Windows 8.1: Microsoft Store apps continue to work, but..
Most Windows users know by know that the operating systems Windows 7 and 8.1 will reach end of support by Microsoft on January 10, 2023. The first Patch Day of 2023 is also the last day updates are released officially for these operating systems. While there is a chance that Microsoft will release a critical update to address a major security issue, as it has done in the past, it will be an exception and not the rule.
Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system was the first system Microsoft's online store launched on. Users could download and install applications and games using it, and make purchases.
Microsoft confirmed that the downloaded apps and games will continue to work. In other words: there is no killswitch that is blocking these programs from running on Windows 8.1 machines after January 10, 2023. New app purchases or in-app purchases are no longer supported after the January 2023 Patch Day. Microsoft makes no mention of free apps and games, and whether these remain available for download and installation after January 10, 2023.
"Will I be able to continue using the apps and games I have installed from Microsoft Store on my Windows 8.1 PC?"
"You can install new apps and games on a Windows 8.1 PC from Microsoft Store until January 10, 2023, and you can continue to use installed apps and games on a Windows 8.1 PC after that date. You will not be able to make any new app purchases or any in-app purchases after January 10, 2023. Installed apps and games will receive publisher updates through June 30, 2023 (or later if support is provided independently by the developer). After updates are no longer available, app quality and usability may be degraded. Customers who move to a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC can use and reinstall previously purchased apps and games on their new or upgraded PC."
Microsoft confirmed also that apps and games will receive publisher updates until June 2023, provided that publishers produce updates for these apps and games. Some publishers may support games for longer, even, which Microsoft describes vaguely as providing updates independently.
The quality of apps may deteriorate over time, and some functions may not work properly anymore due to a lack of updates, according to Microsoft.
Customers who want to retain access to apps and games, and continue to receive updates for them, need to update their machines to Windows 10 or 11 to do so. If that is not possible, buying a new PC with Windows 10 or 11 is another option, as apps and games are tied to a Microsoft Account and not a device. Free and purchased apps and games may be installed on new Windows systems, provided that these are supported on these systems.
It is unclear how successful, or not, the built-in store was on Windows 8. Did many Windows 8 users download and install apps and games from the Store, or was it only a minority?
At least some third-party developers have already announced whether they will continue to support their programs on Windows 8.1 and 7. Google will drop Chrome support in January 2023 as well, while Mozilla may extend support for at least several months.
Now You: have you ever downloaded and installed games or apps from the Microsoft Store?
Martin,
You mention doing a “full restart.” I’m having some restart-related problems, and would appreciate if you would give some detail as to what constitutes a Full Restart.
What I mean by that is the following. If you simply shut down Windows 8, it will cache some information so that they are loaded from crash and not renewed on the next start of the system. A restart on the other hand loads everything anew instead. An easy way to restart is to press Windows-D while on the desktop and then Alt-F4. This should open the shutdown menu.
Thanks for the info, Martin.
This problem most probably is face by all of us while installing new apps or while updating the existing app on Windows Store. I faced same problem with error 0x80073cf9 and searched on web for my appropriate answer.
Why go with long method when you can make it working in few steps? I found a great solution to that thanks to such blogs for doing there best on helping searchers like me.
A trick on How to fix the error code 0x80073cf9 while installing windows store app on Windows 8 Surface pro.
Turn off Antivirus software and Firewall temporarily.
Reset store cache: Press Win + R, type WSReset.exe and hit enter.
Use File explorer to open C:\Windows folder, and re-create an “AUInstallAgent†folder if it is missing.
Open command prompt (Admin), type the “sfc /scannow†command and press Enter to run System File Checker.
Open Registry Editor and delete the whole OLE folder in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
See here for more http://dothisbest.com/how-to/fix-error-0x80073cf9-when-install-store-apps-in-windows-8-surface-pro/
Thank you very very much dear Luzan Baral for your easy steps.. That is fixed my error 0x8003cf9 permanently .. Peshawa from Kurdistan of Iraq.
Thanks for the steps.
My AUInstallAgent folder was missing, and I ran the Modern UI troubleshooter.
Its a shame that the Microsoft could give a more meaningful error….
Thanks, Luzan Baral. Worked just great ;)
Hi, here’s another solution to try:
Check C:\Program Files\ for a folder named “WindowsApps”. If it isn’t there, create it, then try to install again.
Good luck!
WOW worked like a charm
Thanks, Worked for me!
thank you very much!!! the 3rd solution worked!
Hi. I had the same problem and none of these solutions helped. CC cleaner portable helped me after cleaning everyting including the registry.
Nothing worked for me. I ended up doing a full reset of my tablet. :(
PROBLEMA NA LOJA WINDOWS 8 e 8.1 – Erro 0x80073cf9 – SOLUÇÃO:
1) C:\Windows
2) Apague a pasta AUInstallAgent
3) Criar PASTA chamada AppReadiness
SEM PRECISAR REINICIAR, PODE IR NA LOJA E INSTALAR OS APPS
After trying a lot of solutions and not finding it on Microsoft help for apps, you gave me the right link.
Step 3 worked for me, thank you and greetings from The Netherlands :)
3rd step worked
Finally something worked. Thankyou.
Thanks a lot for the solutions! But even after I tried steps 1, 2 and 3, nothing happened! I also checked if the folder was there, and it was. I also tried disabling my security softwares and I do not want to refresh or restore my computer. Please help!
Just so you know, the application I am trying to install is Asphalt 8: Airborne. I actually wanted to update it but it always said pending at the installation window. After i got fed up of waiting, I set off to reinstall the game as my progress was connected to my XBox account. But now it does not install!
Finally a solution that really works!!!!! Thanks man. :o)
If you see the 0x80073cf9 on a mobile phone, the problem is that you are trying to install on phone memory instead of mem card. Switch to memcard and it will work for you like it worked for me. Procedure here
http://techwonda.com/fix-0x80073cf9-windows-app-store-error/