How to Make use of Microsoft Store in Windows 11. Users of the smartphone are used to the idea of downloading apps, games, movies, and more directly from a store. Users of the Apple’s App Store, and Android users have Google’s Play Store.
Right in the desktop side, an app store is a little bit newer idea. However, it is something that has become available to users of the windows for some time, and the Microsoft Store in windows 11 provides a quick and easy way to find, compare, install and update apps.
According to Techradar, If you are used to downloading software from websites and installing using a setup program, taking the first steps in the Microsoft Store and can be daunting. For this reason, we have put together this guide to aid us with getting started and learning how to get the best from this incredible resource.
How to Make use of Microsoft Store in Windows 11
Accessing the Store
Microsoft Store would be accessed via the app that is included with windows 11, or you can make use of the website. The web-based version of the store can be found here, but the app offers far much better experience.
Also you should find that there’s a shortcut for the Microsoft Store pinned to the taskbar, but you also get to find it in the start menu. Click the start button and either browse through the listed apps or type Microsoft Store and click the shortcut that appears in the results.
Checking the Categories
The store is divided right into three main sections – Apps, gaming and Films & TV. These can be accessed using the button on the left-hand side of the screen. We would look at apps to begin with.
There are different ways to locate what you are looking for. If you know what you want, you can choose to type in the name of an app into the search bar located at the top of the store and then click the relevant entry in the results. Alternatively, you can choose to browse through categories of curated content, such as Best Productivity apps, best creativity apps, and more.
Selecting an App in the Store
Click on the name of the app and you would be taken to its listing page where you get to see screenshots of what it looks like, read the developer’s description and reviews that came from other users, and you can also check out the details like the size and system requirements from the app.
Installing the app is quite easy, particularly for all those that are free. All you have to do is click on the Get button and wait while the software downloads and installs; you would see a progress update while the download is going on.
When the installation has been completed, the Get button would change to an Open button. You can choose to click this to launch the app or make use of the shortcut that has been created in the start menu. Paid-for apps seems to work in a similar way.
Checking for Updates
It does not matter if you have installed free or paid-for apps, it seems important to keep them up to date. Having to install the latest version of an app means that you would be offered access to all the latest features and any issue that have been found would get fixed.
To see if any update is available, you would be required to click on the library button located at the lower left of the store and the click on “Get updates” button located at the upper right.
Also, it is worth stating that a lot of apps that are included with windows 11 can be updates in this way, so it is definitely worth you checking out when updates come as time goes on.
Click on the Context Menu
While you are still in the library section, you get to see a list of apps that have been installed previously, or that you have installed on other devices. You cannot differentiate between the apps that have been installed and others by just looking at them.
Checking App Settings
While Microsoft Store remains a fairly simple app, there still are some settings that you can configure in other to make your life a bit easier. Click your profile picture located at the upper right of the app and the select App settings.
Perhaps one of the most useful information here is that you get to choose the update mainly because this is enabled, any apps that have been installed would be automatically get updates so that you do not have to manually do it.
