New Microsoft Store Update Brings Major Speed Improvements

Microsoft has started rolling out an update for its Microsoft Store on Windows 11 that brings major performance improvements to the app. This is the same update that Windows Insiders have been testing for almost two weeks, and the speed improvements should be quite noticeable for all users.

Rudy Huyn, the Principal Lead Architect at Microsoft working on the Microsoft Store app and services previously detailed the main changes included in this update. On startup, the various elements on the home page should now load much faster, with product pages also loading approximately 40% faster. Huyn’s team also did under-the-hood work to make the “Buy” button on product listings appear 1.5x faster.

We have also optimized how the application manages entitlement and licensing, resulting in the "Buy" button being displayed approximately 1.5 times faster. (3/5) pic.twitter.com/9iLOq7X2D1

— Rudy Huyn (@RudyHuyn) April 3, 2024

Even though Microsoft had rebuilt its Store app from the ground up on Windows 11, performance was still leaving a lot to be desired. That’s a problem when you’ve been trying to attract more developers to your digital storefront for more than a decade.

The Microsoft Store (formerly Windows Store) has been around since Windows 8, but Win32 apps are now replacing the Metro-style or UWP apps that Microsoft has been trying to push on Windows 8 and Windows 10, respectively. As of today, the biggest apps are mostly there, with the notable exception of Google Chrome. Microsoft also recently added a new AI hub to its Store with a curated selection of AI-powered apps. Because if you didn’t get the memo yet, 2024 should be the year of the AI PC.