When something stops working, the cause is usually recent and boring. The checks for how to fix cannot connect to app store below run from most to least likely, so stop as soon as one helps.

Overlays from other applications cause more of these problems than anything the game does. Driver updates fix this often enough to be worth trying, and break it often enough to be worth noting first. If it broke right after an update, the update is the suspect until proven otherwise.

The short answer

Verify the files, restart fully, and only then start changing settings — reversing that order is what turns ten minutes into an evening.

If it is still broken

There is a fast way and a safe way, and they are not the same thing. If something here stops matching what you see on screen, the game has probably changed a value in an update. If you are short on time, the first section alone is usually enough. A full restart is not the same as closing the window, and the difference matters here.

If you are short on time, the first section alone is usually enough. Give the first attempt an honest try before deciding the method does not work. Treat the numbers as a guideline; your exact result depends on your setup and current version.

When it is not your problem at all

One clean run beats five rushed ones, both for results and for your patience. There is a fast way and a safe way, and they are not the same thing. If it broke right after an update, the update is the suspect until proven otherwise.

  • Check the version you are running before following any step-by-step advice.
  • Write down what you changed, so you can undo it if the result gets worse.
  • Back up your save if the game gives you the option.
  • Restart fully after a change rather than trusting a quick reload.
  • Disable overlays and background capture tools.

Check these first

If something here stops matching what you see on screen, the game has probably changed a value in an update. It helps to know why a step exists, because then you can adapt it when your situation differs slightly. Treat the numbers as a guideline; your exact result depends on your setup and current version. There is a fast way and a safe way, and they are not the same thing.

Most advice on this topic assumes you already know half the answer, which is exactly the problem. The approach below has been checked against the current version rather than a patch from two years ago. It helps to know why a step exists, because then you can adapt it when your situation differs slightly.

Mistakes worth avoiding

  • Following a guide written for an older version and assuming nothing moved.
  • Changing several settings at once, then having no idea which one helped.
  • Skipping the preparation step because it looks boring, then repeating the hard part four times.
  • Trusting a video thumbnail over the actual patch notes.

Frequently asked questions

Will reinstalling fix it?

Sometimes, but it is slow and it hides the cause. Work through the checks above first; reinstalling is worth trying only after they fail.

Could a mod be causing this?

Very likely, if you have any installed. Disable all of them, confirm the problem is gone, then re-enable in batches.

Is there a faster method?

Usually yes, and usually it is riskier. The route above trades a little speed for a much lower chance of having to start over.

If you take one thing away about how to fix cannot connect to app store, make it the preparation step; everything after it becomes much easier.