Summary
- Microsoft Store no longer allows indefinite app update delays, only up to 5 weeks max.
- Clicking “Check for Updates” while paused does not bypass the restriction.
- Microsoft is implementing update restrictions to improve app and OS security, but this may lead to users looking elsewhere for apps.
Have you tried disabling Windows Updates? If you have, you’ll know that you can’t keep them down for long. Microsoft will allow you to turn them off for a limited time, but once your period is up, the OS will download and install the newest updates whether you want them or not. It wasn’t always like that, but it became the norm once Microsoft wanted people to update their operating systems and get the newest fixes.
Well, it seems that Microsoft is adding that same mentality to the Microsoft Store. The company is removing the ability to put off an app update indefinitely, as it implements a system that’s not too unlike what Microsoft does for Windows Update.
Microsoft quietly prevents blocking app updates on the Microsoft Store
As spotted by the German website Deskmodder (thanks for the spot, Neowin!), the newest update to the Microsoft Store no longer allows you to prevent an app from updating, at least indefinitely. You can still put the update off if you want, but it’s not forever. As Deskmodder explains (machine translated from German):
If you access the settings, you can now pause updates for between one and five weeks. After that, app updates will be performed automatically again. However, in my testing, I noticed a difference compared to Windows Update. If you click the “Check for Updates” button in the Store app despite the updates being paused , the pause remains.
Deskmodder also notes that nothing seems to subvert this restriction, including registry tweaks. As such, until someone finds a way to disable this feature (if it can even be turned off at all), you’ll likely either have to make do with updates you can’t ignore or download the app from another source.
Much like with Windows Update, Microsoft is likely doing this to help with operating system security. Having an up-to-date Windows alongside current version apps is a good recipe for keeping exploits at bay. However, if the feature ends up ticking off people, Microsoft may find that its users will opt to download the app from the official website or another web source.
If you’re a fan of Microsoft’s software store, be sure to check out these hidden gems in the Microsoft Store that will transform your Windows experience. Or, if you think it still needs a bit of work, you can read up on these ways we’d like to see the Microsoft Store improved.