How to Uninstall or Disable the Microsoft Store on Windows

The Microsoft Store is a convenient portal for users to download and manage apps and other Microsoft products. However, there may be times when you need to uninstall or disable it for various reasons. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you achieve this through the Group Policy Editor on a Windows 10 or 11 system.

What is the Microsoft Store?

The Microsoft Store is a built-in app available on Windows 10 and 11 devices that allows users to browse, download, and install apps and other digital content. It is a central repository for both free and paid applications, updates, and even some system-level components.

Why Would You Want to Uninstall or Disable the Microsoft Store?

There are several reasons why you might want to either uninstall or disable the Microsoft Store. For one, if you find that the Store is taking up unnecessary space, or if it interferes with your security settings, you might want to take it out of the equation. Additionally, some users prefer alternative app stores or prefer to manage apps manually instead of through the Microsoft Store.

Method 1: Using Group Policy Editor

The recommended and most reliable method for disabling the Microsoft Store is via the Group Policy Editor. This approach ensures that the store is properly turned off and that the changes are effectively applied across your system. Here are the steps:

Open the Group Policy Editor by typing “Edit Group Policy” in the search bar on your taskbar and selecting the “Best Match” suggestion. If you are a power user, you can also execute the command in the command prompt.

Locate and expand “Computer Configuration” in the Group Policy Editor window.

Navigate to “Administrative Templates” and then to “Windows Components”.

Expand “Windows Components” to locate “Store”.

Double-click on “Turn off the Store application”. This will open a new dialog box.

Choose the “Enabled” radio button to turn off the Store application, and then click OK.

Restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

By following these steps, the Store application will be disabled, and it will no longer appear in the Start menu or in search results.

Method 2: Using Command Prompt

Alternatively, you can disable the Microsoft Store using the Command Prompt. This method is less user-friendly but can be useful if you do not have access to the Group Policy Editor. Here are the steps:

Press Win X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” if you are using Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Run the following command:

net stop appxbootstrapper

This will stop the AppxBootstrapper service, which is responsible for running the Store on the background.

Next, run the following command to delete the Store shortcut from the Start menu:

rd /S /Q %appdata%MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms Microsoft Store.lnk

This will remove the shortcut from the Start menu, making the Store less visible.

Run the following command to unregister the Store app:

Get-AppxPackage ** | Remove-AppxPackage

This command unregisters the Store app, effectively preventing it from launching.

Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Using the Command Prompt method is slightly more complex but can be a good choice if you want to avoid the Group Policy Editor.

Conclusion

Disabling or uninstalling the Microsoft Store can be a simple process, depending on your method. The Group Policy Editor method is the recommended approach due to its reliability and ease of use. The Command Prompt method provides an alternative if you need to perform these actions without the GUI.

Remember, while disabling the Store can be beneficial for some, it may also affect certain functionalities that rely on the app store. Always ensure that you have a backup or an alternative method for app management in place.