Microsoft has recently encountered a bug in Windows 11 that has been causing issues with the Photos app for users. The bug, which was introduced with a new update in June, has made it impossible for users to launch the Photos app, displaying a spinning circle and an ‘Access Denied’ error message. This bug has been particularly frustrating for users with the ‘Prevent non-admin users from installing packaged Windows app’ or the BlockNonAdminUserInstall Configuration service provider (CSP) policies enabled on their devices.

Recognizing the severity of the issue, Microsoft has taken steps to address the problem by issuing a temporary workaround while working on a permanent solution. The temporary fix is aimed at users running Windows 11 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2 on their devices with the aforementioned policies enabled. Windows 11 Home users are less likely to be affected by this bug as these policies are often not enabled on their devices.

For Windows admins looking to apply the temporary fix, Microsoft recommends downloading the latest WinAppSDK from the Microsoft Learn website. Users can select the appropriate installer based on their system type, whether it is x64, x86, or arm64. To determine the system type, users can access the System Information view by typing ‘System Information’ in the Start menu and checking the ‘System Type’ field on the right-side panel. Once the correct installer is downloaded, users can run it as an administrator to apply the fix.