Deploy Microsoft Store apps using Microsoft Intune

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Microsoft Store apps give you a managed way to deliver Windows apps without maintaining installation files for every app. In a typical endpoint administrator scenario, you need to make approved apps available to users, install required apps on managed devices, and keep those apps current without building a separate update process. Intune supports this work through the current Microsoft Store app (new) app type, which uses the Windows Package Manager, also known as WinGet, to find and install apps from the Microsoft Store catalog.

Area	What you need to know
App source	Intune searches the Microsoft Store catalog through the Windows Package Manager infrastructure.
Install method	The device installs the app through the WinGet client and the Intune Management Extension.
Install context	Supported apps can install in User context or System context.
Updates	Store apps stay current automatically. Intune does not provide scheduling or deferral controls for Store app updates.
Paid apps	Paid Store apps are not purchased or assigned through a retired Store for Business portal. Use another supported app delivery or licensing method.

Choose the Store app deployment model that matches your app

Start by separating apps that Intune can add directly from the Microsoft Store catalog from apps that need another delivery path. Free Microsoft Store apps remain the simplest fit for the Microsoft Store app type in Intune. You search for the app in the Intune admin center and review the app metadata. Then you choose the install behavior when the app supports more than one context, and assign the app to users or devices.

Paid Store apps need different planning. The Microsoft Store for Business and Microsoft Store for Education are retired, so you do not use those portals to acquire paid apps, manage volume licenses, or publish a private Store for your organization. When a commercial app is not available for direct Store deployment through Intune, use the Enterprise App Catalog when the app exists there, package the app as a Win32 app when you have a supported installer and licensing model or use an applicable volume licensing program outside the Store integration.

App scenario	Recommended approach	Reason
Free app from the Microsoft Store catalog	Add it as Microsoft Store app (new) in Intune.	Intune can search the catalog and assign the app directly.
Paid commercial app	Use Enterprise App Catalog, Win32 packaging, or the publisher's supported volume licensing program.	The retired Store for Business and Education portals no longer support purchase or license assignment.
Internal line-of-business app	Package and deploy it as a line-of-business app or Win32 app, depending on the installer format and management needs.	A private Store presence through Store for Business is not an available deployment model.
Optional user-selected utility	Assign the Store app as Available for enrolled devices when supported.	Users can install it from Company Portal without receiving it as a required app.

Understand how the current Intune Store integration works

Intune no longer relies on the legacy Store for Business-based workflow for Store app deployment. The current Microsoft Store app type connects Intune with the Windows Package Manager catalog. When you add a Store app, Intune stores the app configuration and assignment details. On the device, the Intune Management Extension works with WinGet and the Microsoft Store source to install the app in the configured context.

This architecture changes the deployment experience in important ways. You search the Store catalog directly from the Intune admin center instead of synchronizing apps from a separate business Store portal. You also choose an install behavior when the app supports it. User context installs the app for the signed-in user. System context installs or provisions supported apps for the device, which helps shared-device and kiosk scenarios because the app becomes available to users who sign in later.

Step	What happens	Administrator decision
1. Add the app	You create a new app and select Microsoft Store app (new).	Confirm that the target devices meet Store app prerequisites.
2. Search the catalog	Intune searches the Microsoft Store catalog through the Windows Package Manager source.	Search by app name, publisher, type or Store app ID.
3. Review app details	Intune fills in Store metadata such as name, publisher, package identifier, and installer type.	Edit display details that users see in Company Portal.
4. Choose install behavior	Intune shows User or System options when the app supports more than one context.	Select System for device-wide or shared-device scenarios when appropriate.
5. Assign the app	Intune sends assignment details to managed devices.	Choose Required, Available for enrolled devices or Uninstall.
6. Install and report status	The device installs the app through WinGet and reports status back to Intune.	Monitor installation results and troubleshoot failures.

Use install context to support real device scenarios

Install context controls who receives the app and when the app becomes available. This choice is especially important for shared Windows devices. A user-context installation suits apps that belong to an individual user profile. A system-context installation suits apps that need to exist before or regardless of a specific user sign-in, provided the app supports system installation.

Use System context carefully. Some apps support only one install behavior and Intune shows the available option for that app. Avoid mixing install contexts for the same app on the same device because detection and reinstall behavior can become harder to interpret. When a device is Microsoft Entra registered rather than joined, System context is the required choice for the current Store app type.

Install context	Best fit	Impact
User	Apps that follow a specific user and install after sign-in.	The app installs for the targeted user profile.
System	Shared devices, kiosks, labs, and baseline apps for all users on a device.	The app installs or provisions at the device level when the app supports it.

Plan updates, connectivity, and monitoring before broad deployment

Store app deployment depends on device connectivity to Microsoft Store endpoints and the app content location. Devices also need the Intune Management Extension to install Microsoft Store apps through the current integration. Before a broad rollout, confirm that proxy, firewall, and Store policy settings allow the device to reach the required sources.

Update behavior remains simple but less customizable than traditional app packaging. Microsoft Store apps stay current automatically. Intune does not give you controls to schedule, pause, or delay Store app updates. For Universal Windows Platform apps, Store auto-update policy settings can affect update behavior. For Microsoft Store Win32 apps assigned in Intune, Intune keeps assigned apps up to date as part of the management flow.

Consideration	What to verify	Why it matters
Network access	Devices can reach Microsoft Store, WinGet source, and app content endpoints.	Installation fails when required sources are blocked.
Store policy	Store access policies do not block the deployment path used by Intune.	Blocking the Store app for users does not automatically block Intune Store app deployment, but related policies can affect updates and sources.
Update expectations	App owners understand that Store updates are automatic and not scheduled in Intune.	Compatibility validation needs monitoring after updates appear.
Assignment intent	Required, Available, and Uninstall assignments match the business need.	Required apps install automatically; available apps appear in Company Portal for user installation.
Licensing	Paid apps follow a supported commercial licensing and deployment method outside the retired Store for Business portals.	License compliance remains separate from Intune's Store app search and assignment workflow.

With the current Store app workflow in place, you can select the app source, install context, assignment type, and monitoring approach that match each Windows deployment scenario. The next unit builds on this foundation by applying these choices to a managed app deployment workflow.