Digital distribution platform for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and Series X/S
This article is about the distribution platform. For the former retail chain, see Microsoft Store (retail).
"Windows Store" redirects here. Not to be confused with Windows Phone Store or Windows Marketplace.
"MS Store" redirects here. For the British retailer, see Marks & Spencer. For the Philippine store, see Primark Town Center.
Microsoft Store
Microsoft Store running on Windows 11. Xbox PC Game Pass can be seen in the picture.
Other names
Windows Store
Developer(s)
Microsoft (Windows) Microsoft Gaming (Xbox)
Initial release
October 26, 2012; 11 years ago (2012-10-26)
Stable release
22310.1401.8.0 (and 12107.1001.15.0 for older Windows 10 devices)
Written in
C# and XAML (UWP variant)[1]
Operating system
Windows:
Windows 8
Windows Server 2012
Windows 8.1
Windows Server 2012 R2
Windows 10
Windows 11
Windows 10 Mobile
Xbox:
Xbox One OS
Xbox Series X/S OS
Platform
IA-32, x86-64, ARM, ARM64
Predecessor
Windows Marketplace, Windows Phone Store, Xbox Video, Xbox Music, Xbox Store
Service name
Windows Store Service (WSService)
Type
App store
Video game digital distribution
Video on demand
Ebook store (closed in July 2019)
Online music store (closed in December 2017)
License
Proprietary
Website
apps.microsoft.com
Part of a series of articles on
Windows 10
Editions
New features
Removed features
Version history
Criticism
Siblings
Windows Server 2016
Windows Server 2019
Windows Server 2022
Windows 10 Mobile
Related
Windows Mixed Reality
Windows Insider
Microsoft Store
Universal Windows Platform
Fluent Design System
v
t
e
Part of a series of articles on
Windows 11
New features
Removed features
Version history
Editions
Related
Windows Insider
Microsoft Store
Universal Windows Platform
Fluent Design System
v
t
e
The Microsoft Store (formerly known as the Windows Store) is a digital distribution platform operated by Microsoft. It was created as an app store for Windows 8 as the primary means of distributing Universal Windows Platform apps. With Windows 10 1803, Microsoft merged its other distribution platforms (Windows Marketplace, Windows Phone Store, Xbox Music, Xbox Video, Xbox Store, and a web storefront also known as "Microsoft Store") into Microsoft Store, making it a unified distribution point for apps, console games, and digital videos. Digital music was included until the end of 2017, and E-books were included until 2019.[2]
As with other similar platforms, such as the Google Play and Mac App Store, Microsoft Store is curated, and apps must be certified for compatibility and content. In addition to the user-facing Microsoft Store client, the store has a developer portal with which developers can interact. Microsoft takes 5–15% of the sale price for apps and 30% on Xbox games. Prior to January 1, 2015, this cut was reduced to 20% after the developer's profits reached $25,000. In 2021, 669,000 apps were available in the store. Categories containing the largest number of apps are "Books and Reference", "Education", "Entertainment", and "Games". The majority of the app developers have one app.
^Pedri, Sergio (May 20, 2022). "The journey of moving from C++/WinRT to C# in the Microsoft Store". #ifdef Windows. Microsoft. Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
^Lee, Dave (April 4, 2019). "When this eBook store closes, your books disappear too". BBC. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
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Global Information
