The Microsoft Store is set to enhance its capabilities with robust support for updating Win32 applications. While the Store has previously permitted the updating of Win32 apps on Windows 11, a notable new feature is being introduced: integration with Winget (Windows Package Manager). This will now manage updates for applications that utilize their own distinct update mechanisms, such as Discord.
In our earlier piece, Windows Latest outlined several upcoming features and design upgrades slated for the Store on Windows 11. These enhancements include quicker animations, improved load times, and a more seamless experience during downloads. Although we’ve touched on the better handling of Win32 apps, it’s time to delve deeper into the specifics of the changes.
In the past, when users downloaded an application like Discord from the Microsoft Store, the installation was managed by the Store, whereas updates were reliant on Discord’s internal updater. For instance, if you installed Discord version 1.1.1.1 from the Store, but an update to version 1.1.1.2 was available, the internal updater would prompt you to download the new version before you could access Discord.
According to limited documentation, discussions with a Microsoft representative, and our comprehension, it appears that Windows 11’s Store now facilitates updates for select Win32 apps installed via the Store, even if these applications employ custom installers (like Discord or OBS Studio).
These updates function behind the scenes through the Windows Package Manager (WinGet). This newly introduced feature empowers the Store to manage updates for Win32 applications that were obtained via the Store yet typically depend on their own updaters.
Consequently, if you download Discord through the Microsoft Store and an update is released, the Store itself can now manage the update process (utilizing WinGet in the background).
There’s no necessity to launch Discord for the update to take place; you can simply update it from the Store’s “Downloads and Updates” page.
Below is a screenshot demonstrating how this feature operates within the Microsoft Store.
However, note that applications installed outside the Store (for example, those downloaded directly from a developer’s site) will not receive updates through the Microsoft Store. Additionally, the Store does not monitor or manage these apps; you would still need to depend on the app’s internal updater or WinGet if it is supported.
Details are scarce at the moment, but per Giorgio Sardo, General Manager of Apps, Partners, and the Store at Microsoft, the documentation will be revised in the upcoming weeks, providing developers with further insights.
“This initiative fundamentally utilizes the Windows Package Manager. We will be evaluating the user experience in the Windows Insider Program and making iterative changes,” Giorgio Sardo mentioned in a post on X, which was noted by Windows Latest. “Once the feature is fully prepared, we will update the documentation with comprehensive details and suggestions for developers.”
Despite the various challenges faced by Windows 11, I maintain that the Microsoft Store has significantly improved, and its continual enhancements are promising. The Store is appreciably quicker than its predecessor, although there still remain opportunities for enhancement, particularly when it comes to downloading larger applications and games, where it tends to lag.