Install Windows Apps From the Command Line: No More Microsoft Store?
- For those who find the Microsoft Store a frustrating experience – slow, ad-laden, and difficult to navigate – there’s now a new option.
- The feature, announced last week, is accessible by simply typing “store” into the PowerShell prompt.
- This move is a notable departure for a mainstream commercial operating system.
For those who find the Microsoft Store a frustrating experience – slow, ad-laden, and difficult to navigate – there’s now a new option. Microsoft has quietly rolled out a command-line interface (CLI) for the Microsoft Store, allowing users to search, install, and update applications directly from PowerShell without ever opening the graphical user interface.
The feature, announced last week, is accessible by simply typing “store” into the PowerShell prompt. Users who find the command doesn’t work should ensure they have installed the latest Windows 11 updates. Upon successful execution, PowerShell displays ASCII art alongside a list of available sub-commands, offering a text-based alternative to the traditional Store experience.
This move is a notable departure for a mainstream commercial operating system. While command-line package managers are commonplace in Linux and macOS (with tools like MAS for the Mac App Store), offering such functionality for a commercial app store within Windows is relatively unprecedented. It caters to a segment of users – developers and power users – who prefer the efficiency and control of a command-line interface.
The implementation appears remarkably user-friendly. Unlike many command-line tools that require precise application names, the Store CLI demonstrates intelligent searching. A user can type “store install firefox” even without knowing the exact package name, and the tool will locate the most likely match – in this case, Mozilla’s Firefox – and confirm the selection before proceeding with the installation. This contrasts with other package managers where an incorrect name can lead to errors.
The core commands are straightforward. “store browse-apps” allows users to explore the Store catalog, filtering by category, bestseller lists, and other criteria. “store install” initiates the installation of a specified application, and “store update” checks for and installs updates for existing apps. The “store search” command enables users to find applications by keyword, and “store show” provides detailed information about a specific app before installation.
However, the Store CLI isn’t a complete replacement for the graphical Microsoft Store. A significant limitation is that it can only install applications available *within* the Microsoft Store. This excludes popular applications like Google Chrome and Paint.net, which are not distributed through Microsoft’s official app marketplace. Users will still need alternative methods to install these applications.
The arrival of the Store CLI comes alongside broader efforts by Microsoft to improve the developer experience on its platform. The company has been focused on providing more tools and flexibility for developers, and this command-line interface is a direct result of that effort. It’s a recognition that not all users interact with software in the same way, and providing alternative methods for app management can cater to a wider audience.
For those accustomed to managing software through the command line, this new feature offers a welcome level of control and efficiency. It bypasses the clutter and delays often associated with the graphical Microsoft Store, providing a streamlined experience for installing and updating applications. While the limitation to Store-exclusive apps is a factor, the ease of use and intelligent search functionality make it a compelling option for power users and developers alike.
Interestingly, Notice existing workarounds for installing Windows apps without the Microsoft Store, particularly for users with stripped-down Windows installations like LTSC. These methods often involve downloading specific application packages (.appxbundle and .eappxbundle files) from third-party sources and using the `Add-AppxPackage` command in PowerShell. However, these methods require more technical expertise and carry potential security risks associated with downloading software from unofficial sources. The official Store CLI provides a safer and more integrated alternative, albeit with the aforementioned limitation of Store-exclusive apps.