Unable to update "Snap Store": Cannot refresh "snap-store"

# Unable to update "Snap Store": Cannot refresh "snap-store"

The Ubuntu error "Unable to update "Snap Store": (null) cannot refresh "snap-store": snap-store has running apps (ubuntu software) pids: X" occurs when you try to update snap-store but the application is already running.

To solve the error, stop the process by running sudo killall snap-store and refresh the application.

Here is the complete stack trace:

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Unable to update "Snap Store":

(null): cannot refresh "snap-store": snap "snap-store" has running apps (ubuntu-software), pids: 12974

snap has no updates available

1. Open your terminal and run the following command to stop all snap-store processes.

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sudo killall snap-store

The killall command enables you to stop all instances of a process based on its name.

2. Try to refresh snap-store by running the following command.

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sudo snap refresh snap-store

You can also try running the sudo snap refresh command.

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sudo snap refresh

After you run the command, you should get a message that all snaps are up to date.

If you now open the Ubuntu Software application and click on Updates, you will see that snap-store has been updated successfully and is no longer present in the list.

Note that Ubuntu Software and snap-store are two names for the same application.

Therefore if you try to update snap-store using Ubuntu Software, you will get the "snap-store has running apps (ubuntu software) pids: X" error.

If the issue persists, run the following command to get the process ID of snap-store.

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ps -e | grep snap-store

The screenshot shows that the process ID in the example is 30857. Note that your process ID will be different.

Run the following command to store the process.

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kill <YOUR_PROCESS_ID>

Make sure to replace the <YOUR_PROCESS_ID> placeholder with the process ID you got from the previous command.

After you stop the process, refresh snap-store by running the following command.

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sudo snap refresh snap-store

You can also try running the sudo snap refresh command.

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sudo snap refresh

After you run the command, you should get a message that all snaps are up to date.

# Closing Ubuntu Software is not sufficient

When you close the Ubuntu Software (Snap Store) application by clicking on the x icon at the top right corner, it often keeps running in the background.

This causes the error because an invisible snap-store process is still running.

To resolve the issue, you can also:

1. Start the Ubuntu Software application.

2. Make sure the application is focused and right-click on Ubuntu Software in the top left corner.

3. Click Quit.

4. After you select Quit, refresh snap-store by running the following command.

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sudo snap refresh snap-store

You can also try running the sudo snap refresh command.

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sudo snap refresh

After you run the command, you should get a message that all snaps are up to date.

# Closing the snap-store process using the System Monitor

If the issue persists, try to close all snap-store processes using the System Monitor application.

1. Click on Win + A, search for System Monitor and start the application.

2. Select the Processes tab and press Ctrl + F.

3. Search for snap-store.

4. Right-click on the snap-store process and select Kill.

5. Repeat the steps for each snap-store process if you see multiple processes running.

6. Try to update snap-store using one of the following commands.

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sudo snap refresh snap-store

# Or
sudo snap refresh

If the issue persists, try to run the following command.

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snap-store --quit

After closing snap-store, run one of the following commands.

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sudo snap refresh snap-store

# Or
sudo snap refresh

Here is a single command that combines the two steps.

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snap-store --quit && sudo snap refresh snap-store

If the error persists, try to run the following 2 commands.

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# stop all snap-store processes
sudo killall snap-store

# update snap-store
sudo snap refresh snap-store

# Reinstalling Snap-Store

If nothing else worked for you, you have 2 options:

1. Try to restart your PC and rerun the following commands.

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# stop all snap-store processes
sudo killall snap-store

# update snap-store
sudo snap refresh snap-store

2. Reinstall the snap-store application.

If you uninstall and reinstall snap-store, all processes will be stopped and you will automatically install the latest version of the application.

You can remove snap-store by running the following command from your terminal.

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# Remove the snap-store application
sudo snap remove snap-store

To install snap-store, run the following command.

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# Install snap-store
sudo snap install snap-store

The error should be resolved after you uninstall and reinstall the snap-store application.

If Nothing else worked, you can try to restart your PC but it is unlikely to help because the snap-store (Ubuntu Software) application starts running in the background upon login.

# Conclusion and why the error occurs

The Ubuntu error "Unable to update "Snap Store": (null) cannot refresh "snap-store": snap-store has running apps (ubuntu software) pids: X" occurs when you try to update snap-store but the application is already running.

This may happen when you try to update snap-store using the Ubuntu Software application.

Note that Ubuntu Software and snap-store are two names for the same application.

Therefore if you try to update snap-store using Ubuntu Software, you will get the error.

Running the following commands from your terminal should solve the error.

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# stop all snap-store processes
sudo killall snap-store

# update snap-store
sudo snap refresh snap-store

sudo snap refresh

The Snapd package detects when a new version of an application is available and notifies you.

If the application that has to be updated is already running, it cannot be updated, so Snapd postpones updating the application for up to 14 days.

This issue can usually be resolved by closing the application.

If the application is closed, the next time Snapd tries to update it (could take a few hours for it to notice), it should succeed.

Even if you close the Ubuntu Software application using the X icon, you might still have a snap-store process running which would prevent you from updating it.

If the issue persists, try to run the following command.

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snap-store --quit && sudo snap refresh snap-store

# Additional Resources

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