I have enabled the Group Policy "Turn off the Store application", but I can still download apps from Windows Store

Question

Dear all, i aimed at disabling user from accessing windows store.

I have enabled the Group Policy "Turn off the Store application", but I can still download apps from Windows Store.

I have also modified the setting in registry "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore:RemoveWindowsStore" to one. Still no effect.

I have detached my PC from my work domain and workgroup. But the setting still doesn't take effect. Any help?

P.S.:
windows version: windows 10 Pro 10.0.19042 Build 19042
system type: x64-based PC

Answer 1

Hello @heeha45

This is because disabling that way the Store is only possible for Education or Enterprise editions of Windows 10.

I would suggest 2 ways:

GPO:
From: COMPUTER CONFIGURATION > POLICIES > WINDOWS SETTINGS > SECRURITY SETTINGS > SOFTWARE RESTRICTION POLICIES >
Create a New Rule that disallows: %programfiles%\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsStore*
(the * wildcard is because Microsoft have been changing the path to the Store in the last years so you want to cover all changes)

Registry key:
From: >> Expand KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore >>Right click and >> select NEW >> REG_DWORD >> Name it RemoveWindowsStore >> Set the value to 1

Script to populate the registry key through logon Script:
$RegKeyPath = "HKLM:\KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore"
$StoreItem = "RemoveWindowsStore"
$StatusValue = "1"
New-Item -Path $RegKeyPath -Force | Out-Null
New-ItemProperty -Path $RegKeyPath -Name $StoreItem -Value $StatusValue -PropertyType REG_DWORD -Force | Out-Null

Hope this helps!
Best regards,

Answer 2

Hello @heeha45

I would suggest you to use below PowerShell

Get-AppxPackage -name "windowsstore" -user "username" | Remove-AppxPackage

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/appx/get-appxpackage?view=win10-ps

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