Summary

  • Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 Mobile five years ago.
  • While the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 Mobile remained accessible for years, user reports confirm that the Windows 10 Mobile app store has finally shut down.
  • According to some users, when they try to launch the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 Mobile, they either see a completely gray screen or encounter an error message.

As we step into 2025, Windows 10 Mobile devices have effectively become relics of a bygone era. Microsoft officially ceased support for the Windows 10 Mobile operating system five years ago, a decision that echoed alongside the retirement of Windows 7. This cessation of support meant that users were no longer privy to security updates, bug fixes, or technical assistance, rendering the platform largely obsolete.

Despite this, applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote, and PowerPoint continued to receive updates and security patches until 2021. The Microsoft Store, a digital marketplace for applications, remained accessible for a time, but recent user reports indicate that it has now officially gone offline.

That Was a Good Run, Windows 10 Mobile

In various community forums, including Reddit, users have shared their experiences attempting to access the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 Mobile. Many report encountering a gray screen or an error message stating, “A read or write of raw encrypted data cannot be performed because the file is not encrypted. The resource is no longer available.”

Interestingly, while the majority of users find themselves locked out of the app store, a select few have reported sporadic access. Some can view the Home page but are unable to install apps, met instead with a blank white screen. Others may successfully install apps from the Home screen but find themselves unable to access the Purchased section, and for some, the opposite holds true.

This situation is hardly surprising. By the time Windows 11 made its debut, most essential applications were already incompatible with Windows 10 Mobile. Developers had largely abandoned the platform, leaving users with a dwindling selection of outdated or non-functional apps. Now, with the app store officially shuttered, the few remaining applications have lost their digital home. For those who remain loyal to Windows 10 Mobile, the only recourse for installing new apps is through sideloading.