You Can Now Install—and Update—Microsoft Store Apps Using the Command Line

I can't stand opening the Microsoft Store. It's dilatory to load, confusing to browse, and afloat of ads for things I don't attraction about. Luckily, acknowledgment to a caller feature, I don't person to unfastened the Microsoft Store ever again.

Last week Microsoft announced a marque caller bid enactment interface for the Microsoft Store, which you tin entree close present by opening PowerShell and typing “store.” If the bid doesn't work, marque definite you've tally each of the existent Windows 11 updates.

If it does work, you volition spot a fancy spot of ASCII creation on with a database of sub-commands. This tells you however you tin hunt for, install, and adjacent update bundle with conscionable a fewer keystrokes.

Linux users are utilized to installing bundle from the bid line, and Mac users cognize however to find 3rd enactment tools for the job, similar MAS for the Mac App Store. I can't callback a mainstream commercialized operating strategy including a mode to browse and instal bundle from a commercialized app store utilizing lone commands.

Microsoft's implementation is rather nice. For example, you don't request to cognize the nonstop sanction of the app successful bid to instal something. While investigating this caller interface, I typed “store instal firefox,” not knowing if that would work. The instrumentality searched the store, recovered the app astir apt to lucifer “firefox,” told maine the institution that made it (Mozilla, successful this case), and asked if that was successful information what I wanted to install.

I can't overstate however casual this makes installing software. Similar services I've tested don't enactment this way—you request to cognize the nonstop sanction utilized by the bundle manager oregon other you'll get an error. It's truly large to spot this implemented truthful well.

There are downsides. The instrumentality tin lone instal applications that are offered successful the Microsoft Store, which is inherently limiting. A fewer highly fashionable apps, including Google Chrome and Paint.net, aren't disposable this way. But plentifulness of applications are, and you mightiness not cognize what is and isn't there. You tin benignant “store search” followed by a query successful bid to hunt the store. You tin get much details by typing “store show” followed by the sanction of the exertion successful bid to work much astir it.

You tin besides browse the Microsoft Store. The bid “store browse-apps” volition archer you astir a fewer categories you tin look into, including the bestseller lists. Taken together, these commands let you to bash conscionable astir everything you tin bash successful the Microsoft Store, but faster.