How to Fix the “Class Not Registered” Photos App Error

Microsoft Photos is the default photo management and editing app that comes with all popular Windows OS. It allows users to view, organize, and edit their photos and videos. But there may be a few instances when you might encounter certain errors while accessing the app. So, if you’re bothered with the “Class not registered” alert while opening the Photos app on your Windows PC? Yes, it can be annoying. We’re here to help you out!

What Does “Class Not Registered” Error Means?

Well, in technical terms, this respective error occurs when a program or application tries to use a COM (Component Object Model) component that is not registered on the system or has become corrupted.

However, if you are encountering this error specifically with the Windows Photos app then this post lists a few possible solutions that you can try.

What Triggers the “Class Not Registered” Error on Windows?

There can be different reasons why the Windows Photos app throws the “Class not registered, Photos App error”. Here are some of the most common causes:

• Corrupt installation: The Photos app installation files may be corrupted, causing the app to malfunction and display an error message.
• Outdated or missing system components: The error can also appear if the required system components or libraries are outdated or missing.
• Damaged user account: In some cases, the error can be specific to a user account with corrupted settings, permissions, or user profile data.
• Third-party software conflict: The error can appear if third-party software or security programs interfere with the Photos app, causing it to malfunction or crash.
• Windows updates: Sometimes, Windows updates can cause issues with the Photos app or other system components.

Also read: How To Use Microsoft Photos App To Edit Videos

How to Fix the Class Not Registered Error on Windows 11

To troubleshoot the issue, a couple of thing you can try are reinstalling the Photos app, resetting the app, running the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter, or creating a new user account.

Try the below-listed solutions to resolve and get rid of this error message within no time.

Solution 1: Restart the Windows Explorer App

The method is self-explantory. All you have to do is:

STEP 1 = Press the Control + Shift + Escape key combination to open the Task Manager app. Switch to the “Processes” tab and look for “Windows Explorer” in the list.

STEP 2 = Right-click on the “Windows Explorer” app and select “Restart”.

Restarting the File Explorer app will help you in resolving common bugs and glitches.

Solution 2: Set Microsoft Photos as the Default App

Here comes the next workaround that will help you fix common Microsoft Photos app errors on Windows PC within no time.

STEP 1 = Hit the Windows icon placed on the Taskbar and select “Settings”. In the Settings window, head to the Apps> Default Apps section.

STEP 2 =Scroll through the list of applications and look for the “Microsoft Photos” app. Tap on it to view advanced options.

STEP 3 =On the next screen, tap on any commonly used image extensions like JPG, JPEG, PNG, and so on.

Now, click on the “Photos” option and hit the “Set as Default” button. Hopefully, you will not encounter ‘Class Not Registered’ error on Windows PC/Laptop.

Solution 3: Reset the Photos App

Resetting the Photos App will help you resolve a variety of errors, including the aforementioned ‘Photos App’ error. So, here’s what you need to do:

STEP 1 = To reset the Photos app, click on the Windows icon placed on the Taskbar and select “Settings”. Head to Apps > Installed Apps section.

STEP 2 = Look for the Photos app in the list. Hit the three-dot icon placed next to it and select “Advanced Options”.

STEP 3 = Hit on the “Reset” button to set the Photos app to its default settings.

Also read: How To Fix The GPU Memory Is Full Error On Windows 11

Solution 4: Re-register the Windows DLL Files

Well, re-registering the DLL files can fix startup problems of applications or games that require specific DLL files to work. Hence, all you need to do is:

STEP 1 = Hit the search icon placed on the Taskbar and type “Command Prompt”. Select the “Run as administrator” option to launch the app in admin mode.

STEP 2 = In the Terminal window, type the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

FOR /R C:\ %G IN (*.dll) DO "%systemroot%\system32\regsvr32.exe" /s "%G" regsvr32 ExplorerFrame.dll

By executing this command, Windows will re-register the DLL files on your device. So, if a crucial DLL file is missing or becomes corrupt, re-registering the DLL files will help you in overcoming this issue.

Also read: How To Fix Rockalldll.dll Not Found Or Missing Error

Solution 5: Repair Microsoft Visual C++ Package

If the redistributables software is corrupted or missing, you may encounter this annoying Photos app issue. Follow the instructions stated below to repair the same:

STEP 1 = Hit the search icon placed on the Taskbar, type “Control Panel” and hit Enter.

STEP 2 =In the Control Panel window, select “Uninstall a program”.

STEP 3 =Right-click on the “Microsoft Visual C++ Package” program and select “Change”.

A pop-up will now appear on the screen. Hit on the “Repair” button. Once the repair process is completed, reboot your device. Launch the Photos app to check if the issue still persists.

Solution 6: Run the SFC Scan

The SFC (System File Checker) scan is a built-in utility in Windows that checks and repairs corrupted system files. Here are the steps to run an SFC scan on Windows:

STEP 1 = Click on the search icon placed on the Taskbar and type “Command Prompt”. Select the “Run as administrator” option to launch the app in admin mode.

STEP 2 = In the Command Prompt window, type “sfc /scannow” and press Enter.

STEP 3 = The SFC scan will now begin. It may take some time to complete, depending on the size and health of your system files.

Once the scan is complete, you will see a message indicating whether any corrupted files were found and repaired. If the SFC scan was able to fix the issues, you can close the Command Prompt window and reboot your device.

Also read: How To Fix Directory Is Not Empty Error Code 0x80070091

Conclusion

This wraps up our guide on how to fix the class not registered photos app error on Windows 11. From checking for updates and resetting the app to running system scans and restoring missing system files, there are several steps you can take to fix the problem. You can use any of the above-listed troubleshooting hacks to get rid of the error within no time.

Was this post helpful? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section!