Add Microsoft Store apps to Microsoft Intune

Admins can browse, deploy, and monitor Microsoft Store applications inside Intune. Upon deployment, Intune automatically keeps the apps up to date when a new version becomes available. The Microsoft Store supports Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps, desktop apps packaged in .msix, and now Win32 apps packaged in .exe or .msi installers.

Important

There are key improvements to the most recent Microsoft Store apps functionality over legacy functionality. Specifically, the following differences:

  • You can browse and search for store apps within Intune
  • You can install and uninstall with required app deployments
  • You can monitor the installation progress and results for store apps
  • Win32 store apps are supported (in preview)
  • System context and user context are supported for UWP apps
    • When a device is enrolled by being Microsoft Entra registered, system context must be used.

Prerequisites

To use Microsoft Store apps, be sure the following criteria are met:

  • Client devices must support at least two core processors to successfully install and run Microsoft Store apps.
  • Client device need to be able to support the Intune Management Extension (IME) to install Microsoft Store apps.
  • Client device need access to both the Microsoft Store and the destination content to install Microsoft Store apps. For more information, see Microsoft Store proxy configuration.

Add and deploy a Microsoft Store app

A Global administrator or Intune administrator can use the following steps to add and deploy a Microsoft Store app.

Note

To ensure the Company Portal app is successfully installed on your end user's device, you may need to set the Install behavior to User and the deployment Entra ID group as Only devices.

Step 1: Add an app from the Microsoft Store

  1. In the Microsoft Intune admin center, select Apps > All apps > Add.
  2. In Select app type pane, select Microsoft Store app (new) under the Store app section.
  3. Choose Select at the bottom of the page to begin creating an app from the Microsoft Store. The app creation experience has three steps:
    • App information
    • Assignments
    • Review + create

Step 2: Search the Microsoft Store

The Microsoft Store provides a large variety of apps designed to work on your Microsoft devices. Within Intune, you can search and add the apps you want to assign to your workforce at your organization.

  1. Select Search the Microsoft Store app to display the search panel which features a search bar and includes the following columns:

    • Name – The name of the app.
    • Publisher – The publisher of the app.
    • Type – The app package type: Win32 or Universal Windows Platform (UWP).
  2. In the search bar, type the name of the app that you want to find. You can also search by other app details, such as publisher, type, or store app ID. Once you search, a list of apps are displayed.

    Note

    Specific Microsoft Store apps may not be displayed and available in Intune. Common reasons an app doesn't appear when searching within Intune include the following:

    • The app is not available in US region.
    • The app is not available if there is an age restriction.
    • The app is a paid app, which is not supported.
    • The app is an Android app.
    • The app is a Microsoft Store for Business app that is not available publicly in the consumer store.
  3. Choose the app that you want to deploy and choose Select.

    The app information is presented with the selected app's metadata. Specific fields are prepopulated.

    The following table shows the fields that are supported:

    Name of the field Description Required
    Name The name of the app is prepopulated from the store's metadata and you have the choice to edit the field. Enter the name of the app as it appears in the Company Portal. Make sure all app names that you use are unique. If the same app name exists twice, only one of the apps appears in the company portal. Required
    Description The description of the app is prepopulated from the store's metadata and you have the choice to edit the field. The description appears in the Company Portal. Required
    Publisher The publisher of the app is prepopulated from the store's metadata and you have the choice to edit the field. Required
    Installer Type The installer type of the application package is the UWP or Win32 installer types. For related information, see Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. N/A Prefilled
    Package Identifier The app's unique ID in the Microsoft Store. This value is read-only and is displayed before Installer Type in the UI. N/A Prefilled
    Install behavior The install behavior of the app. If the app to be installed has the option of either System or User install behaviors, you must ensure that the installation works on devices as expected. NOTE: If the option is greyed out, the specific store application only supports the selected install behavior. Admin must select System or User
    Category Optionally, select one or more of the built-in app categories, or select a category that you created. Categories make it easier for users to find the app when they browse through the Company Portal. Optional
    Show this as a featured app in the Company Portal Display the app prominently on the main page of the company portal when users browse for apps. Admin must select Yes or No
    Information URL Optionally, enter the URL of a website that contains information about this app. The URL appears in the company portal. Optional
    Privacy URL Optionally, enter the URL of a website that contains privacy information for this app. The URL appears in the company portal. N/A Prefilled
    Developer Optionally, enter the name of the app developer. Optional
    Owner Optionally, enter a name for the owner of this app. An example is HR department. Optional
    Notes Enter any notes that you want to associate with this app. Optional
    Logo Upload an icon that is associated with the app. This icon is displayed with the app when users browse through the company portal. Optional
  4. Select Next after you have finished populating the fields.

Step 3: Creating assignments

You can choose how you want to assign Microsoft Store apps to users and devices.

Note

If you assign an app to a device that is located in a region where that app is not supported or where that app does not meet the age restrictions, the app will not install on the device. However, if the device is moved to a region that supports the app, the app will install on the device.

The following table provides assignment type details:

Assignment type Assignment options Description
Required Add group, Add all users, Add all devices The app is installed on devices in the selected groups.
Available for enrolled devices Add group, Add all users Users install the app from the Company Portal app or the Company Portal website.
Uninstall Add group, Add all users, Add all devices The app is uninstalled from devices in the selected groups.
  1. Select Add group and assign the groups that use this app.
  2. On the Select groups pane, select groups to assign based on users or devices.
  3. After you select your groups, choose whether to set End user notifications, Restart grace period, and Installation deadline.
  4. If you don't want the app assignment to affect groups of users, select Included under the Filter mode column. In the Edit assignment pane, change the Filter mode value from Included to Excluded. Select OK to close the Edit assignment pane.
  5. Select Next to display the Review + create page after you finish setting the assignments for the apps.

Step 4: Review and create

  1. Review the values and settings that you entered for the app. Verify that you configured the app information correctly.
  2. Select Create to add the app to Intune.

App update

Apps that are deployed from the Microsoft Store are automatically kept up to date to the latest version of the app. For this feature to work properly for UWP apps, the Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates shouldn't be enabled.

Microsoft Store Win32 apps

Important

Win32 apps that are in the Microsoft Store are currently in preview. Not all Win32 apps will be available or searchable. The Win32 apps that are in preview will be identifiable with Win32 and a banner.

Third party vendors or publishers that add Win32 apps to the Microsoft Store are responsible for hosting their own content in their respective infrastructure. If your devices are behind a firewall, please reach out to application owner to understand and confirm network requirements.

Intune management of Microsoft Store Win32 apps

When a Microsoft Store Win32 app is published to a device as Required, but the app is not detected due to a mismatch of the installed version or context, Intune will reinstall the app in the targeted installation context.

For available Microsoft Store Win32 apps, the end user must select install in the Company Portal before Intune takes over management and automatic updates for the app. Intune doesn't try to reinstall the app.

The Microsoft Store supports Win32 app types including .exe and .msi installers. These apps have external content sourcing hosted by the app publisher. Based on their installer definition in the store, each Win32 app supports either User or System context installation.For related information, see Traditional desktop apps in the Microsoft Store on Windows.

Note

Microsoft Store Win32 apps are kept up to date by Intune, therefore in order for the app to be updated it must be assigned in Intune. App updates are not affected by the Store's update policies.

Microsoft Store UWP apps

In addition to user context, you can deploy Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps from the Microsoft Store app (new) in system context. If a provisioned .appx app is deployed in system context, the app autoinstalls for each user that logs in. If an individual end user uninstalls the user context app, the app still shows as installed because it's still provisioned. In addition, the app must not already be installed for any users on the device. Our general recommendation is to not mix install contexts when deploying apps.

Note

Assigning a UWP app using the "Microsoft Store app (new)" type with the installation behavior set as "System" to a device which already has that app installed will result in this error: "The application was not detected after installation completed successfully (0x87D1041C)". However, the app will still install correctly on the device.

When a device is enrolled as Microsoft Entra registered, the installation behavior should be set to "System". If an app with the installation behavior set to "User" is assigned as Available, the end user will receive the following error when selecting install in the Company Portal: "Requirements Not Met". Make sure the device is joined to Azure, or use System context to rectify this situation.

UWP apps are kept up to date by the Store. The UWP app will stay up to date with or without Intune assignment once it is installed, unless the Store policy is set to block auto-update.

Common Store policy settings and their impact on Microsoft Store apps

Some Store policies may affect app deployments from the Microsoft Store. The following policy list provides details on how some Store policies can affect app deployments.

For more information on the Microsoft Store integration with Intune due to the Microsoft Store for Business and Education retirement, go to the Adding your Microsoft Store for Business and Education apps to the Microsoft Store in Intune blog post.

  • Disable all apps from the Microsoft Store policy

    • Recommended values: Not configured or Enabled. To prevent end users from blocking or turning off this feature, set the value to Enabled.
    CSP Intune On-premises GPO
    ApplicationManagement/DisableStoreOriginatedApps Settings Catalog | Microsoft App Store > Disable Store Originated Apps Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store
  • Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates policy

    • Recommended values: Not configured or Disabled. To prevent end users from blocking or turning off this feature, set the value to Disabled.
    CSP Intune On-premises GPO
    ApplicationManagement/AllowAppStoreAutoUpdate Settings Catalog | Microsoft App Store > Allow apps from the Microsoft app store to auto update Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store
  • Enable App Installer Microsoft Store Source policy

    • Recommended values: Not configured or Enabled. To prevent end users from blocking or turning off this feature, set the value to Enabled.
    CSP Intune On-premises GPO
    DesktopAppInstaller/EnableMicrosoftStoreSource Not built in; use a custom configuration profile. Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Desktop App Installer
  • Enable App Installer policy

    • Recommended values: Not configured or Enabled. To prevent end users from blocking or turning off this feature, set the value to Enabled.
    CSP Intune On-premises GPO
    DesktopAppInstaller/EnableAppInstaller Not built in; use a custom configuration profile. Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Desktop App Installer
  • Turn off the Store application policy: Your options:

    • Not configured: This policy isn't changed or updated. By default, the OS might allow end users to install arbitrary store apps outside of Intune.

    • Enabled: When enabled, this setting:

      • Blocks end users from installing arbitrary apps from the Microsoft Store app.
      • Blocks end users from using the Microsoft Store to manually install app updates.
    • Disabled: When disabled, this setting:

      • Allows end users to install arbitrary apps from the Microsoft Store app.
      • Allows end users to use the Microsoft Store to manually install app updates.

    Note

    The Windows Package Manager command-line tool winget.exe is not affected by this policy.

    CSP Intune On-premises GPO
    ADMX_WindowsStore/RemoveWindowsStore_1
    ADMX_WindowsStore/RemoveWindowsStore_2
    Settings Catalog
    Administrative templates
    Windows Components > Store > Turn off the Store Application
    Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store

What you need to know

  • The Turn off the Store application setting:

    • Doesn't affect Intune's ability to install Microsoft Store apps. In all cases, the new Intune integration with the Microsoft Store is allowed.
    • Doesn't affect the Microsoft Store's ability to automatically update UWP apps. As long as the Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates (AllowAppStoreAutoUpdate CSP) policy isn't enabled, the Microsoft Store automatically updates UWP apps.
  • If you want to allow automatic UWP app updates from the Microsoft Store, including built-in Windows apps, and block users from installing apps from the Microsoft Store or winget.exe, then:

    • Set Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates to Disabled or Not configured, AND
    • Set Turn off the Store application to Enabled or Not configured.
  • For Win32 Store apps, if Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates is set, then the Win32 apps with an active Intune assignment are still automatically updated.

Tip

Using the Only display the private store within the Microsoft Store app policy (RequirePrivateStoreOnly CSP) is still valid. This policy:

  • Blocks end user access to the Microsoft Store.
  • Allows the Windows Package Manager winget command line interface (CLI) access to the Microsoft Store.

So, it's not the preferred choice to prevent end user access to the Microsoft Store. Instead, it's recommended to use the Turn off the Store application policy.

Unsupported functionality for Microsoft Store apps

Microsoft Store apps don't support the following features:

  • Any app that has an ARM64 installer isn't supported.

Next step