Microsoft mitigates critical issues on Photos app that won't launch after June 2024 update

Microsoft’s June 2024 update (KB5039302) for Windows 11 has somewhat been plagued by known issues here and there. Besides the now-fixed taskbar that won’t show up, the update also affects the Photos app which might fail to start.

We’ve previously reported on it, but now, in a recent update on its health release page, the Redmond tech giant said that they have mitigated these issues.

As described, you can install the latest Windows App SDK as a temporary workaround. Then, select the appropriate installer (x64, x86, or arm64) based on the system type identified in System Information. Run the installer as administrator (windowsappruntimeinstall-x64.exe) to ensure proper installation, optionally using the -quiet parameter for automated deployment across devices.

If you’re out of the loop, the issue affects both versions 23H2 and 22H2 of Windows 11. It fails to start when the BlockNonAdminUserInstall policy is enabled, which restricts non-administrator users from installing Windows Store apps. This policy can interfere with the proper functioning of certain apps, including the Microsoft Photos app.

In yet another health release page update, Microsoft also says it’s mitigating issues with apps using Windows Update APIs. Users running scripts in PowerShell, VBScript, etc., may encounter empty results or error code 0x8002802B (TYPE_E_ELEMENTNOTFOUND) when interacting with IUpdate objects in the IUpdateCollection. This primarily affects users not using Windows Automatic Updates.

You can also download the latest July 2024 update for Windows 11, and it’s now live for both 23H2 and 22H2 versions.