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Store:Microsoft Store

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
(Redirected from Windows Store)
Microsoft Store
Microsoft Store cover
Developers
Microsoft
Release dates
Windows October 26, 2012
Microsoft Store at Wikipedia
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Microsoft Store, formerly Windows Store, is an app store run by Microsoft. The Microsoft Store distributes Windows Runtime (WinRT), Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and Win32 apps.

WinRT apps (Sometimes called the Modern UI apps), first introduced in Windows 8 and Windows RT, always run at the desktop resolution and scale correctly to all resolutions and aspect ratios, though they do not spread across multi-monitor setups. WinRT apps also requires a minimum resolution of 1024x768, and they will refuse to run when the desktop resolution is set below that threshold.[1]

UWP apps, first introduced in Windows 10, is the default format for apps and games in the Microsoft Store, with native Win32 app wrappers available. While Microsoft Store is available on Windows devices running on various architectures, certain apps and games are only available for x86, x86-64, ARM and ARM64 devices. On app launch the Microsoft Store checks if the user has a valid license to the run the app, though after launch the app can be easily decrypted and shared. This is a basic type of DRM, and other forms of DRM may be added on top included Steam DRM. Additional basic types of DRM are available through the Microsoft Store, but not activated by default, including:[2]

  1. An app-initiated license check on launch
  2. Anti-tamper protection for the app's license check
  3. Service-side license verification using a License Token

Outside of keyboard and mouse support, apps and games that are distributed through Microsoft Store only support XInput or GameInput controllers.[3]

Purchased apps can be installed on up to 81 devices for Windows 8 and 8.1[4] or 10 devices for Windows 10 and 11 using the same Microsoft Account.[5] It should be noted that delisted apps and games may not necessarily be re-downloadable by those who had previously purchased them[6] or may require reverting to Windows 8/previous Windows 10/11 versions.[7]

The store was introduced with the release of Windows 8 and Windows RT on October 26, 2012. With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft merged its Windows Marketplace, Windows Phone Store, Xbox Music, Xbox Video, Xbox Store, and the web storefront of the same name into Windows Store. In September 2017, Microsoft rebranded Windows Store as Microsoft Store.

Due to being a closed-source ecosystem, modding games that are distributed through Microsoft Store is difficult, but not impossible. The AppX/UWP packages that the apps and games use are very restrictive; many forms of unauthorized modding cannot be performed, such as binary editing files or forcing graphical overrides using incompatible third-party tools.[8] Injector-based modding, however, is still possible although might require new approaches by modders.[9] Apps and games can only be accessed offline after enabling offline permissions, only one device can be enabled, and the change of this device can only be performed twice in a years time.

General information

List of games available on Microsoft Store
List of games delisted from or upcoming on Microsoft Store
Official store
Official support

Issues fixed

Windows apps are shown in random language

This is problem especially with systems using other main language than English.
Windows apps and Store use Windows language settings to determine which language to use and if none on the list matches it defaults to English. This means if for example Japanese language has been added to list as IME, it defaults to it instead of English.
Add desired language to the Windows language list[10]
  1. Go to Control Panel, Clock, Language and Region and Language Options.
  2. Click Add language and add desired language to list.
    • If language is already on the list, move it higher up.
  3. From Advanced settings, make sure every setting is set to Use language list.

The system requirements button on a game's page doesn't show up

In some small-priority Windows locales, especially when browsing Microsoft Store with a web browser, info buttons may fail to show up. For instance, en-cy (English for Cyprus) causes the System Requirements button to not show up; while ha-Latn-NG (Hausa in Latin script for Nigeria) causes the Overview button to not show up.
(Browser-specific fix) Change the language tag of the URL[11]
  1. In the address bar, change the locale portion of the URL. For instance from https://www.microsoft.com/en-cy/p/apps/9n6z8dqxsqwh to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/apps/9n6z8dqxsqwh

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 8
Processor (CPU) 1 GHz
System memory (RAM) 2 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)
Video card (GPU) DirectX 9 compatible
Other 1024 x 768 screen resolution.


References

  1. Scaling to different screens - Building Windows 8 - Site Home - MSDN Blogs - last accessed on May 2023
  2. "Basic DRM and license checks". https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/gaming/gdk/_content/gc/commerce/pc-specific-considerations/xstore-basic-drm-and-license-checks. Retrieved January 21, 2024. 
  3. XInput and DirectInput - Windows Dev Center - "Note: Use of legacy DirectInput is not recommended, and DirectInput is not available for Windows Store apps."
  4. Increasing the app roaming limits - last accessed on May 2023
  5. Microsoft lowers app installs from 81 to 10 with Windows 10 - last accessed on May 2023
  6. Verified by User:Dandelion Sprout on 2021-06-02
    An example that I've had firsthand problems with, is Disney Fairies Hidden Treasures.
  7. Verified by User:SargeCassidy on 2022-07-11
    For example, both Disney Fairies Hidden Treasures and BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger are delisted (and for some, not possible to re-download) on Windows 10. Both games are listed on the Windows 8.1 store.
  8. PC Gamer - Mod support is coming to games on the Microsoft Store - last accessed on 2019-09-06
  9. Verified by User:Aemony on 2019-09-06
    Injected Special K successfully into multiple AppX-packaged games. Cheat Engine, which can be used to enable various modded functionality, is also known to work with Microsoft Store-based games. Unknown Cheats have a relevant thread on the topic.
  10. Windows 8 preview - Why are half of my Metro apps in Japanese? - Super User - last accessed on May 2023
  11. Neoverse - last accessed on 2021-07-04