Microsoft Store - App blocked, but still reachable by Downloadlink from Microsoft Page (https://aka.ms/pbidesktopstore)

Question

Hello,

we need to block the installation of Power BI Desktop from our companys' Microsoft Store. We already did that and it can no longer be found in the Store when searching for it.

The reason for this need is because we are rolling out Power BI in our company with a separate Auto Installation tool, and we don't want that always the newest version, that is available in the store, is visible for any user to download.

The background also is, that we want to control who has this application installed as we only want to give it to certain people.

Now, it turned out that a user that enters the official download page from Microsoft, Downloads | Microsoft Power BI, and then clicks on "Download" is also taken to the Microsoft Store via this URL:

https://aka.ms/pbidesktopstore

This causes the Microsoft Store to appear and now the user is able to install the application without any problems.

As this also counts as a second instance of the software, the user will end up having two versions of Power BI Desktop installed on the client.

We already tried to block the URL https://aka.ms/pbidesktopstore, but this is not possible due to administrative reasons.

Is there anything that we are missing (maybe in AppLocker) to disable the ability of users to jump from URL's to Microsoft Store?

Thank you

Johann

Answer 1

Hello anonymous user

Check the following steps for: Disable specified applications using AppLocker

Launch GMPC and navigate to Computer Configuration | Windows Settings | Security Settings | Applications Control Policies | AppLocker.

Right-click on Packaged App Rules and click on Create New Rule.

The wizard will open, click the Next button.

In the Permissions section, use the Select... button to locate the name of a user or security group you wish to apply the permission to and select the radio-button next to Allow or Deny to set the correct action that should be applied. Click the Next button to continue.

In the Publisher section, you can use the Browse... button to locate the app to configure by using the Select... button to Use an installed packaged app as a reference, or template for the rule. Click the Next button to proceed.

The next section, Exceptions, is optional to configure. It allows IT to setup any exception(s) to the rule by using the Add... button to stipulate certain versions of applications, or to further restrict them by a setting, such as Publisher, Version, or Package Name. Click Next to continue.

In the Name section, enter a Name and optional Description of the newly configured rule, then press the Create button to add it to AppLocker for enforcement.

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