Question:

How to fix the “Install failed contact your software vendor” error on Windows 11 when opening .txt files and other media files?

I have a new Windows 11 PC that has been working fine until recently. After a restart, I noticed that I could not open .txt files normally. I get an error message saying “Install failed contact your software vendor” every time I try to open them. However, if I right-click the file and select “open”, I can access the file in a basic version of Notepad that prompts me to update, but nothing happens when I click “load”. I also have the same problem with Media Player, but not with Media Player Legacy. This is very frustrating and I need a solution urgently. I searched online and found some similar cases , but none of the suggested fixes worked for me. Is there any way to resolve this issue without reinstalling Windows 11 or losing my data?

Answer:

If you are experiencing the “Install failed contact your software vendor” error on Windows 11 when trying to open .txt files and other media files, you are not alone. Many users have reported this issue on various forums and websites . This error occurs when Windows 11 fails to install or update some of the default apps, such as Notepad and Media Player, due to corrupted files, registry errors, or other reasons. As a result, you cannot open these files normally and you get the error message every time you try. This can be very annoying and frustrating, especially if you need to access these files for work or study.

Fortunately, there are some possible solutions that you can try to fix this error without reinstalling Windows 11 or losing your data. Here are some of them:

• Run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter: This is a built-in tool that can detect and fix common problems with Windows Store apps, including Notepad and Media Player. To run this troubleshooter, follow these steps:
• Open the Settings app and click on System.
• Click on Troubleshoot in the left pane and then click on Other troubleshooters.
• Find the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter and click on Run.
• Follow the on-screen instructions and let the troubleshooter scan and fix any issues it finds.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is gone.
• Reset the app preferences: This is another option that can help you fix the error by resetting the app settings and preferences to their default values. To do this, follow these steps:
• Open the Settings app and click on Apps.
• Click on Apps & features in the left pane and then click on App preferences.
• Find the Notepad and Media Player apps and click on Reset for each of them.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is gone.
• Uninstall and reinstall the apps: If the previous methods did not work, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the apps from the Windows Store. This can help you get rid of any corrupted or outdated files that may be causing the error. To do this, follow these steps:
• Open the Settings app and click on Apps.
• Click on Apps & features in the left pane and then find the Notepad and Media Player apps.
• Click on Uninstall for each of them and confirm your choice.
• Open the Windows Store app and search for Notepad and Media Player.
• Click on Install for each of them and wait for the installation to complete.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is gone.

These are some of the possible solutions that can help you fix the “Install failed contact your software vendor” error on Windows 11 when opening .txt files and other media files. We hope that one of them worked for you and that you can now access your files without any hassle. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments below. Thank you for reading! 😊

: [https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/install-failed-contact-your-software-vendor-error/4f0a9c0c-7f8b-4f3e-9a7f-0d1f6a5a9a8a](https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/install-failed-contact-your-software-vendor-error/4f0a9c0c-7f8b-4f3e-9a7f-0d1f6a5a9a8a) : [https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows11/comments/pvqj0w/install_failed_contact_your_software_vendor/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows11/comments/pvqj0w/install_failed_contact_your_software_vendor/) :

[https://www.tenforums.com/software-apps/180234-install-failed-contact-your-software-vendor.html](https://www.tenforums.com/software-apps/180234-install-failed-contact-your-software-vendor.html)