The Microsoft Store in Windows 11 is genuinely better than the Windows 10 version that most users wrote off as limited and unreliable. Microsoft rebuilt it substantially: traditional desktop applications (the same EXE installers you’d download from developer websites) are now available in the Store alongside UWP apps, the review process became more permissive, and major developers like Adobe, Spotify, VLC, and Zoom brought their applications in. For many common applications: searching the Store is now as valid as searching Google for a download link. This fits into the wider topic we cover in our Windows 11 How-To Guides.
Finding and installing applications
Open the Microsoft Store: Win+S → “Microsoft Store” or find it in the Start menu. The main page shows featured apps, collections, and trending software. The search bar finds applications by name, function, or publisher.
Installing is one click: find the app → “Get” (for free apps) or “Buy” (for paid) → the app downloads and installs. No download page, no “where did I save the installer,” no Next-Next-Finish installer wizard. Store apps update automatically in the background.
Filter to find the right version: some apps appear multiple times — different editions, the UWP version alongside the Win32 version. Check which version you’re installing. The Win32 version typically has more features (it’s the same application available from the developer’s website); the UWP version may be more limited but sandboxed.
Categories worth browsing
The Microsoft Store has improved across all categories, but a few are particularly useful:
- Productivity: Notepad++, draw.io, Affinity Publisher, PowerToys (Microsoft’s own free utilities), Git, and others are now available or were added after Windows 11’s launch
- Developer tools: Visual Studio Code, Windows Terminal, Python, Node.js, Git — installable from the Store with automatic updates
- Multimedia: VLC, Spotify, Amazon Music, various photo editors
- Gaming: PC Game Pass library through Xbox app; individual games from smaller developers
- System tools: CPU-Z, HWiNFO, various system utilities that previously only existed as standalone downloads
Winget — the Store’s command-line companion
The Windows Package Manager (winget) installs and updates applications from the command line. It has a larger catalogue than the Store UI and works with both Store apps and traditional installers from the web. Installed with Windows 11; use from PowerShell or Terminal:
winget search chrome # find Chrome
winget install Google.Chrome # install Chrome
winget upgrade --all # update all winget-managed apps
winget list # show installed appsWinget is the fastest way to install a standard set of applications on a new Windows 11 machine — a single PowerShell script that runs several winget install commands can set up a fresh machine with 20 applications in minutes, without visiting any websites or running any installers manually.
Microsoft Store vs direct download — when to use which
The Store is convenient (automatic updates, no installer, no malware risk from search results) but has trade-offs:
- Use the Store: consumer applications where automatic updates are convenient, official company apps (Spotify, Netflix, Disney+), Microsoft’s own tools (PowerToys, Windows Terminal, Office apps)
- Consider direct download: when the Store version lags significantly behind the current version, when you need specific installer options not available in the Store version, when the application isn’t in the Store, or when a specific portable/standalone version is needed
- Use winget instead: when you want the same convenience as the Store but for non-Store applications, or when setting up multiple machines consistently
Purchased apps and account portability
Apps purchased from the Microsoft Store are tied to your Microsoft account — not to a specific device. Sign in to any Windows 11 machine with the same account: Settings → Apps → Microsoft Store account → your purchased apps are available to install without paying again. This makes Store purchases more convenient than traditional software licenses for personal use.
The limit: most Store app licenses are for personal use on up to 5 devices associated with the account. For commercial licensing of Microsoft Store apps: check the individual app’s licensing terms — some are personal-use only; others have commercial licenses available.
Our guide on Windows 11 initial setup covers using winget for post-installation software setup, and our guide on Windows 11 default apps covers assigning specific Store apps as defaults for file types. For developers distributing applications through the Microsoft Store, Microsoft’s developer documentation covers the submission process, certification requirements, and available distribution options.
Troubleshooting Microsoft Store issues
Common Store problems:
- Apps won’t download or install: check internet connection → sign out and back in to the Microsoft account → Settings → Apps → Microsoft Store → Advanced options → Reset
- Store won’t open: Run PowerShell as admin →
Get-AppXPackage *WindowsStore* -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"}→ this re-registers the Store without uninstalling it - Updates not happening: Microsoft Store → Library → “Get updates” button forces an update check. Check if Windows Update is working (Store updates depend on Windows Update infrastructure)
- App purchased but says “Buy” again: sign out and back in to the Store with the purchasing account. The purchase is tied to the account, not the device.
Microsoft Store for Business
Organisations can configure a curated subset of Store apps available to employees through Microsoft Intune and a private Store area. Administrators can: restrict the general Store to prevent installation of any app, provide only approved apps through a company-specific store section, pre-deploy Store apps to managed devices, and centrally manage licenses for Store-distributed apps.
For IT administrators: the Store is now a reasonable enterprise app delivery mechanism for common consumer and productivity apps, reducing the need to package every application as a custom deployment. Store-managed updates reduce the patching burden for applications that auto-update through the Store.
| Installation method | Best for |
| Microsoft Store | Consumer apps, convenient updates, account-linked purchases |
| Winget | Developer tools, batch installation, scripted setup |
| Direct download (website) | Latest versions not in Store, specific editions, portable apps |
| Windows Features | Optional Windows components (WSL, Hyper-V, Sandbox) |
The Microsoft Store in Windows 11 has earned a reassessment from users who dismissed it based on the Windows 10 experience. The catalogue is larger, the applications are better, and the automatic updates work reliably. For everyday app installation, it’s worth checking the Store first rather than defaulting to a web search — the installation experience is smoother, the update behaviour is better, and the risk of downloading from an unverified source is eliminated. It’s not the only installation method worth knowing, but it’s no longer the one worth avoiding.
Microsoft Store app sandboxing
UWP apps installed from the Store run in a sandboxed environment — they have restricted access to system resources and need to explicitly request permissions to access the camera, microphone, location, and other sensitive APIs. This is different from traditional desktop (Win32) apps, which run with full access to anything the user account can access.
The sandboxing means UWP Store apps are inherently safer than traditional installers — a malicious UWP app can’t silently access your files or install system-level components. Win32 apps that arrived in the Store via the Desktop Bridge don’t have the same sandboxing — they run with the same permissions as a direct download. Both are vetted by Microsoft’s submission process, but the security profile differs.
Gaming in the Microsoft Store
The Store is the distribution platform for Xbox Game Pass PC games, as well as a growing catalogue of purchased PC games. Games from the Store install to a managed location; moving them (if a drive fills up) requires Settings → Apps → the game → Move, rather than simply moving the folder as with Steam games.
Microsoft’s Store game catalogue improved substantially since Windows 10. Major titles that were previously Xbox console-exclusive are now available on PC through the Store. Xbox Game Pass subscribers access these through the Xbox app (which uses the Store infrastructure). For Game Pass users: the Store and Xbox app are the required installation method for Game Pass titles, not a choice between Store and Steam.
Installing apps for all users vs current user
Store apps can be installed for the current user only, or for all users on the machine (if an administrator installs them). Family machines where multiple user accounts exist: admin installs from the Store make the app available to all users without each user needing to install separately. Per-user Store installs are scoped to the installing account only — other users won’t see the app in their Start menus.
This multi-user behaviour is handled automatically during installation on machines with multiple accounts and an administrator. The installation prompt may ask “Install for all users?” on some app types. For family computers: installing apps as an admin for all users is the cleaner approach than each family member independently installing the same apps.
Managing and uninstalling Store apps
Uninstall a Store app: Settings → Apps → Installed apps → find the app → three-dot menu → Uninstall. Or: right-click the app’s Start menu icon → Uninstall. Store app uninstalls are clean — they remove all app files without leaving orphaned registries or folders scattered across the system drive (unlike many traditional installers).
The clean uninstall behaviour is one of Store apps’ genuine advantages over traditional installers. Apps that leave traces after uninstallation (registry entries, leftover folders, startup entries) are a persistent Windows frustration; Store apps avoid this by managing their own installation footprint within the system’s app container framework.
The Microsoft Store represents a meaningful step toward a more curated, managed software ecosystem on Windows — similar to what users on phones and Macs have had for years. The tradeoff (less flexibility, managed updates) is worth it for many applications where convenience and security outweigh the need for granular control. Understanding when to use the Store versus winget versus direct download gives you the best of all approaches rather than defaulting to whichever you happen to encounter first.
Privacy considerations with Store app permissions
UWP apps request permissions through Windows’ permission system — the same camera, microphone, and location controls visible in Settings → Privacy & security. When a Store app first requests a sensitive permission: Windows shows a consent prompt. After granting: review and revoke permissions anytime in Privacy settings per-app.
This per-app permission model means a flashlight app can’t silently access your microphone without requesting it and you approving it. The contrast with traditional Win32 apps (which typically don’t use this permission model and run with whatever the user account can access) is meaningful for privacy. For privacy-conscious users: preferring UWP Store versions of applications over Win32 versions provides better permission visibility and control, where the choice exists.
Staying informed about Store changes
The Microsoft Store’s catalogue and policies continue evolving. Applications that weren’t available in the Store a year ago may now be present; the policy changes Microsoft has made continue attracting new developers. Before defaulting to a direct download: a quick Store search takes 15 seconds and may surface an official, auto-updating Store version of the application you need. Microsoft’s own apps in particular — Sysinternals tools, PowerToys, Windows Terminal, and developer tools — are now best obtained through the Store or winget rather than direct download, since these channels provide automatic updates that direct downloads don’t.
The Microsoft Store’s transformation from the Windows 8/10 era app store to the current Windows 11 platform is substantial enough that old opinions about it deserve updating. It’s still not perfect — some apps are outdated, some are inexplicably missing despite being popular, and the distinction between UWP and Win32 versions isn’t always clear. But it’s also now the most convenient and safest way to install many common applications, with automatic updates, clean uninstalls, and Microsoft’s vetting process reducing (though not eliminating) malware risk.
For IT professionals: the combination of the Microsoft Store and winget gives Windows 11 a software management story that’s much closer to Linux package managers (apt, brew, dnf) than Windows has ever had. Applications discoverable by name, installable in seconds, updated automatically, and uninstallable cleanly — this is the experience Linux users have had for decades. Windows is catching up, and for routine software management, it’s now a genuinely good experience when using these tools intentionally rather than defaulting to web searches and manual downloads for everything. Related: Windows 11 Search.
