UWP applications fail to launch from Visual Studio if project location and Windows Store apps installation path are on a non-default drive. Also, the XAML Designer will crash if you install Visual Studio and Windows Store apps to a non-default drive

Windows 10 allows users to change the default storage location of Windows Store applications. If you select a non-default drive for your apps, and if you install Visual Studio 2015 onto this drive, the XAML designer will not start and Windows Store app projects built on this drive cannot be run from Visual Studio.

Note: the workaround below will make any Store apps installed to the secondary drive inaccessible until next restart.

The file system driver can be temporarily disabled by running the following command from an admin command prompt:

fltmc detach filecrypt :

This will enable both running apps from this drive as well as usage of the XAML designer until the machine is restarted.

For a longer term fix, move your app or Visual Studio install to your system drive, or a secondary drive that has never been the storage location for Windows Store apps.