Microsoft rolls out Windows Store update that allows you to choose install locations for apps

The advent of app stores has meant that software installation is very hands-off process these days. Select the app you want, hit install, and everything is taken care of for you. On one hand, this is great as it simplifies and accelerates things, but it also removes an element of control from the user.

With an update to the Windows Store app in Windows 10, Microsoft is changing this. Building on the ability to move apps from one drive to another, Windows 10 Anniversary Edition will now ask where you would like to install larger apps -- a real boon for people with more than one hard drive.

There are a couple of reasons why this latest change is good news. Firstly, it places users back in control of how their storage space is used up. It's not quite a return to the days of traditional installers, replete with endless options, but it's a step in the right direction.

Secondly, it could just mean that you are able to install large apps and games that you were not previously able to. As Windows tried to install apps without asking any questions, there was no way to tell it not to use your primary drive if you were running short on space. With the size of some games measurable in scores of gigabytes, it wasn't hard to reach a point where space was an issue.

Now, the sane and simple solution means that you can -- at long last -- choose where apps are installed. The only real downside is that the option is limited to apps and games that Microsoft decides are 'large'. This may change in the future, but don't hold your breath.

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