Some Windows 10 PCs are currently incompatible with the default Calendar, Calculator, and Photos apps. The problem stems from a January update and only impacts old hardware. Because these app updates are distributed by the Microsoft Store, users who disable Windows 10 updates may still be affected.
Complaints of broken Calendar, Calculator, Paint 3D, Movies & TV, and Photo apps began cropping up in late January. Affected users say that these apps will open for a brief moment before closing. Uninstalling and reinstalling the apps does not resolve the issue. Ironically, these users cannot access the Windows 10 Feedback Hub, as it also received an update in January.
In the absence of a proper Feedback Hub, users have piled into a Microsoft Community thread to discuss the new incompatibility error. The thread, which is currently 31 pages long, has become a community-led investigation without any input from Microsoft. Contributors have narrowed the problem down to some old hardware, specifically Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Core 2 Quad processors. Some reports suggest that AMD Athlon Dual Core chips are also impacted.
As noted by The Register, Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Core 2 Quad chips were introduced in 2006 and discontinued in 2012. These processors are not listed on the Windows 10 compatibility sheet, though they’ve worked with Windows 10 since the operating system’s launch.
The reason for this new app incompatibility is unknown. There are plenty of theories floating around the aforementioned Microsoft Community thread, but the most common assumption is that Microsoft added a modern instruction extension to its default apps. Because the Intel Core 2 platform is old, it may not support such an extension. And because Intel Core 2 isn’t included on the Windows 10 compatibility sheet, the problem wasn’t recognized by Microsoft.
In any case, the whole thing is probably unintentional. Microsoft doesn’t need to torture Intel Core 2 users, as these users will experience plenty of challenges after Windows 10’s October 2025 retirement party. Third-party apps and browsers will slowly end support for the operating system, and everyone who sticks with Windows 10 will feel that they are being forced towards Windows 11.
For the time being, affected users should wait for a response from Microsoft. If an official fix never comes, or if you need immediate access to the functionality provided by these broken apps, find a third-party solution. You could use IrfanView in place of Photos, for example. Rolling back to the older versions of Microsoft’s default apps is a lengthy process, so I don’t suggest going down that route.
Source: Microsoft Community via The Register
