Windows 11 Gets Updated Microsoft Store with Better App Controls

Microsoft is currently testing a revised version of the Microsoft Store for Windows 11, which is available to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels. The new version of the Microsoft Store has a new download area, Windows Latest discovered.

Previously, you could view all your installed apps in the Microsoft Store app Library tab and update them as needed. That’s changed now, as Microsoft makes it easier to manage apps.

New Downloads section

The revamped Microsoft Store has a new Downloads tab in the left-hand sidebar, right above the existing Library tab. If you click Downloads, you’ll see a list of all the apps installed on your Windows PC (including both free and paid ones).

You can update all of your apps at once using the large Get Updates button in the upper right corner. You can also update each app individually using the three-dot menu in each app’s list.

You can also use the three-dot menu to do other things like share the app with others, write reviews and rate the app, pin the app to the taskbar, and view app release notes.

Revamped Library section

In the Library tab, you can also see all the apps installed on your system and all the apps you’ve purchased but aren’t currently installed on your computer. The goal isn’t to update apps, it’s to get a complete overview of all your apps in an efficient way.

For each app, you’ll see the date the app was installed. However, unlike the Downloads section, you can switch between overviews (e.g. list of all apps, only games, only movies, etc.). You can sort these lists by date or name, and you can filter only for apps that are currently installed. There’s also a search field.

Overall, the change in the Microsoft Store to split it into Downloads and Library makes it easier to keep track of all your installed apps.