How to fix error 0x80072f8f

The error code 0x80072f8f can occur for various reasons. In addition to trying out some simple solutions, you can also disable your firewall for a short amount of time.

What is 0x80072f8f?

When you install a new Windows system or update your current system, you may encounter error code 0x80072f8f. The error is displayed when you attempt to activate Windows. The exact wording that will appear is: “A problem occurred when Windows tried to activate. Error code: 0x80072f8f”. This means that activation was unsuccessful. There are several ways to quickly fix the error. The right solution depends on what the exact cause is.

There are three possible causes for error code 0x80072f8f:

1. Update error
2. Store error
3. Activation error

If you performed an update shortly before you got the error message, this is most likely what caused it. If you have Windows 7, 8, 10 or Vista enabled, this can be the deciding factor. We’ll explain how best to proceed in these three cases. Before you start with the recommended solutions below, you should first check your internet connection. If your internet is down, this can also trigger error code 0x80072f8f.

Disable third-party security software or firewall

If the problem hasn’t got anything to do with the internet connection, the security systems you have in place may have triggered error 0x80072f8f. In this case, there are two things you can try.

First, disable third-party security software. This can possibly trigger problems when interacting with Microsoft servers. If you are using an antivirus program or a firewall from another provider, disable them (at least briefly) and try to connect again. If that doesn’t work, or if you don’t have any additional security programs enabled, turn Windows Firewall off for a short time. This is how to disable it:

1. Press both [Windows] and [R] keys to open the Run window.
2. Type the search term “control” in the dialog box (without quotation marks) and then click OK.
3. The Control Panel will now open. Select the Windows Firewall option.
4. On the left side you have the option to turn the firewall on or off. Click on the corresponding option to open another window.
5. There are two sections here. In the Private network settings section, check Turn off Windows Firewall (not recommended). Make sure to also select this option under Public network settings. Confirm your selection with OK.
6. Try to connect to the Microsoft servers again. Error code 0x80072f8f should now no longer occur.

Afterwards you should reactivate the Firewall. To do this, perform all of the above steps once more and place checkmarks next to Turn on Windows Firewall for both private and the public network. You can get more information about turning on Windows Defender in our Digital Guide.

Repair apps and fix 0x80072f8f

If error code 0x80072f8f appears directly after you have downloaded or updated an app, the error is often caused by the app itself. Problems can, for example, occur if a file was not downloaded completely. Trying to reinstall it often triggers error code 0x80072f8f. In this case, you can repair the app or reset it. We’ll show you how you to do both.

1. First click on Start and then type Settings into the search field.
2. In the settings, select the Apps option.
3. On the left side, you will find Apps & features. Click on it.
4. Search for Microsoft Store and click Advanced options below it.
5. If you now scroll down a bit, you will find the Repair and Reset options. First, try to repair the corresponding app. If this does not lead to the desired result, reset it.
6. Finally, restart the Microsoft Store. Error code 0x80072f8f should hopefully be no more.

Synchronize time and date to end error 0x80072f8f

If 0x80072f8f occurs as an activation error, the following method is worth a shot. You could also try it for the other two cases as well. The goal of this method is to update the date and time because if these details are not correct, they can lead to security problems as well as error code 0x80072f8f. It doesn’t take long to do:

1. Access the settings again via Start.
2. Select Time and language.
3. Click Sync now under Additional settings.
4. Now close the window and restart your PC. A lot of the time, this fixes error code 0x80072f8f.