easily identify where the issue is coming from. The troubleshooter can also be used with other Windows Store applications. 

See the steps below to troubleshoot issues with the calculator app: 

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start Menu
  2. Now, click the Gear icon to open Windows Settings
  3. Access the System tab and click on Other Trouble-shooters.
calculator not working on windows 11
  1. Scroll down and look for Windows Store Apps
  2. Click Run and follow the instructions to continue. 
calculator not working on windows 11

Restart your system after running the troubleshooter to apply the changes. Try using the calculator app to check if the problem is solved. 

Related: How to Fix Tab Key Not Working on Windows 11

4. Update Windows. 

The version of Windows you’re using might have an issue that causes apps to malfunction. 

To rule this out, update your system to the latest version. Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Open Windows Settings by pressing the Windows + I keys on your keyboard. 
  2. Click on Windows Update on the side menu. 
  3. Select Check for Updates and follow the prompts to install them. 
calculator not working on windows 11

Note

  • While installing software updates, your computer might restart several times. 
  • It may also appear to be stuck on the ‘installing update’ page. When this happens, don’t panic. Give the update at least 10 minutes to complete the installation.

Go back to the calculator app after installing the update to check if the problem is solved. 

5. End Runtime Broker Process. 

Runtime Broker is a process that manages permissions for UWP (Universal Windows Platform). 

If the Runtime Broker process is faulty, built-in Windows applications may malfunction. 

Here’s what you can do to fix it: 

  1. On your keyboard, press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC to open Task Manager
  2. Go to the Process tab and find the Runtime Broker process. 
  3. Right-click on it and choose End Task
Runtime Broker

Try using the calculator app afterward to check if it works. 

6. Repair the Calculator. 

You can also try repairing the calculator app if it’s still not working. Some of its resources may have gotten corrupted, preventing it from functioning correctly. 

See the steps below to repair the calculator app: 

  1. Go to the Start Menu and look for the Calculator app. 
  2. Right-click on it and choose App Settings
  3. Under Reset, click on Repair and follow the prompts. 
calculator not working on windows 11

Restart your computer afterward and check if the problem is solved. 

Related: How to Fix No Power Options Available Error on Windows 11

7. Run SFC. 

System File Checker is a tool that scans your directory for broken and missing system files. 

If the calculator app is not working, there might be an issue with your system files. 

Here’s how you can repair broken system files: 

  1. Go to the Start Menu and look for Command Prompt
  2. Click on Run as Administrator
  3. Inside Command Prompt, type ‘sfc /scannow’ and hit Enter to run the command. After running the scan, you’ll see a message indicating if the tool found any problems. 
calculator not working on windows 11
  1. Run the Deployment Image Servicing tool afterward to repair corrupted and missing files. 
  2. Inside Command Prompt, run the following commands one by one. 
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Restart your system afterward to check if the problem is solved. 

8. Modify Registry Files. 

If you still encounter issues with the calculator app, you might want to tweak your registry. 

Removing some registry keys might also resolve the problem with the calculator app.  

Note
The Registry Editor contains crucial settings for your system. Be extra careful while navigating the interface. Double-check the file you are removing and make sure it’s the correct one. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open Run Command
  2. Type ‘regedit’ and click OK to open the Registry Editor
  3. Now, enter the path below in the address bar: 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\StateChange\PackageList
  1. Right-click on the first key within the PackageList folder and choose Delete
  2. Click Yes to confirm your action. 

Go back to the calculator app to check if the problem is solved.

That ends our guide for fixing the calculator if it’s not working on Windows 11. If you have questions or other concerns, please leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 

Author

  • Jake Kovoor

    Jake is the Editor-in-Chief of Saint and an independent software developer, with a Bachelors in Computer Science from Lancaster University, UK. He loves trying out various tech from the Flipper Zero to coding Raspberry Pis for automation. He started Saint back in 2016, having written over 100 posts, with the sole purpose of creating guides for software that had yet to exist back then to help users navigate around their technical problems.

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