“The specified user does not have a valid profile” usually appears when you try to launch Microsoft Store applications, such as Photos, Teams, Skype, etc. It is an annoying message that prevents you from opening programs.
How to get rid of this error? See below for details.
How to Fix The Specified User Does Not Have a Valid Profile
In general, the error is related to insufficient WindowsApps folder permission, third-party applications interfering, and corrupted system files.
To fix this issue, before performing advanced solutions, you can try some basic troubleshooting steps, including restarting your computer and re-installing the problematic program. If the issue persists after trying these steps, you can use the fixes below.
Fix 1. Log Back to Microsoft Account
Sometimes the invalid profile issue is just caused by an account glitch. In this situation, logging out and logging back into your Microsoft account can resolve the error.
Step 1. Open Microsoft Store (If Microsoft Store keeps opening by itself, you can find feasible solutions from this article: Microsoft Store Keeps Opening | 5 Best Fixes).
Step 2. Click the icon of the user account, and then select the target user account to click Sign out.
Step 3. Click the user icon again to sign in to your account.
If this way fails to work, try to gain permission for the WindowsApps folder.
Fix 2. Take Ownership of the WindowsApps Folder
According to the user experiment, taking ownership of the WindowsApps folder can resolve the “The specified user does not have a valid profile” issue effectively. Follow the instructions below to complete the necessary actions.
Step 1. Press Windows + E key combinations to open File Explorer.
Step 2. Under the View tab, make sure the checkbox next to Hidden items is selected.
Step 3. Navigate to this location: C:\Program Files. Then right-click the WindowsApps folder to select Properties.
Step 4. Move on to the Security tab, and then click Advanced.
Step 5. In the new window, click Change.
Step 6. Enter your target user account in the text box and click Check Name. After that, press the OK button.
Step 7. Check the option of Replace owner on subcontainers and objects. Finally, click OK to make this change take effect.
Now you can try to launch the target Microsoft Store app and check if the error message still shows up. If the issue persists, try the following methods.
Fix 3. Update Windows
In general, new Windows versions fix a lot of Windows issues and make the system run more smoothly. So, to fix “the specified user does not have a valid profile”, you can install Windows updates. For the major steps to update Windows, you can refer to: Update Windows 11/10 to Download & Install Latest Updates.
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Fix 4. Remove Third-Party Apps
According to online information, some third-party applications like CloudPaging Player interfere with Microsoft Store programs, causing the error “The specified user does not have a valid profile”. So, you need to disable or uninstall these apps to check if the error message appears again.
Fix 5. Run SFC Scan
As mentioned before, corrupted system files can be responsible for the invalid profile issue as well. To detect and fix corrupted system files, you can run a SFC scan.
Bottom Line
This post explains what should you do when you cannot open Microsoft Store apps due to the “The specified user does not have a valid profile” error.
If you have come across other feasible solutions to this problem, welcome to share them with us. Thanks in advance.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Shirley graduated from English major and is currently an editor of MiniTool Team. She likes browsing and writing IT-related articles, and is committed to becoming a professional IT problem solver. The topic of her articles are generally about data recovery, data backup, and computer disk management, as well as other IT issues. In spare time, she likes watching movies, hiking and fishing.
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