How to Fix Photos App File System Error (-2147219196)

Summary: Are you not able to access or open pictures on Windows PC due to the Photos app file system error (-2147219196)? Learn 8 ways to fix Photos app file system error on Windows computer.

Some Windows 10 users when trying to open an image in the Photos app, sometimes receive ‘file system error (-2147219196)’. Although the error is also prevalent with other Windows 10 built-in applications, it is commonly reported with the Photos app.

What causes File System error in Photos app?

The actual cause of the error is difficult to ascertain, but it is usually reported after Windows updates. It could be a bug, missing, or corrupted files of the Photos app, disk corruption, etc., that result in the file system error 2147219196.

The Photos app problem doesn’t let you use the app, leaving you in lurch. You cannot view, organize, edit, or import your photos on your computer.

How to fix file system error when opening the Windows Photo app?

Fixing system apps errors is tricky. You should be careful while troubleshooting so as not to corrupt or damage other files or the operating system.

Here are the 8 methods that can fix the Photos app file system error:

  1. Use another photo viewer app for Windows 10
  2. Update the Photos app
  3. Repair the Photos App
  4. Run the Apps Troubleshooter
  5. Reset the Photos App
  6. Reinstall the Photos app after removing the leftover files
  7. Re-register the Photos App
  8. Use the Registry Editor to fix Photos app error

Read on to know each method in detail.

Method 1: Use another photo viewer app for Windows 10

If Photos app is not working, why not switch to another image viewer for Windows 10. There are many photo viewer programs with useful features. You can download them from Microsoft Store or directly from their website. Try Windows Photo Viewer, IrfanView, XnView, ImageGlass, and others.

Learn: How to restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10

Pictures are not opening in Photos app nor in other image viewers!

If some image files fail to open in Photos app, try opening them in another image viewer. If they don’t open or appear damaged, the file is corrupted. Download Stellar Repair for Photo on your Windows computer to repair such damaged or corrupt photos. The DIY software easily fixes popular file formats, including JPEG/ JPG, PNG, TIFF, DNG, RAW, CR2, NEF, etc.

Method 2: Update the Photos app

Application updates can fix errors and bugs. So check for available updates in Microsoft Store.

Steps to update the Photos app:

  1. Open the Microsoft Store app on PC and click on the three dots at the top.
  2. Click on Downloads and updates.
  3. Click Get updates.
  4. If you see any updates for the Photos app, click Update.

Method 3: Repair the Photos App

Repairing the Photos app fix corrupt files and may resolve the Photos app error.

Steps to repair Photos app:

Now refresh your system and open Photos app to check if the error is fixed.

Method 4: Run the Apps Troubleshooter

Windows 10 has a default Windows app troubleshooter that can fix apps related problems on your computer. Try it to fix Windows 10 file system error 2147219196 in Photos app.

Steps to fix Photos App file system error using Windows troubleshooter:

Method 5: Reset the Photos App

Steps to reset Photos app:

You can reset Photos app to troubleshoot file system error. Some users found this helpful in fixing Photos app issues.

  1. Go to Start on your PC.
  2. Click Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
  3. Scroll down and select Microsoft Photos app.
  4. Click Advanced options > Reset.

Restart your PC and check if the file system error when opening pictures is resolved or not.

Method 6: Reinstall the Photos app after removing the left over files

First, uninstall and then reinstall the Photos app. Also, it’s essential to remove the cache and leftover files of the Photos app. This would fix the Windows 10 Photos file system error.

Steps to remove left over files and reinstall Photos App:

Method 7: Re-register the Photos app

Windows 10 file system error 2147219196 can be caused due to a problem in the Microsoft Store app package. Attempt re-registering the apps package and check if this can fix the issue.

Steps to re-register apps package to fix Photos app error:

Method 8: Use the Registry Editor to fix the Photos app error

Try to fix file system error when opening pictures on Windows 10 by removing the outdated registry key entries of the Photos app.

Steps to delete outdated Photos app entries in Registry Editor:

However, to delete the outdated entries, you need to own Administrator permissions. Follow the below steps to get permissions to delete the outdated keys:

Warning: This method is not recommended for novice, as any wrong key entry/folder deletion can result in loss of your data or even Windows crash. Plus, always back up your photos, videos, and other data before making changes in the Registry Editor.

TIP: Unfortunately, if you have lost your valuable photos, videos, or audio files while fixing Windows Photos app file system error, immediately get Stellar Photo Recovery software. The DIY software can restore the lost multimedia files lost due to formatting, OS crash, deletion, or other reasons. A free trial is also available.

Conclusion

Windows 10 default Photos app file system error (-2147219196) is annoying as it doesn’t let you view your pictures on PC. But you should be able to fix the error by using any one of the solutions shared in this post.

Hope you found this post helpful. Also, in the comment box below, do let us know which method helped in your case.

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