In modern versions of Ubuntu Linux, Canonical heavily relies on the “Snap Store” (also known simply as Ubuntu Software) as the primary method for discovering and installing applications. Because Snaps are containerized, they run in isolated sandboxes. However, if the underlying snapd daemon that manages these containers becomes corrupted during a system update, the entire Snap ecosystem breaks.
When this happens, clicking the orange suitcase icon to open the Snap Store will result in endless loading spinners, or the app will simply fail to launch entirely. Existing Snap applications (like Firefox or Spotify) might also refuse to open. To fix this, you must use the terminal to completely purge the Snap Store core components and force a clean reinstallation.
How to Completely Reinstall the Ubuntu Snap Store
You must forcefully remove the Snap Store package and purge its corrupted cache.
- Open your Terminal application (Ctrl + Alt + T).
- First, you must remove the broken Snap Store application. Type the following command and press Enter:
sudo snap remove snap-store - Type your administrator password when prompted.
- Next, you should refresh the core
snapddaemon to ensure the foundation is stable. Type this command and press Enter:sudo snap refresh core - (Optional but recommended): If you suspect the cache itself is the source of the corruption, you can safely clear it by typing
sudo rm -rf /var/cache/snapd/and pressing Enter. - Finally, you must command the system to download and install a completely fresh, uncorrupted copy of the Snap Store. Type this command and press Enter:
sudo snap install snap-store
The terminal will download the necessary files and display a progress percentage. Once the installation is complete, you can click the orange suitcase icon in your Ubuntu dock. The Snap Store will open instantly, rebuilt from scratch and ready to safely install applications again.