How to get rid of the error messages "Purchase pending" and "Purchase failed" on a Windows 10|11 device

Troubleshooting purchase issues will vary depending on whether the payment window appears or not after clicking the Buy and Download button. 

 

NO PAYMENT OPTION

If you're not able to select your payment option, see below:

• If the payment pop-up doesn't appear, go to Microsoft Store - No payment pop-up after clicking "Buy and Download" instead
• If the payment pop-up flashes on the screen before closing down, visit Microsoft Store - The payment pop-up appears briefly
• If the payment pop-up is blank, go to Microsoft Store - Payment pop-up is blank

PAYMENT IS PENDING 

If you were able to click 'BUY' button but the purchase remains on hold, see below:

Start by checking the status of the order. 

1. Sign in to account.microsoft.com.
2. Select Payment & billing > Order history

You can use the filters to specific billing periods or to review In progress, Returned/Refunded, Digital, or Physical orders that were bought with this Microsoft account.

If the payment is in progress, wait. If it's been in progress for more than 5 days, contact us.

 

PAYMENT FAILED 

If you were able to click 'BUY' button but you immediately received a "Payment failed" notification, see below:

CHECK YOUR SYSTEM

You may not be able to use the Marketplace if some Windows OS or Microsoft Store dependencies are missing or outdated or if you're not logged in to the Microsoft Store app and the Xbox app with your Microsoft account.

Before continuing, please go through our Basic Windows 10|11 troubleshooting then uninstall and reinstall the Xbox app.

CHECK YOUR MICROSOFT ACCOUNT

Is your credit card up to date? 

• Make sure that your payment option has the correct account or credit card number, CVV number, name, billing address, and expiration date on the Payment options page.
• Ensure that the information from your payment method (card, paypal etc...) matches the billing information in your Microsoft account and your PC. For instance, make sure that the address format is exactly the same and double-check that the country is correctly set up.
• If you need info about how to add, update, or remove a payment option, see Add a payment method to your Microsoft account.

Check your account status

You won't be able to make a purchase if your account has:

• A balance due for a Microsoft subscription. Get info about how to pay for a past-due Microsoft subscription. (Once you have resolved that, if you want to cancel the subscription, see Cancel or turn off recurring billing for a Microsoft subscription.)

• A temporary suspension from your Microsoft account. For more info, see Account has been locked.

• A suspension or ban from Xbox Live. Find out why your account was banned or suspended from Xbox Live.

Does your account region and Microsoft Store location match? 

If your account region and your Microsoft store location don't match, you'll have a problem making a purchase. You must have a valid billing address and payment option that matches your locale. For more info about how to check and change your region, see Change your country or region in Microsoft Store.

If you've moved and need to update your region info for Xbox, go to Bring Xbox Live with you and follow the directions to change your region.

Are you connecting from an Xbox Live-supported region? 

Click here to find the list of countries/regions where Xbox products and services are supported.

Do you have enough funds in your Microsoft account balance to cover taxes? 

If you're trying to buy something using your Microsoft Account balance, you may not have enough funds in your account to cover the total cost of the item. For example, if you try to buy a game that's listed as $9.99, and you have a Microsoft account balance of $10, that amount isn't enough to cover the taxes, so you'll need to add more funds to pay the final balance.

If you need to add more money, see Add money to your Microsoft account and How to spend all of your Microsoft gift card money.

MULTIPLE SESSIONS/DEVICES

If you play Microsoft Flight Simulator on multiple devices,  log out of the sim at the end of each session. 

1. Click on your icon in the top right-hand side corner of the screen
2. Click on Sign out
3. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC or quit on Xbox 
   • Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
   • Highlight the game, press the Menu button on your controller, and select Quit.

DISABLE YOUR PROXY

Microsoft does not allow purchases made via an anonymous proxy or proxy-server.

1. In the Windows Search bar, type "Proxy"
2. Open "Proxy settings"
3. Toggle all settings OFF

If the problem persists after that, contact  Microsoft support.

>> Payment, billing, and the Microsoft Store app help