Windows 10: allow apps from Store only analysis
The Windows 10 Creators Update comes with a new feature that allows you to restrict software installations to apps from the Windows Store.
The feature looks similar on first glance to Microsoft's Windows 10 S operating system that the company introduced last week. While similar on paper, things are not nearly as identical when you take a closer look.
The locked down nature of Windows 10 S, and the "allow apps from the Store only" option of other editions of Windows 10 have two core differences.
First, that system administrators may switch between the locked down state and allowing Win32 program installations on non-Windows 10 S systems. Second, that software that was installed prior to making the switch is not blocked and continues to run.
Changing application installation policies
Microsoft introduced the new application installation preference in the Windows 10 Creators Update.
You may set it up in the following way:
- Use the keyboard shortcut Windows-I to open the Settings application on the Windows 10 machine.
- Navigate to Apps > Apps & Features.
- Select the menu under "installing apps", and set the value of the preference to "allow apps from the store only".
You can switch the preference back at any time, and may set it to "warn me before installing apps from outside the Store" as well. Windows 10 displays a notification in this case with the option to bypass the filter and run the selected program on the PC.
If you set it to "allow apps from Store only", you get the same notification but without the install anyway option.
Allow apps from Store only analysis
The feature is more or less broken in current stable versions of Windows 10, and works better in the latest Insider builds.
If you enable the feature on stable versions, you will notice that some activities bypass the security feature entirely.
You can run portable programs for instance without them being blocked, or install and run Steam applications.
Most program installations are blocked on the other hand by the installing apps feature, but that is obviously not enough if standalone executable files are not blocked. This means for instance that malware, which usually does not get installed but is run right away, won't get blocked by the feature at all.
If you make the same policy change on the latest Windows 10 Insider build however, you will notice that Microsoft improved the functionality in this regard.
Portable programs for instance are blocked, or at least those that I tried were blocked, while they were not when I ran them on a stable version of Windows 10.
The new version is not perfect yet though, as you can still install Steam games for instance and play them, even with the system locked down to installing apps from Store only.
Closing Words
Work will continue on the Store lockdown feature of Windows 10, but it may take until the release of the next feature update for Windows 10 in September 2017 before improvements hit the stable channel.
The feature is somewhat interesting for day to day use, as you can lock down the execution of Win32 programs somewhat using it without being locked down completely. Since you can flip the preferences switch whenever you need to, you can still install or run programs that would otherwise be blocked.
Now You: Do you think the "allow apps from Store only" feature is a useful one?
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help