Install via Microsoft Store

[yttrian]

crutkas update 2020.06.17:
you can get this via WinGet
winget install PowerToys

crutkas update 2021.09.17:
You can install PowerToys in the Microsoft Store via https://aka.ms/getPowerToys

Summary of the new feature/enhancement

The Microsoft Store is a convenient way to install software (like Python 3, WSL distros, Windows Terminal Preview, Spotify, and others) and keep them up to date automatically. I feel bringing PowerToys to the Store would be useful for these reasons.

It's already available via Chocolatey, why not the Store as well?

Thank you.7

[enricogior]

Hi @yttrian
the only reason why it's not in the Microsoft Store yet is that we haven't had the time do it, but we will ;)

[my-life-is-confetti-zz]

Thanks for closing my Dupicarlte of this Issue. I stand FIRMLY behind my statement and request

"Number One; Make It So"...

[enricogior]

Hi @my-life-is-confetti
we are already working on this issue, we didn't have the time and there was also a technical limitation that prevented us to use the Store when we first released the technical preview.
But we are 100% with you on this, we need to have it in the store ASAP.
Thanks.

[my-life-is-confetti-zz]

Thanks for closing my duplicate of this issue. I stand FIRMLY behind my statement and request

"Number One; Make It So"...

[crutkas]

Thanks for closing my duplicate of this issue. I stand FIRMLY behind my statement and request

"Number One; Make It So"...

Remember, we're an open source project, if you feel passionate about this, happy to have you help out :)

[crutkas]

Assigning tentative to 0.16, would love if we can pull this in sooner but this needs other work to be done first.

[banaantjes]

can in powertoys a funcion like sets/tabs in vensters like the old windows 10 insider build.?

[hansmbakker]

@banaantjes please open a new issue for that and please stay on topic in this issue

[my-life-is-confetti-zz]

Yeah, any progress? Enjoy! 🎈

…

________________________________ From: hacker1024 <notifications@github.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2020 5:29:46 PM To: microsoft/PowerToys <PowerToys@noreply.github.com> Cc: Leo H <my.life.is.confetti@outlook.com>; Mention <mention@noreply.github.com> Subject: Re: [microsoft/PowerToys] Install via Windows Store (#413) It's been a few months, any progress? — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#413?email_source=notifications&email_token=ACDEYRAD44ISKUJAYRK4PO3Q562AVA5CNFSM4IYSFPZKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEJCNXCQ#issuecomment-574937994>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ACDEYRDTDKTZXEJX45LZVWTQ562AVANCNFSM4IYSFPZA>.

[crutkas]

@my-life-is-confetti, we are working on it. We're testing pretty heavily and are hitting a few issues such as #1135 and #1039. We're working with teams to be sure we're correctly doing the right thing.

The other big push we're doing is #368 which should be in PR be EOW for FancyZone settings. we needed so we can have stuff for Store be right out of the gate.

Other issues that needed to get corrected was #645 and #411.

[crutkas]

update: One major work item, #368 (how we store data for FancyZones) just hit a review. #1194

[my-life-is-confetti-zz]

Nice. Thank You for the update, and the reasoning. That is well thought out. Yes, folks expect an app to be 100% when it hits the Microsoft Store. It's not supposed to be GitHub for ex. Enjoy! 🎈

…

________________________________ From: Clint Rutkas <notifications@github.com> Sent: Friday, January 31, 2020 10:03:52 AM To: microsoft/PowerToys <PowerToys@noreply.github.com> Cc: Leo H <my.life.is.confetti@outlook.com>; Mention <mention@noreply.github.com> Subject: Re: [microsoft/PowerToys] Install via Windows Store (#413) update: One major work item, #368<#368> (how we store data for FancyZones) just hit a review. #1194<#1194> — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#413?email_source=notifications&email_token=ACDEYRB2A2PP2WY56NRQRYTRARRYRA5CNFSM4IYSFPZKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEKPPPBA#issuecomment-580843396>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ACDEYRAMDWPIGALAS5HN2Q3RARRYRANCNFSM4IYSFPZA>.

[AkazaRenn]

@TPS The store should install exactly the same thing as you get from the releases page, so for the update.

[crutkas]

@TPS PT currently has too disruptive of an installer process to auto-update. We have a few work items to simplify this that will be done in the future for other work items (like monaco powered file previewer). Once we can remove UAC prompts and move more into PT itself from the installer, we can heavily simplify the install process.

[charlesroddie]

If this issue is resolved then it's a bit of a technicality - there isn't a real advantage to users of a store app that doesn't auto-update and probably requires admin privileges vs the current deployment mechanism. The whole thing thread would need to be restarted and would say exactly the same things except with "msix" or "auto-update/non-admin" replacing "microsoft store".

@crutkas if you still think a separate issue is needed rather than retitling this one to MSIX, should it be a new one or reopen one of the closed MSIX issues like #5502 that link to this one?

Why not keep PT as is but create an MSIX package "PT light" which removes all tools requiring admin and then publishes that via the store?

[crutkas]

@charlesroddie great discussion for different issue. Store allows you install trusted applications. If you install visual studio from the store, it has the same model that PowerToys does for both need of UAC as well as how it installs. We are working on adjusting the need for installer UAC prompts.

[aWeinzierl]

@berhir The ask here was to install from the Microsoft Store and that is what we enabled for everyone. You can go to the Microsoft store and now download and install PowerToys.

Not for everyone, it seems:

https://aka.ms/getPowerToys just opens the initial page of the Store.

Windows 10 Pro 21H1 19043.1237

Anyways, my main motivation was also auto-update (and a bit the lack of an install process)

[TheZoker]

@aWeinzierl You need windows 11 with the new store for this

[crutkas]

Actually the new store will be available to Windows 10.

From: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/06/24/building-a-new-open-microsoft-store-on-windows-11/

Today, we are excited to introduce a new Microsoft Store coming soon to both Windows 11 and Windows 10. It will help you discover and install the best apps, games, movies and even special offers – like unique movie discounts for Xbox Game Pass members. All the content in the Microsoft Store is tested for security, family safety and device compatibility.

[just1a-person]

Anyways, my main motivation was also auto-update

PowerToys in the store will use the same update mechanism as the ones you get from the GitHub releases page.

[willemavjc]

Anyways, my main motivation was also auto-update

PowerToys in the store will use the same update mechanism as the ones you get from the GitHub releases page.

@just1a-person Could you develop that with a little more details?

@crutkas Just read the initial request and the issuer was already asking for an auto-update. This seems quite natural to me. Would you mind detailing a bit why this issue would just put the entire PowerToys code to trash? (You're speaking of highly disruptive.) I do not clearly see what's making it difficult e.g. as a lack of certificate, etc.

[shmuelie]

To install PowerToys from the store, you need the "new" store., which is (currently) only on Windows 11. The new store will come to Windows 10 in the future.

As for updates: PowerToys is installed in the store like any "pure" win32 app, like Discord or Opera. "Pure" win32 apps in the store do not use the store update system and instead must use their own system.

[crutkas]

@willemavjc we have work we're doing on our installer to basically make it so we can do auto-updating in 0.51 iteration. With some of the shell integration PowerToys does, if we auto-updated, it is an extremely disruptive with manual interaction needed.

Back Jan 2020, we did try and do a MSIX installer version of PowerToys and we hit certain issues that were deemed too disruptive to the PowerToys experience based on feedback from the MSIX test and how we'd have to develop, debug and test. Feedback was provided to the MSIX packaging team. In most scenarios, MSIX is a great bit of tech and highly recommend it being the first spot most people look for packaging/installer tech.

We know people want auto-update and are working toward a sustainable solution based on how PowerToys needs to interact with the shell as well as develop/debug/test. #10126 is the large work item to enable us to do easier updates. Doing it will simplify a lot of stuff and remove the UAC dialog on install/update. If memory serves, this will touch 4 major subsystems, new exe and introduce a new user interaction dialog. It is a big work item but will enable some great experiences and improve both the developer and end user experience with the installer drastically.

Long story short, trust us, we're working on it, only so many hours in the day and we all have lives outside work. We're enabling experiences and solutions as fast as we can partner / update / create them. We know it isn't perfect and are working on improving it little by little with a the fantastic community support as well.

If you want to chat more, crutkas@microsoft.com, happy to setup a call and dive deeper.

[crutkas]

Closing this out as we're in the store now and the new store will shortly enable Windows 10 users to grab it as well.

[Poopooracoocoo]

@crutkas Looks like PowerToys still isn't being installed by the Store? I thought PowerToys got MSIX packaging a while ago. What happened to the issue the PowerToys team was tracking. What happened?

I just installed PowerToys through the Store, which just ran the installer, and it immediately prompted me to update it. The Microsoft Store should be updating it an installing it.

[Jay-o-Way]

@alekhyareddy28 @jaimecbernardo Can I ask what all these ⬆ pr's (and forks / #12943) are about? settings-web was removed a while ago.

[jaimecbernardo]

That's a bot detecting deprecated dependencies and opening a PR on those forks. I think we can ignore.

[jaimecbernardo]

@Jay-o-Way thanks for the callout.