Microsoft Store
The latest Microsoft Store coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
No Cash, Just ID: Microsoft Opens Store to All Individual Developers Free of Charge
Microsoft has just erased the $19 registration fee for solo developers publishing to the Microsoft Store, replacing the old credit card requirement with a government ID and selfie-based identity...
Windows 11 Arrives October 5 with Missing Android App Promise — What You Need to Know
Microsoft flipped the switch on its most ambitious Windows overhaul in years on October 5, 2021, beginning a phased free upgrade to Windows 11 for hundreds of millions of PCs. But the launch came...
The 5 Windows 11 Tweaks That Instantly Quiet Distractions and Lock Privacy
Windows 11 out of the box is polished, opinionated, and brimming with features Microsoft believes you’ll love. Widgets surface news and stocks, the taskbar is centered for modern aesthetics, and...
KB5046714 Clears WinAppSDK 1.6.2 Mess: Store App Installs Fixed on Windows 10 22H2
Microsoft has shipped an optional cumulative update, KB5046714, to repair crashed Store app installs on Windows 10 version 22H2 after a faulty WinAppSDK 1.6.2 servicing release blocked package...
Microsoft PowerToys to Finally Auto-Switch Windows 11 Between Light and Dark Modes
PowerToys v0.95 will ship with a built-in Theme Scheduler, closing a years-long gap in Windows 11 that forced users to rely on third-party apps or registry hacks for automatic theme switching. The...
Microsoft Launches Trio of Translucent Xbox Controllers: Ice Breaker, Storm Breaker, Heart Breaker
Microsoft has expanded its Xbox accessory lineup with three new special edition wireless controllers, all arriving simultaneously under the Breaker Series banner. The Ice Breaker, Storm Breaker, and...
NanaZIP 6 Preview Brings Windows 11 XAML Overhaul and a Risky Auto-Extract Feature
NanaZIP’s latest preview release, version 6.0, tears up the 7-Zip fork’s playbook by swapping its Zstandard decoder for a hardened alternative while simultaneously introducing a feature that...
uBlock Origin Vanished from Edge—Here’s the Fix and What It Means for MV2 Extensions
For a handful of hours this week, uBlock Origin—the widely trusted, open-source content blocker used by millions—simply disappeared from Microsoft Edge. The extension’s author, known as...
Windows 11 Beta Adds App Recommendations to Start Menu: How to Opt Out
Microsoft has begun testing a new feature that places app recommendations directly inside the Windows 11 Start menu’s Recommended area. Limited to a small set of Windows Insiders in the Beta...
Octos Launches as Open-Source Engine for Interactive HTML/CSS/JS Desktop Wallpapers on Windows
A brand-new open-source project called Octos is rewriting the rulebook for Windows desktop customization by turning the humble background into a fully interactive HTML5 canvas. Unlike static...
DrugsControl.org’s Rummy Post Lacks Publisher Data, Posing a Windows 10 Security Puzzle
A short post on DrugsControl.org—a site better known for drug policy and public-health content—has both puzzled and alarmed the Windows community by offering a download guide for a Rummy card...
The Rise and Fall of Netflix Offline Downloads on Windows: What Travelers Need to Know Now
As of mid-2024, Netflix subscribers who relied on the Windows app to download shows for offline viewing discovered that the feature had vanished — removed without ceremony in a platform update. The...