You may know that Windows Store, the store included in Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system, is available as localized versions. If you are from Germany, you get apps for the German store while users from the US may get access to a different set of apps.
While it is possible to switch the local language using the Windows Control Panel to access different stores, it is not really something that is very comfortable if you need to do so regularly.
You can however modify a preference in Windows Store to increase the number of apps that are available to you. Note that this works well for all localized stores and that it may display apps in the store that are only available in a different language.
Before we start, I'd like to show you how to switch the operating system's language in Windows 8:
The new location becomes active immediately which you can test by opening the store.
Displaying more apps
Open Windows Store to get started. The first thing that I'd like you to do is press the * key and hit the enter key while you are on the store's front page.
This searches for all apps that are currently in store. Note the number displayed here, we need it for comparison later on.
If you go back to Windows Store and perform the wildcard search again, you will notice that more apps are displayed now to you in the store.
How many you ask? The app count of the German and US Windows Store increased by about 10,000 apps after making the configuration change.
This can be extremely useful if you read an app review or get a recommendation but cannot find the app in your store. Making the switch could very well make it appear in store so that you can install and use it.
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Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.
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