Microsoft is testing a new way for Windows 11 users to install free apps and games

New Insider builds of Windows 11 are usually about Microsoft testing out new features of the operating system, but sometimes the company tries something a little different. This is something that is true of the latest Canary release, build 25330, and Dev release, build 23424.

In both of these new releases, there are important changes to the Microsoft Store. The latest version of the app gives Insiders a new way to install free apps and games faster than ever.

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For anyone who is running 22303.1401.x of the Microsoft Store and higher, there is a more efficient and streamlined way to install apps and games. The changes only apply to free offerings -- at least for the time being -- and mean that it is possible to install titles without the need to visit the product page.

Microsoft explains:

Install free apps and games from search results: We’ve introduced a new way to install free apps and games. Hovering over a free product on the search results page opens a new expanded card experience, where you can find a convenient install button. This will trigger the installation without having to navigate into the product page.

There are other changes to the store, as the company outlines:

• New design when purchasing apps and games in the Store: Discover a new and redesigned experience when purchasing apps and games inside the Microsoft Store! The purchase dialog’s styles align better with Windows 11 to bring you a more pleasant checkout experience.
• New UX for in-app ratings dialog: Developers of your favorite apps and games often use a Microsoft Store feature that requests ratings from within the app or game. We’ve updated this in-app ratings experience to be faster, more reliable, and to better align with Windows 11 styling.

Microsoft is seeking feedback on these changes and additions, so what you see now may well not be the same when it ships to the release version of Windows 11.