How to Fix Class Not Registered Error in Photos on Windows 11

Want to know how you can fix the ‘class not registered’ error in photos on Windows 11?

Photos is a built-in app on Windows that is used for viewing, editing, and managing images. 

Despite being a Microsoft application, this doesn’t mean that it won’t run into issues. If you are here, we can assume that you are seeing a ‘class not registered’ error in the photos app. 

class not registered error in photos on Windows 11

When this error message occurs, you won’t be able to manage your photos. 

The ‘class not registered’ error in photos on Windows 11 can be due to corrupted system or registry files. 

It can also be due to issues with the photos app itself or outdated drivers. 

Today, we will show you how to fix the ‘class not registered’ error in photos on Windows 11. 

Let’s begin!

1. Restart Your PC. 

Restarting your computer is one of the best ways to solve minor issues. This should reload your system resources and clear your memory. 

A system restart should also stop unnecessary processes in the background. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start Menu
  2. Now, access the Power Options tab. 
  3. Choose Restart and wait for your system to reboot. 
Restart Windows 11

Once done, use the photos app to confirm if the problem is solved. 

2. Run Windows Troubleshooter. 

Windows has a diagnostic tool that can help you detect and fix common issues. 

Run the Windows Troubleshooter on your computer to know where the problem is coming from. This can also be used to troubleshoot other Windows Store apps. 

Follow the guide below to use Windows Troubleshooter: 

  1. Go to the Start Menu and open Windows Settings
  2. Now, click on the System tab in the side menu. 
  3. Choose the Other Troubleshooters tab and look for Windows Store Apps
class not registered error in photos on Windows 11
  1. Click Run and follow the prompts to complete the process. 
class not registered error in photos on Windows 11

Restart your computer afterward to apply the changes. Use the photos app to check if the problem is solved. 

3. Reset Photos App. 

You can try resetting the photos app if you keep seeing the ‘class not registered’ error. There are instances when in-app configurations for Microsoft Store applications become corrupted. 

When this happens, expect problems to occur with the photos app. 

Here’s how you can reset the photos app: 

  1. Click the Windows icon on the Taskbar to open the Start Menu
  2. Now, click the Gear icon to access Windows Settings
  3. Go to the Apps tab. 
  4. Open the Apps & Features tab and find Photos
  5. Click on Photos and go to Advanced Options
  6. Select Reset and follow the instructions. 
class not registered error in photos on Windows 11

Restart your system after resetting the photos app. Try opening a random image to check if the ‘class not registered’ error would still occur. 

4. Re-register Photos App. 

Re-registering the photos app will ensure that it is working correctly. This also checks if all necessary files and settings are in place.

Here’s how you can re-register the app: 

  1. Go to the Start Menu by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard. 
  2. Now, look for ‘Windows PowerShell’. 
  3. Click on Run as Administrator
  4. Copy the command below and hit Enter
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Once done, go back to the photos app to check if the problem is solved. 

Related: How to Fix App Removal Failed Error on Windows 11

5. Update Windows. 

The version of Windows you’re using might have an issue that causes the ‘class not registered’ error. 

To rule this out, follow the guide below to update your software: 

  1. Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open Windows Settings
  2. Access the Windows Update tab from the side menu. 
  3. Click on Check for Updates. If there’s a newer version available follow the prompts to download the update. Restart your computer to install the update. 
class not registered error in photos 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 photos app to check if the problem is solved. 

6. Update Drivers. 

Updating your display drivers might also help resolve the issue with the photos app. 

Display drivers are responsible for managing graphics settings of your computer. If your drivers are incompatible with the photos app or corrupted, it can cause problems. 

See the steps below to update your drivers: 

  1. Open the Start Menu and look for Device Manager
  2. Now, open it and expand the Display Adapters tab. 
  3. Right-click on your graphics card and choose Update Driver.
Update Drivers

Once done, restart your computer and see if the ‘class not registered’ error is solved. 

7. Run SFC 

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

If the photos 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 CMD, 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. 
class not registered error in photos on Windows 11
  1. Run the Deployment Image Servicing tool afterward to repair corrupted and missing files. 
  2. Inside CMD, 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. 

Related: How to Fix Page Could Not Be Loaded in Microsoft Store on Windows 11

8. Choose Photos As Default Viewer. 

The ‘class not registered’ error can also occur if the photos app is not your default image-viewing application. 

To rule this out, follow the steps below to set photos as the default application:

  1. Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open Windows Settings
  2. Click on Apps in the side menu. 
  3. Access the Default Apps tab and click on Photos
  4. Make sure that the Photos app is selected for each file extension. 

Close Windows Settings and reboot your system. 

Try viewing random images on your computer to check if the problem is solved. 

That brings us to the end of our guide on how to fix the ‘class not registered’ error in photos on Windows 11. If you have questions, 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.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *