How to Disable Microsoft Store in Windows 11
Disabling the Microsoft Store in Windows 11 can be achieved through a few straightforward steps, primarily involving the use of PowerShell to execute a specific command. This method is often preferred for users seeking to manage their system's installed applications more precisely.
Before proceeding, it's important to understand that disabling the Microsoft Store by removing its package may prevent access to app updates and new installations directly from the Store. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps using PowerShell.
Prerequisites
To successfully disable the Microsoft Store, you will need:
- Administrator Privileges: PowerShell commands for system modifications require an administrator account.
- Windows 11 Device: This guide is specific to Windows 11.
Disabling Microsoft Store via PowerShell
The core method for disabling the Microsoft Store involves running a specific command within PowerShell, a powerful command-line shell and scripting language built for administrative tasks.
Step 1: Accessing PowerShell
The initial step is to open PowerShell with administrative rights, ensuring you have the necessary permissions to make system-level changes on your Windows 11 device.
- Open the Start menu: Click the Start button (Windows icon) on your taskbar.
- Search for PowerShell: In the search bar, type "PowerShell".
- Run as Administrator: From the search results, right-click on "Windows PowerShell" or "Terminal (Admin)" (if your system defaults to Windows Terminal) and select "Run as administrator." Confirm the User Account Control (UAC) prompt if it appears.
Step 2: Running the Disable Command
Once PowerShell is open with administrative privileges, you can execute the command to disable or remove the Microsoft Store application package from your system. While the term "disable" is commonly used, for user-level control, this often involves removing the application package.
Type or paste the following command into the PowerShell window and press Enter:
Get-AppxPackage *windowsstore* | Remove-AppxPackageThis command identifies the Microsoft Store application package (*windowsstore*) and then pipes it to the Remove-AppxPackage cmdlet, which proceeds to remove it for the current user. This effectively disables its functionality and presence on your system.
Step 3: Verifying the Microsoft Store is Disabled
After executing the command, it's good practice to verify that the Microsoft Store has been successfully disabled or removed from your system.
- Check the Start Menu: Try searching for "Microsoft Store" in the Start menu's search bar. If the command was successful, it should no longer appear in the search results or be launchable.
- Attempt to Open: If you had a shortcut to the Microsoft Store, try clicking it. It should fail to launch or report that the application cannot be found.
Summary of Steps
For a quick reference, here's a table summarizing the process:
| Step | Action | Command/Verification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open PowerShell | Search "PowerShell", then select "Run as administrator". |
| 2 | Execute Command | Enter Get-AppxPackage *windowsstore* | Remove-AppxPackage and press Enter. |
| 3 | Verify Status | Search "Microsoft Store" in the Start Menu and confirm it's not present or launchable. |
Important Considerations
- Re-enabling: Re-enabling the Microsoft Store after it has been removed can be more complex, often requiring specific PowerShell commands to re-provision the app package or, in some cases, a system restore or reset.
- System Updates: Disabling the Store might impact how some system components or applications receive updates if they rely on the Store for their update mechanism.
- Purpose: Consider why you need to disable it. For simple clutter reduction, this method works. For broader control in enterprise environments, dedicated tools like Group Policy or Microsoft Intune are typically more suitable and provide more robust management options.
This method provides a direct way for individual users to remove the Microsoft Store from their Windows 11 device, offering greater control over installed applications.
