Updated Microsoft Store

Microsoft is rolling out significant updates to its Microsoft Store on Windows, promising a dramatically improved experience for users. You know that little shopping bag icon on the taskbar. The enhancements focus on greater personalization, smarter search capabilities, boosted performance, and a host of new features designed to make discovering and installing apps and games smoother than ever before.

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The most noticeable change for many will be the personalised homepage, tailoring content to individual user preferences and habits. Complementing this, the Store's search function has become far more intelligent and intent-aware, leveraging signals like app updates and ratings to deliver more relevant results and better address language-specific nuances. For users in the United States, (and soon to be released everywhere) a standout addition is the integration of Copilot, now accessible directly from product pages to answer questions as you browse.

​Discovery is also getting a major uplift. A new “Discover More” section on product pages will surface related content, helping users find complementary apps and games. Furthermore, new product page badges will clearly indicate apps boasting AI features and those specifically optimized for the new generation of Copilot+ PCs, making it easier to identify cutting-edge software.

Beyond new features, Microsoft has made substantial strides in performance and reliability. The Store now launches an impressive two times faster than it did just six months ago, and installation reliability and speed have seen significant improvements. Gamers will particularly appreciate the new ability to install individual components for games, offering greater control over downloads. Everyday conveniences include faster in-app rating dialogs and a new field on product pages indicating when an app or game was last updated, providing crucial transparency for users.

Perhaps one of the most streamlined features is the ability to install apps directly from Windows Search. Users can now search for an app or game from the Windows search bar, and if available in the Store, quickly initiate the installation without needing to fully open the Store application.

These comprehensive updates underscore Microsoft's ongoing commitment to refining the Windows experience, making the Microsoft Store a faster, more intuitive, and more secure hub for digital content.

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