<s>
The	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
(	O
formerly	O
known	O
as	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
)	O
is	O
a	O
digital	O
distribution	O
platform	O
operated	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
started	O
as	O
an	O
app	B-Application
store	I-Application
for	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
and	O
Windows	B-Device
Server	I-Device
2012	I-Device
as	O
the	O
primary	O
means	O
of	O
distributing	O
Universal	B-Device
Windows	I-Device
Platform	I-Device
apps	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
Windows	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
,	O
Microsoft	O
merged	O
its	O
other	O
distribution	O
platforms	O
(	O
Windows	O
Marketplace	O
,	O
Windows	B-Application
Phone	I-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
Xbox	B-Application
Music	I-Application
,	O
Xbox	B-Application
Video	I-Application
,	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
Store	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
web	O
storefront	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
"	O
)	O
into	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
making	O
it	O
a	O
unified	O
distribution	O
point	O
for	O
apps	O
,	O
console	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
and	O
digital	O
videos	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
other	O
similar	O
platforms	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Google	B-Application
Play	I-Application
and	O
Mac	B-Application
App	I-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
is	O
curated	O
,	O
and	O
apps	O
must	O
be	O
certified	O
for	O
compatibility	O
and	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
user-facing	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
client	O
,	O
the	O
store	O
has	O
a	O
developer	O
portal	O
with	O
which	O
developers	O
can	O
interact	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
takes	O
5	O
–	O
15%	O
of	O
the	O
sale	O
price	O
for	O
apps	O
and	O
30%	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
marketplace	O
tracked	O
product	B-Application
keys	I-Application
and	O
licenses	O
,	O
allowing	O
users	O
to	O
retrieve	O
their	O
purchases	O
when	O
switching	O
computers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
this	O
point	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
opened	O
a	O
Web-based	B-Application
storefront	O
called	O
"	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
first	O
announced	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
a	O
digital	O
distribution	O
service	O
for	O
Windows	O
at	O
its	O
presentation	O
during	O
the	O
Build	O
developer	O
conference	O
on	O
September	O
13	O
,	O
2011	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Further	O
details	O
announced	O
during	O
the	O
conference	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
store	O
would	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
hold	O
listings	O
for	O
both	O
certified	O
traditional	O
Windows	B-Application
apps	I-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
what	O
were	O
called	O
"	O
Metro-style	O
apps	O
"	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
:	O
tightly-sandboxed	O
software	O
based	O
on	O
Microsoft	O
design	O
guidelines	O
that	O
are	O
constantly	O
monitored	O
for	O
quality	O
and	O
compliance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
consumers	O
,	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
is	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
only	O
way	O
to	O
obtain	O
Metro-style	O
apps	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
announced	O
alongside	O
the	O
"	O
Developer	O
Preview	O
"	O
release	O
of	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
,	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
itself	O
did	O
not	O
become	O
available	O
until	O
the	O
"	O
Consumer	O
Preview	O
"	O
,	O
released	O
in	O
February	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Updates	O
to	O
apps	O
published	O
on	O
the	O
store	O
after	O
July	O
1	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
are	O
no	O
longer	O
available	O
to	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
RTM	O
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Per	O
Microsoft	O
lifecycle	O
policies	O
,	O
the	O
RTM	O
version	O
of	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
has	O
been	O
unsupported	O
since	O
January	O
12	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
excluding	O
some	O
Embedded	O
editions	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
its	O
server	O
equivalent	O
,	O
Windows	B-Device
Server	I-Device
2012	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
updated	O
version	O
of	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
was	O
introduced	O
in	O
Windows	O
8.1	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Windows	O
8.1	B-Device
Update	O
also	O
introduced	O
other	O
notable	O
presentation	O
changes	O
,	O
including	O
increasing	O
the	O
top	O
app	O
lists	O
to	O
return	O
1000	O
apps	O
instead	O
of	O
100	O
apps	O
,	O
a	O
"	O
picks	O
for	O
you	O
"	O
section	O
,	O
and	O
changing	O
the	O
default	O
sorting	O
for	O
reviews	O
to	O
be	O
by	O
"	O
most	O
popular	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Updates	O
to	O
apps	O
published	O
on	O
the	O
Store	O
after	O
July	O
1	O
,	O
2023	O
,	O
will	O
not	O
be	O
available	O
to	O
Windows	O
8.1	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Per	O
Microsoft	O
lifecycle	O
policies	O
,	O
the	O
Windows	B-Device
8.1	I-Device
Update	O
reached	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
its	O
extended	O
support	O
on	O
January	O
10	O
,	O
2023	O
,	O
excluding	O
some	O
Embedded	O
editions	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
its	O
server	O
equivalent	O
,	O
Windows	B-Device
Server	I-Device
2012	I-Device
R2	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Windows	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
was	O
released	O
with	O
an	O
updated	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
which	O
merged	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
other	O
distribution	O
platforms	O
(	O
Windows	O
Marketplace	O
,	O
Windows	B-Application
Phone	I-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
Xbox	B-Application
Video	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
Music	I-Application
)	O
into	O
a	O
unified	O
store	O
front	O
for	O
Windows	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
on	O
all	O
platforms	O
,	O
offering	O
apps	O
,	O
games	O
,	O
music	O
,	O
film	O
,	O
TV	O
series	O
,	O
themes	O
,	O
and	O
ebooks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
June	O
2017	O
,	O
Spotify	O
became	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2017	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
began	O
to	O
re-brand	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
as	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
with	O
a	O
new	O
icon	O
carrying	O
the	O
Microsoft	O
logo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xbox	B-Protocol
Store	O
was	O
merged	O
into	O
this	O
new	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Web	B-Application
apps	I-Application
and	O
traditional	O
desktop	O
software	O
can	O
be	O
packaged	O
for	O
distribution	O
on	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Desktop	O
software	O
distributed	O
through	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
are	O
packaged	O
using	O
the	O
App-V	O
system	O
to	O
allow	O
sandboxing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2018	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
announced	O
that	O
Progressive	B-Application
Web	I-Application
Apps	I-Application
would	O
begin	O
to	O
be	O
available	O
in	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Microsoft	O
would	O
automatically	O
add	O
selected	O
quality	O
progressive	B-Application
web	I-Application
apps	I-Application
through	O
the	O
Bing	B-Application
crawler	O
or	O
allow	O
developers	O
to	O
submit	O
Progressive	B-Application
Web	I-Application
Apps	I-Application
to	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Starting	O
from	O
Windows	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
version	O
1803	O
,	O
fonts	O
can	O
be	O
downloaded	O
and	O
installed	O
from	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Windows	B-Application
11	I-Application
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
received	O
an	O
updated	O
user	O
interface	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
pop-up	O
designed	O
to	O
handle	O
installation	O
links	O
from	O
websites	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
is	O
available	O
in	O
Windows	B-Device
Server	I-Device
2012	I-Device
,	O
Windows	B-Device
Server	I-Device
2012	I-Device
R2	O
and	O
later	O
but	O
is	O
not	O
installed	O
by	O
default	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
a	O
limited	O
time	O
,	O
UWP	B-Device
apps	O
can	O
be	O
acquired	O
from	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
for	O
Business	O
(	O
formerly	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
for	O
Business	O
)	O
and	O
installed	O
through	O
sideloading	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
is	O
the	O
primary	O
means	O
of	O
distributing	O
Universal	B-Device
Windows	I-Device
Platform	I-Device
(	O
UWP	B-Device
)	O
apps	O
to	O
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sideloading	B-Protocol
apps	O
from	O
outside	O
the	O
store	O
is	O
supported	O
on	O
Windows	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
on	O
an	O
opt-in	O
basis	O
,	O
but	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
only	O
allows	O
sideloading	B-Protocol
to	O
be	O
enabled	O
if	O
the	O
device	O
is	O
running	O
the	O
Enterprise	O
edition	O
of	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
on	O
a	O
domain	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sideloading	B-Protocol
on	O
Windows	B-Operating_System
RT	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
Pro	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
Enterprise	O
computers	O
without	O
a	O
domain	B-General_Concept
affiliation	O
,	O
requires	O
the	O
purchase	O
of	O
additional	O
licenses	O
through	O
volume	B-License
licensing	I-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2015	O
,	O
over	O
669,000	O
apps	O
were	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
store	O
,	O
including	O
apps	O
for	O
Windows	B-Device
NT	I-Device
,	O
Windows	B-Protocol
Phone	I-Protocol
,	O
and	O
UWP	B-Device
apps	O
,	O
which	O
work	O
on	O
both	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
free	O
and	O
paid	O
apps	O
can	O
be	O
distributed	O
through	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
with	O
paid	O
apps	O
ranging	O
in	O
cost	O
from	O
US	O
$0.99	O
to	O
$999.99	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developers	O
from	O
120	O
countries	O
can	O
submit	O
apps	O
to	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
2016	O
to	O
2019	O
,	O
most	O
Microsoft	O
Studios	O
games	O
ported	O
to	O
PC	O
were	O
distributed	O
exclusively	O
via	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
later	O
abandoned	O
this	O
strategy	O
in	O
May	O
2019	O
,	O
amid	O
criticism	O
of	O
limitations	O
faced	O
by	O
UWP-based	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
desire	O
to	O
also	O
sell	O
games	O
on	O
competing	O
storefronts	O
such	O
as	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
app	I-Protocol
subsequently	O
became	O
the	O
main	O
frontend	O
for	O
PC	O
games	O
available	O
via	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
and	O
also	O
integrates	O
subscription	O
service	O
PC	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Content	O
can	O
be	O
played	O
on	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Movies	I-Application
&	I-Application
TV	I-Application
app	O
(	O
available	O
for	O
Windows	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
,	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
One	O
,	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
360	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
X/S	O
)	O
,	O
or	O
Xbox	B-Application
Video	I-Application
app	O
(	O
available	O
for	O
Windows	O
8/RT	O
PCs	O
and	O
tablets	O
,	O
and	O
Windows	B-Protocol
Phone	I-Protocol
8	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Movies	I-Application
&	I-Application
TV	I-Application
is	O
currently	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
following	O
21	O
countries	O
:	O
Australia	O
,	O
Austria	O
,	O
Belgium	O
,	O
Brazil	O
,	O
Canada	O
,	O
Denmark	O
,	O
Finland	O
,	O
France	O
,	O
Germany	O
,	O
Ireland	O
,	O
Italy	O
,	O
Japan	O
,	O
Mexico	O
,	O
Netherlands	O
,	O
New	O
Zealand	O
,	O
Norway	O
,	O
Spain	O
,	O
Sweden	O
,	O
Switzerland	O
,	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
2	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
sale	O
of	O
digital	O
music	O
on	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
would	O
cease	O
on	O
December	O
31	O
after	O
the	O
discontinuation	O
of	O
Groove	B-Application
Music	I-Application
Pass	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Books	O
bought	O
from	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
were	O
formerly	O
accessible	O
on	O
the	O
EdgeHTML-based	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ability	O
to	O
open	O
ePub	O
e-books	O
was	O
removed	O
during	O
the	O
shift	O
to	O
the	O
Chromium-based	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
April	O
2	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
sale	O
of	O
e-books	O
on	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
had	O
ceased	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
to	O
Windows	B-Application
Phone	I-Application
Store	I-Application
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
is	O
regulated	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Video	O
game	O
console	O
emulators	O
that	O
are	O
"	O
primarily	O
gaming	O
experiences	O
or	O
target	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
One	O
"	O
and	O
third-party	O
web	B-Application
browsers	I-Application
that	O
use	O
their	O
own	O
layout	B-Protocol
engines	I-Protocol
,	O
are	O
prohibited	O
on	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
has	O
indicated	O
that	O
it	O
can	O
remotely	O
disable	B-Device
or	I-Device
remove	I-Device
apps	I-Device
from	O
end-user	O
systems	O
for	O
security	O
or	O
legal	O
reasons	O
;	O
in	O
the	O
case	O
of	O
paid	O
apps	O
,	O
refunds	O
may	O
be	O
issued	O
when	O
this	O
is	O
done	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
8	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
announced	O
a	O
commitment	O
to	O
ten	O
"	O
principles	O
"	O
of	O
fairness	O
to	O
developers	O
in	O
the	O
operation	O
of	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Windows	B-Application
11	I-Application
,	O
Microsoft	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
not	O
require	O
software	O
(	O
excluding	O
games	O
)	O
distributed	O
via	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
to	O
use	O
its	O
own	O
payment	O
platforms	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
will	O
also	O
allow	O
third-party	O
storefronts	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
Amazon	O
Appstore	O
—	O
which	O
will	O
be	O
used	O
for	O
its	O
Android	O
app	O
support	O
,	O
and	O
Epic	O
Games	O
Store	O
)	O
to	O
offer	O
their	O
clients	O
for	O
download	O
via	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
user	O
facing	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
client	O
,	O
the	O
store	O
also	O
has	O
a	O
developer	O
portal	O
with	O
which	O
developers	O
can	O
interact	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
provides	O
developer	O
tools	O
for	O
tracking	O
apps	O
in	O
the	O
store	O
.	O
</s>
