If you’ve encountered a “This app can’t run on your PC” error, the app you’re trying to launch is likely incompatible with your system. There are other reasons this issue occurs, and we’ll show you various ways to fix it on Windows 11.

The software is not compatible or has the wrong version of the operating system

Windows will have 2 versions, 32bit and 64bit, and many applications will have separate versions for each version of Windows. If the application you install does not match the operating system version, it will report such an error.

To see if your Windows is using a 32bit or 64bit operating system, do the following:

Step 1: Press the key combination Win + I to open Settings > Select System > Select About in the left menu.

Step 2: In the Device Specifications section, you will find all information related to the system, thereby making testing easier.

You can then redownload the software to match the operating system and then proceed with the installation.

Run the application in Compatibility Mode

Step 1: Right-click on the file you want to open > Select Properties.

Step 2: Open Compatibility, select Run this program in compatibility mode for > Select Windows version in the drop-down, (recommended to choose Windows 8)

Step 3: Click Apply > Select OK to save and run the file again.

Use App Compatibility Troubleshooter

It’s possible the app is not compatible with your Windows 11 system, causing your issue. In this case, run Windows’ built-in App Compatibility Troubleshooter to find and fix the app’s compatibility problems.

Step 1: Right-click on the file you want to open > Select Properties.

Step 2: Open Compatibility, select Run Compatibility Troubleshooter

Wait while the tool runs various checks and finds issues with the app. Then, follow the tool’s recommendations to fix your problem.

Activate Developer Mode

Windows 11’s Developer Mode allows users to run unsigned Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. This way, you can install UWP apps from outside the Microsoft Store. If your issue is with such an app, turn on Developer Mode to fix your issue.

Step 1: Press the key combination Win + I to open Settings

Step 2. Navigate to For developers

Select the Update & Security tab from the left side of the Settings window, and then click the For Developers option from the right pane.

Step 3. Turn on the switch

Activate the “Developer Mode” option, then choose “Yes” in the prompt.

Quit Settings and launch your app.

The App Is Not Supported on Windows 11

If the app doesn’t work even after reinstalling, it may not be compatible with your Windows 11 version. This usually happens when the developer doesn’t add support for the latest Windows version to their apps.

The App Can’t Run on Your PC’s Hardware

The “This app can’t run on your PC” error can also be caused by incompatible hardware, and your CPU is almost always the culprit. Some CPUs are built using x86-64, whereas others are built on Arm. Critically, programs made for x86-64 are not directly compatible with Arm, and vice versa—attempting to run an app designed for one on the other will result in an error.

In this case, check the developer’s website and see if they have a version that’s compatible with your system. Or, look for an alternative app that does the same job. Google is your friend when it comes to finding apps (or anything else, for that matter).

Conclusion

We hope this article is helpful to you. Good luck!