Hi DcS79c — great question. Short answer: yes, you can publish apps to the Microsoft Store. Below I’ll give a compact step‑by‑step of the full procedure (account, packaging, submission, certification, post‑publish), plus the current cost/details and language recommendations so you can pick where to start.
1) Costs / developer account
- Individual developer accounts: Microsoft now offers free registration for individual developers in most markets (no $19 onboarding fee).
- Company (organization) accounts: there’s a one‑time registration fee (typically around USD $99, varies by country) and additional verification requirements.
2) Which language / app type to learn (brief guidance)
- If you want native Windows desktop apps: learn C# with .NET (WPF, WinForms, or WinApp SDK / WinUI).
- If you want cross‑platform or web tech: JavaScript/TypeScript with Electron or a Progressive Web App (PWA).
- If you need high performance/native code: C++ (Win32).
Choose based on your goals (desktop utilities → C#/.NET; cross‑platform UI → Electron/.NET MAUI; web integration → PWA). If you tell me your goals I’ll recommend a concrete starter path.
3) High‑level submission procedure (what you’ll actually do)
- Create a Microsoft account (MSA) and register as a developer in Partner Center (choose Individual or Company). Partner Center is where you manage apps, listings and submissions.
- Reserve an app name in Partner Center so nobody else can claim it (you can reserve before the app is finished; reserve holds last for the period Microsoft allows).
- Build and package your app. Microsoft recommends packaging as MSIX (benefits: Microsoft offers free signing/hosting for Store‑distributed MSIX packages); EXE/MSI submissions are also allowed but MSIX is preferred. Use the MSIX Packaging Tool or your build pipeline to create the package.
- Prepare Store listing assets: description, category, screenshots for each device family, store logo, privacy policy URL (required if you collect personal data), age rating questionnaire, pricing/availability settings, etc.
- Upload package(s) and metadata in Partner Center, choose pricing/markets, and submit for certification. Partner Center validates fields before submission.
- Certification & publishing: Microsoft runs technical, security and content checks. Certification for MSIX/PWA submissions typically completes in up to a few business days; once it passes it can appear in the Store quickly. You’ll get status updates in Partner Center.
4) Packaging notes and signing
- MSIX is recommended (automatic updates, better Windows integration, Microsoft provides free signing/CDN hosting for Store packages). If you keep an EXE/MSI you must follow the Store rules for installers (no bundling unrelated software, offline installer, etc..
5) Monetization & revenue share (important if you plan to sell)
- You can publish free apps or paid apps, and use in‑app purchases/subscriptions. If you use Microsoft’s commerce platform Microsoft takes a share (Microsoft has published competitive splits historically; for apps Microsoft has used a ~15% cut and for games ~12% when Microsoft handles commerce). Microsoft also supports the option for certain non‑game apps to use your own commerce system (letting you keep 100% of revenue in those cases). Check the current Partner Center/Store commerce docs for exact percentages and rules that apply to your app type.
6) Certification pitfalls to avoid (common rejections)
- Missing or low‑quality screenshots or logos, missing privacy policy when you collect personal data, installers that change after submission, bundled adware/unwanted software, or use of restricted APIs/capabilities. Follow the certification checklist in Partner Center to reduce rejection risk.
7) Timeline & post‑publish
- Name reservation: you can reserve before publishing.
- Certification: typically up to a few business days for MSIX/PWA (varies).
- After publishing you can push updates, use flighting (staged rollouts), view analytics/crash reports in Partner Center, and manage in‑app purchases from the dashboard.
8) Quick checklist to get started right now
- Decide app type and pick a language/framework.
- Sign up in Partner Center (Individual if you’re publishing as a personal developer).
- Follow a tutorial to build a simple app (e.g., a “Hello world” desktop app), then package it as MSIX and create a draft submission in Partner Center to see required fields.
If you want, I can:
- Recommend the best language/framework given the app you want to build.
- Walk you through creating an MSIX package from a small C# app (I can give exact commands and steps).
- Walk through Partner Center screens and the minimum metadata you need to fill out.
Which type of app do you want to build (desktop utility, game, productivity tool, web app/PWA, etc., and what’s your current programming experience? That will let me give a tailored step‑by‑step to get your first Store app published.
