Articles about Microsoft Store

If you’re the sort of person who likes to be in control of what happens on your computer – as much as such a thing is possible – you may have disabled automatic updates for Microsoft Store apps.

Microsoft has, without warning or any sort of announcement, removed this option. If you have installed an app from the Microsoft Store, you are now essentially forced to keep the very latest versions of that app installed.

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Out of the blue, Microsoft has killed off its digital storefront for movies and TV shows. The sudden change means that the Microsoft Store can no longer be used to buy or rent this type of content on Windows or Xbox.

There has been no big announcement about the decision to stop offering such content, but a support document makes Microsoft’s decision clear. The company stresses that anything that has been paid for will remain accessible.

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Using an app store to keep installed apps up to date is something that the likes of Apple’s App Store and Google Play brought to the mainstream, and it eventually moved to the desktop. Until now, the Microsoft Store has been limited in its capabilities, but Microsoft has announced some huge changes.

Perhaps the biggest change is support for updating Win32 apps directly in Microsoft Store, which is something users have been asking for for some time. But there are other changes too, including zero onboarding fees for developers, and an expanded set of Health Report insights.

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WhatsApp is in the process of rolling out a redesigned app for Windows users. The latest update to the beta version of the chat client sees the app echoing the design language used for WhatsApp Web, as well as some UI changes that will be familiar to macOS users.

One of the most notable changes to be seen in this refresh is the way in which channels are accessible. There are also changes in the Community section of the app, but the most welcome aspect of this latest update is the consistency which can now be enjoyed across platforms.

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Having already started to redesign the Windows 11 Start menu, Microsoft has revealed that there are even more changes afoot. As part of an upgrade to Windows Search, it will soon be possible to find and install apps from the Start menu.

What is happening is that the Microsoft Store is being integrated into the Start menu -- thanks to the fact that it is going to be integrated into Windows Search. The idea is that it reduces friction and makes it quicker and easier to get hold of apps that have not yet been installed.

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Six-hundred-twenty-three in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and Windows 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.

Microsoft confirmed several issues this week that affect Windows 11, version 24H2. One plagues Ubisoft gamers in particular.

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In response to user feedback, Microsoft has launched Microsoft Store installers for web with refined workflow and faster app downloads.

The changes only apply to Store apps installed directly from apps.microsoft.com, but for anyone using this approach rather than the Microsoft Store app, there are great improvements to the UX. Fewer clicks are now needed to locate and install an app, individual installations are faster, and parallel installation of multiple apps are possible.

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In an era of disposable technology, where planned obsolescence seems to be the norm, Microsoft is charting a different course with some of its Surface computers. You see, starting today, the Microsoft Store is making replacement components for Surface devices readily available. With the introduction of these replacement components, Microsoft is making significant strides towards empowering customers to extend the lifespan of their Surface devices in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.

To assist customers in their repair journeys, Microsoft has created a dedicated section on their website (found here). This resource hub provides comprehensive troubleshooting information and self-repair guides tailored to Surface devices. It also offers a convenient list of available replacement components, categorized by device. For those seeking the right tools for the job, Microsoft has partnered with iFixit, a reputable provider of repair resources and tools.

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Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your keyboards, because Surfshark is making waves in the world of online security. The highly acclaimed VPN app has officially landed on the Microsoft Store for Windows, and the internet community is buzzing with excitement.

Why did the folks at Surfshark decide to make this move? Well, it's all about accessibility, my friends. Surfshark is on a mission to make their product available to everyone, and what better way to achieve that than by offering their app on the Microsoft Store? Windows users can now easily experience the full power and potential of Surfshark's VPN services right at their fingertips.

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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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Microsoft has been increasing its focus on Linux for some years now, including introducing the ability to run a GNU/Linux environment inside Windows 10 and Windows 11 via the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). This includes most command-line tools, utilities, and applications.

12 days ago, Microsoft released version 0.70.8 of the tool, which fixed plenty of issues and added some extra features. Now, the company announces it is removing the Preview label and making WSL in the Microsoft Store "generally available".

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If you have noticed the appearance of the Spotify app on your computer but you don't recall installing it, you are not alone. There are multiple reports -- or complaints, even -- from users of Windows 10 and Windows 11 that the app has installed itself without permission.

It is certainly not unknown for Microsoft to forcibly install apps on computers, but on previous occasions when apps have been foisted onto people, there has been some sort of announcement or notification. This has not happened this time around, so it is not quite clear what is going on. One thing is undeniable though: people are not happy.

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Having previously upset software developers by implementing a ban on the sale of open source software in its app store, Microsoft has reversed its decision.

The company says that it has listened to feedback -- which was vocal and negative -- and has updated the Microsoft Stores Policies, removing references to open source pricing. Microsoft has also clarified just why it put the ban in place.

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Among the plethora of announcements to come out of Build 2022, Microsoft had quite a bit of news relating to the Microsoft Store in Windows 11. With a sly dig at rivals, the company pointed out that developers are able to use their own in-app commerce engines and retain one hundred percent of revenue. But the announcements about what is new are far more noteworthy.

While developers and users alike will welcome full Microsoft Store support for Win32 apps, news about the arrival of Microsoft Store Ads is likely to prove more divisive. But this is not the end of the Store-related announcements.

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The apps section of the Microsoft Store has been an embarrassment since day one, and even now -- despite Microsoft’s efforts to improve it -- it’s still a dumpster fire.

Perhaps most embarrassingly of all, if you went to the app store expecting to be able to download Microsoft Teams, you’ll have drawn a blank as it wasn’t there. Today though, that finally changes. Well, changes for some users anyway.

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