The Microsoft Store feels transformed after a load of updates and improvements that shipped this year. Uninstalling apps is easier, search has improved, and a new Themes section was added.
Microsoft also improved navigation in the Store, sped up loading times, and improved the update process for apps.
What Microsoft left out
As you would expect from a piece written by the vice president of the Microsoft Store, “2025 in review” focuses on positive changes.
Overall, I feel the Microsoft Store is in a good place. It’s now a must-use app and continues to get new features. There was, however, quite a bit of bad news and controversy surrounding the Microsoft Store this year.
The Microsoft Store no longer allows you to disable automatic updates. Generally speaking, updates are a good thing, but there are times people prefer to stay on the older version of an app.
This year, Microsoft also shut down its Movies & TV storefront that lived within the Microsoft Store. New purchases stopped being possible in July, though previously purchased content is still viewable through the Movies & TV app.
Technically, the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 Mobile reached its end in 2025 as well. Windows Phone has been dead for years, so I doubt many were affected by the change.
While not part of the Microsoft Store directly, some of Microsoft’s apps in the Store drew criticism this year. Microsoft claims the new Outlook is native, but that’s not exactly the case. Microsoft has pushed people toward the new Outlook for quite some time, including stopping the old Mail & Calendar app from working last year.
Microsoft is supposed to create flagship experiences on Windows 11. If the company makes web apps and tries to pass them off as native, it sends a signal to other companies and app developers.
The Microsoft Store Awards for 2025 upset many, including myself. The award winners appear to have been picked based on how much they rely on AI, not the quality of the apps or games.
Some of the apps that won awards are useful and well-made, but there are some baffling entries on the list. Castle Craft is a mobile-style game that came out in 2024, and it was named the 2025 Microsoft Store game of the year.
Oddly, when Sardo highlighted several apps and games in the 2025 year in review, he did not name Castle Craft:
“We welcomed exciting new arrivals to the store, including innovative productivity tools like Raycast, Noteastic and Cephable, fan-favorite games like Fortnite, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, accessibility apps like DotVista, and standout apps such as RunCat 365 and Adobe Premiere Elements 2026.”
I’d have thought the 2025 Microsoft Store game of the year would be mentioned by name. Instead, Sardo linked to the 2025 App Awards winner.
Do you think the Microsoft Store is in a good place in 2025? Do you have a favorite change or improvement to the Store? Let us know in the comments!
