Microsoft Store Web Multi-App Install: One-Click App Packs for Windows

Microsoft’s web-based Store has quietly gained a practical new convenience: a multi-app install workflow that lets you pick a curated set of Windows apps in your browser, download a tiny launcher, and have the Microsoft Store app on your PC fetch and install all selected titles in one go — a GUI-driven, store-backed alternative to one-off downloads and a friendly complement to winget for non-command-line users.

Background​

Microsoft has been steadily modernizing the Microsoft Store for Windows over the last several years, adding broader Win32 support, faster launch paths, and tighter integration with Windows app updating. The new multi-app installer is another step in that evolution: it brings a familiar mobile-store convenience — select multiple apps and install in a single operation — to Windows provisioning, surfaced today through the Store’s web interface rather than the desktop Store app.
This feature is currently web-only: you assemble your bundle in a browser page (commonly observed at apps.microsoft.com/apppack), click an Install Selected button, and the site generates and downloads a small launcher executable. Running that launcher on a Windows PC opens the Microsoft Store app and hands off the list of chosen apps; the Store performs the actual downloads and installs. The launcher itself is a pointer, not a payload.

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How the multi-app install works​

What the downloaded file actually is​

• The downloaded file is a tiny launcher (.exe) that contains the selected app list and orchestration instructions.
• It does not embed full installers; the Microsoft Store app on the target PC performs the downloads and installation steps.
• Because the Store handles downloads, installs originate from Microsoft’s delivery channels and (where applicable) remain on the Store’s update pipeline for future patches.

The user flow (step-by-step)​

• Open the Microsoft Store web page that exposes the Multi‑app install grid.
• Browse categories, tick checkboxes for the apps you want, and click Install Selected.
• Save and run the generated small launcher .exe on the target Windows machine.
• The Microsoft Store app opens and proceeds to download and install the selected apps (you may need to sign in).

This flow aims to reduce repeated browser downloads and manual installer juggling — the experience is intentionally simple and familiar to users who have used one-click multi-installer services on other platforms.

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What’s in the catalog today — curated, not exhaustive​

Microsoft’s initial rollout is curated. Early hands-on reports and community testing show the multi‑app page lists a limited set of mainstream, well-packaged titles (examples reported include Spotify, Discord, Telegram, Adobe Reader, Canva, CapCut, and other popular apps). The Store’s selection is deliberately constrained to apps whose packaging and install behaviors are predictable in an orchestrated flow. Expect the list to grow, but don’t assume parity with the full Store catalog yet.
A few practical limits have been observed in early testing (selection caps and regional variance). These numbers vary across reports and may change as Microsoft expands availability, so check the multi‑app page in your region for the latest coverage.

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How this compares to winget and Ninite​

Microsoft Store multi‑app install (web)​

• Strengths
• GUI-driven and approachable for non-technical users.
• Installs come from the Store’s vetted channels, reducing risk from sketchy websites.
• Leverages the Store’s update pipeline for app maintenance where supported.
• Weaknesses
• Curated catalog and web-only pack authoring.
• The generated launcher is a black-box binary that lacks a human-readable manifest for audit or version control.
• Not designed for unattended, silent fleet deployments or enterprise governance today.

winget (Windows Package Manager)​

• Strengths
• Manifest-driven, scriptable, supports private sources and automation.
• Ideal for repeatable, auditable installations and fleet provisioning.
• Weaknesses
• Command-line oriented (less approachable for non-technical users), though GUI front‑ends exist.
• Requires deeper knowledge to construct manifests and private repositories.

Ninite (third-party multi-installer)​

• Strengths
• Mature checkbox interface and silent-install behavior across a broad app catalogue.
• Offers enterprise/Pro features for centralized deployment.
• Weaknesses
• Downloads run through Ninite’s servers, which differs from using the Store’s delivery and vetting model.

Bottom line: Microsoft’s multi‑app packs are a consumer-focused convenience that narrow the casual-user gap with tools like Ninite, while winget remains the go-to for automation, auditability, and enterprise-grade provisioning.

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Security, supply-chain, and governance implications​

Positive security aspects​

• Using the Microsoft Store as the download source reduces exposure to rogue or ad-infested vendor sites and fake installers.
• The Store’s vetting and publisher verification add a layer of trust compared with blind web downloads.

New vectors and governance gaps​

• The web-generated launcher is a new executable artifact: organizations must treat any downloaded binary as code. That creates a new artifact to secure and govern using AppLocker, Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC), Intune policies, or similar endpoint controls.
• The launcher is currently a black box — no plain-text manifest to review, version-control, or include in CI/CD pipelines. For regulated environments this lack of transparency is a significant drawback compared with winget’s manifest model.
• The approach depends on a functional Microsoft Store and network access; devices behind strict egress filtering, air-gapped systems, or kiosk/managed devices without Store access cannot use this workflow.

Enterprise briefing (short verdict)​

• Use the Store multi‑app packs as a helpful consumer convenience and ad‑hoc provisioning option for unmanaged devices.
• For auditable, repeatable deployments, continue to rely on winget manifests, Intune, or ConfigMgr/SCCM workflows until Microsoft exposes more enterprise-grade APIs, signed manifests, or Intune integration for packs.

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Practical guide and best practices​

Quick start (consumer)​

• Visit the Microsoft Store web page that surfaces the multi-app installer (look for the Multi‑app install section).
• Select apps, click Install Selected, download the small launcher, and run it on your Windows PC.
• The Microsoft Store app opens and handles downloads/installs. You may need to sign in to the Store account used for those apps.

Tips and caveats​

• Verify the apps you require are present in the curated grid before relying on this method for a fresh setup.
• Keep a copy of the launcher if you plan to reuse a particular pack, but understand the launcher only points to the Store and isn’t a portable offline bundle.
• For unattended, silent, or automated provisioning, prefer winget manifest exports or Intune-managed deployment. The Store launcher is primarily a GUI convenience.

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Risks, limitations, and what to watch​

• Catalog coverage: The multi‑app grid is limited at launch. Niche or enterprise apps may not appear, so the feature will not be universally useful for all users yet.
• Web-only authoring: Creating packs from the web is inconvenient for locked-down environments; no Store‑app or programmatic pack creation is available yet.
• Auditability: Without a text manifest or API, there is no easy way to VCS‑control or code-review the bundle composition — a blocker for regulated environments.
• Dependency on Microsoft infrastructure: Outages or region-blocking of the Store, or devices without a signed-in Microsoft account, will fail the flow.
• Security posture: Any automatically generated executable demands governance. Treat downloaded launchers like other binary artifacts: scan them, restrict execution in managed environments, and log their use.

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How Microsoft could make this enterprise-friendly (reasonable roadmap)​

• Add a human‑readable pack manifest (JSON/YAML) that can be signed and checked into source control.
• Provide programmatic APIs or a PowerShell/winget import pathway to generate or consume packs.
• Integrate pack creation and deployment with Intune (Company Portal) and allow conversion of a web pack into an Intune-app group or winget manifest for auditability.
• Add multi-app authoring capability inside the Microsoft Store desktop app to remove the web-only dependency.

If Microsoft pursues these steps, the multi‑app packs could graduate from a consumer convenience to a hybrid provisioning option that works for small IT teams and semi-managed environments.

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Analysis: Strengths and strategic risks​

Notable strengths​

• Lower friction for everyday users: The GUI-driven multi‑app pack removes repetitive clicks and speeds up first-run provisioning for home users and small teams.
• Safer than random downloads: By leveraging the Store’s delivery and vetting, Microsoft reduces common supply‑chain risks tied to web search and ad networks.
• Signals Store ambitions: The feature underlines Microsoft’s intent to make the Store a credible, central distribution hub for Windows apps rather than a marginal catalog.

Potential risks and weaknesses​

• Black‑box artifact: The generated launcher’s opacity limits enterprise adoption and makes thorough security review harder.
• Limited coverage: Until catalog breadth increases, many users will still need winget, vendor downloads, or third‑party packagers.
• False expectations: Early media comparisons to Ninite are apt for UX, but they can mislead users into thinking the new Store packs already match Ninite’s enterprise features or winget’s automation capabilities; they do not.

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Final verdict​

The Microsoft Store web multi‑app install is a well-executed convenience feature that will meaningfully simplify app restoration and device setup for non-technical users. It trades some configurability and auditability for extreme simplicity and trust by using the Store’s delivery channels. For consumers, small teams, and enthusiasts setting up a handful of devices, it’s an attractive, lower‑risk alternative to chasing installers across the web. For enterprise provisioning, automation, and compliance-driven deployments, winget, Intune, and established management tooling remain the right tools until Microsoft adds signed manifests, APIs, and Intune/winget integrations. Watch for catalog expansion, a Store‑side authoring UI, and programmatic pack controls — those are the changes that would make this feature relevant to larger IT organizations.

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Microsoft’s web-based multi‑app packs are a pragmatic, user-friendly step in the Store’s reinvention — a smart convenience for everyday Windows setups, and a clear signal that the Store is being reimagined as an operational distribution channel. The feature is not a replacement for automation and governance yet, but it’s a useful, low-friction option that’s worth trying for personal devices and small-scale provisioning tasks.

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Source: Thurrott.com Microsoft Store on the Web Adds Multi-App Install