App Store
The latest App Store coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Microsoft Store Update Toggle Replaced by Mandatory 5-Week Pause on Windows 11 and 10
Microsoft has quietly removed one of Windows users' final straightforward choices: the ability to permanently disable automatic updates for apps installed from the Microsoft Store. What was...
Free Microsoft Store Apps Unlock Hidden Windows 11 Productivity Tools
Windows 11 offers a sleek, modern interface right out of the box, but the true productivity transformation begins when you strategically enhance it with carefully selected free applications from the...
Eight Free Microsoft Store Utilities Fix Windows 11's Biggest Workflow Gaps
Windows 11 represents Microsoft's most refined desktop operating system yet, but even this polished platform benefits tremendously from carefully selected third-party enhancements. The Microsoft...
Microsoft Copilot on Windows 11 Is a Mess of Shortcuts and Store Apps — Here’s How to Take Control
Microsoft’s Copilot is officially a core part of Windows 11, but actually finding it, using it, or getting rid of it is anything but straightforward. Depending on your region, Windows build, and...
Forget Windows 12: Microsoft’s 25H2 Update Is a Stealth Lifecycle Reset
{ "title": "Forget Windows 12: Microsoft’s 25H2 Update Is a Stealth Lifecycle Reset", "content": "Microsoft has officially scuttled the Windows 12 rumor train. The next major release from...
KB5046714 Clears WinAppSDK 1.6.2 Mess: Store App Installs Fixed on Windows 10 22H2
Microsoft has shipped an optional cumulative update, KB5046714, to repair crashed Store app installs on Windows 10 version 22H2 after a faulty WinAppSDK 1.6.2 servicing release blocked package...
Microsoft Ships Windows Backup for Organizations, Streamlining Enterprise Windows 11 Migrations
Microsoft has begun rolling out Windows Backup for Organizations, a tenant-scoped, Intune-integrated backup and restore capability designed to capture user settings and Microsoft Store app lists so...
xAI's Apple Lawsuit Threat: Can Musk Prove ChatGPT App Store Bias?
Elon Musk’s threat to sue Apple over alleged App Store favoritism toward OpenAI’s ChatGPT has ignited a firestorm of debate about platform power, editorial curation, and the rules that govern AI...
IrfanView 4.73 Adds ARM64 Support—But Is It Still the Best Shuffle Slideshow Viewer for Windows?
When Microsoft overhauled the Photos app, one casualty was the simple shuffle slideshow—a feature many users relied on to rediscover forgotten photos or display art on a second screen. Fortunately,...
Microsoft Lens Retires Dec 15: Copilot Scanner Misses OneNote, Immersive Reader
Microsoft Lens will stop accepting new scans on December 15, 2025, and the mobile scanning app that tens of millions of users have relied on for nearly a decade will vanish from app stores a month...
The Microsoft Store’s Remarkable Revival: A Comprehensive Look at Its Evolution and Impact in 2025
The Microsoft Store’s evolution from an oft-maligned, lackluster component of the Windows ecosystem into a robust app distribution hub by 2025 stands as one of the tech world’s most surprising...
Step-by-Step Guide: Install Google Play Store on Windows 11 Using WSA
For years, Windows users have dreamed of seamless Android app integration, craving the rich library of applications beyond what limited official offerings like the Amazon Appstore provide. Now, with...