Windows 11 Adds Built-in Store CLI for Scriptable App Installs

Microsoft has quietly added a first‑party command‑line client for the Microsoft Store to Windows 11: a built‑in Store CLI surfaced as the store command that lets you browse, search, install and update Store content from the terminal without opening the GUI. This is a small change on the surface, but it matters — especially to power users, IT pros and administrators who want faster, scriptable access to Store‑hosted apps. Microsoft documents the feature as part of an updated developer blog post announcing enhanced Store tooling, and hands‑on reporting shows the CLI arriving in Preview on recent Windows 11 builds.

Background​

The Windows ecosystem already offered several command‑line touchpoints for apps: the Windows Package Manager (winget) for broader package management, and the Microsoft Store Developer CLI (msstore) for publishers and CI workflows. The new built‑in Store CLI is distinct — it’s a Store‑centric client that talks to the Microsoft Store catalog and the Store client on the device, focusing on discovery and lifecycle actions for Store packages. Early coverage and community testing describture shipped with some Windows 11 builds rather than a separately installed tool.

Why a Store CLI now?​

Microsoft’s stated rationale is straightforward: give developers and users “a new way to discover and install Store apps, without needing the GUI.” Command‑line workflows are faster for many tasks and easier to automate, and a Store‑specific CLI fills a gap winget doesn’t fully cover: canonical Store discovery, price metadata and curated store listings. The Windows Developer Blog highlights browse and filter capabilities that mirror the Store UI while returning compact, CLI‑friendly output.

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What the Store CLI does today​

The Store CLI exposes a set of discovery and lifecycle commands that align closely with typical Store UI actions. Hands‑on reports and Microsoft’s blog show the primary capabilities:

• Browse the Store cataists (e.g., curated or top charts) via store browse-apps and store browse-games. (blogs.windows.com)
• Search the Store catalog with filters for market, language and listing type via store search. The output includes the Store product identifier and other Store metadata.
• Install Store apps by product ID or name with store install. Installations begin without opening the full Store GUI and surface installed apps in Start once complete.
• Update individual Store apps via store update and check/update all Store apps via store updates. Several testers confid triggering works, though progress feedback in the terminal is minimal.

Additional convenience commands reported in early coverage include store installed (list installed Store apps), store show (display detailed metadata), store similar (find similar apps), and publisher‑scoped listing commands. Many of the discovery commands map directly to Store GUI categories, and some let you filter by curated lists such as top‑free, top‑paid and new‑releases.

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How it compares to winget and msstore​

The arrival of another Store‑related CLI naturally raises the question: why not just extend winget? The practical distinctions are clpt builders.

• Scope: Store CLI is Store‑first — it queries the Microsoft Store catalog and surfaces the canonical Store entry for each listing. winget is a general package manager that aggregates manifests and repositories, often returning multiple manpackaging variants for the same product.
• Discovery: Store CLI returns Store ordering, price metadata, and curated lists (top charts, categories) identical to the Store UI; winget does not provide Store charts or price metadata.
• Publishing: msstore (Microsoft Store Developer CLI) is for publishers — packaging,tion in Partner Center — and is separate from the end‑user built‑in store client. The built‑in Store CLI is consumption‑focused, not a publishing tool.
• Automation and enterprise readiness: winget today has the richer enterprise feature set (export/import manifests, policies, enterprise deployment considerations). The Store CLI currently appears Preview‑grade with limited documentation for enterprise integration. That makes winget the better choice for full provisioning pipelines, while the Store CLI is better for Store‑accurate, Store‑only operations.

Put bluntly: use winget when you need wide coverage and enterprise automation; use the Store CLI when you specifically want the re listing, price visibility or curated Store lists that winget omits.

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Early observations and behavior quirks​

Community testing and writer hands‑on checks reveal several practical behaviors you should know before adopting the Store CLI in scripts or workflows.

Installation and progress reporting​

Installs triggered by store install typically start downloads and completeull Store GUI. However, terminal feedback is sparse: many testers report no progress bars and sometimes no terminal completion message, while the system’s Start menu and Store installed list will reflect completed installs. Scripts that assume synchronous, verbose progress may misinterpret the command’s state without additional verification.

Paid items and entitI can list paid items and show pricing metadata, but it cannot process purchases inline. If you attempt to install a paid app without owning entitlements, the CLI fails and instructs you to complete the purchase via the Store GUI first. That behavior preserves Store licensing flows but breaks fully unattended purchase/install automation.​

Uninstall and lifecycle gaps​

In many early builds the Store CLI focuses on discovery, install and updates; a supand is often missing or inconsistent. That means the CLI is not (yet) a complete lifecycle tool for Store packages — other tools (Settings, Store GUI or PowerShell/Appx commands) are still needed for uninstallation in many cases.

Availability and consistency​

The Store CLI appears automatically on some Windows 11 installs and not on others — availability may vary by Windows build, channel, or region. Microsoft has published the CLI announcement as part of updated Store/developer tooling, but first‑class, versioned documentation for tited at this time. Enterprises should treat the CLI as Preview until Microsoft clarifies release channels and versioning.

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Security, privacy and governance considerations​

Introducing a terminal client for the Store adds new angles for security teams and compliance officers lements remain enforced by the Store. The CLI delegates licensing checks to the Store’s entitlement system, so it cannot bypass paid entitlements or family/organizational purchase controls. That preserves the integrity of licensing but means automation must respect entitlement checks and fail gracefully when required purchases are missing.

• Auditabiresent appear limited. There’s no publicly documented centralized audit trail or enterprise logging specific to the Store CLI; until Microsoft publishes integrated logging or telemetry hooks, treat CLI operations as UI installs from an auditing perspective. Enterprises that require immutable install logs will need to supplement CLI usage with local logging wrappers or system event collestalls need robust verification. Because terminal progress is minimal, automation should verify outcomes via store installed, check Get‑AppxPackage (for UWP/MSIX packages), and optionally validate file presence or registry entries. Add retries, timeouts and explicit status checks rather than assuming completion once the command returns.

Flagged as unverifiable at present: whether the Store CLI will eventually expose enterprise hooks (Intune integration, offlt, bulk enterprise purchases via CLI) — Microsoft has not yet documented such features for the built‑in Store CLI, so those behaviors remain speculative until official guidance appears. Treat any claims about enterprise parity as tentative.

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Practical he Store CLI safely in scripts​

If you want to experiment with the Store CLI in lab or production scripts, follow these concrete steps to reduce risk and improve reliability.

• Verify presence and run fallback logic.
• Check for the CLI before using it: run store --here. If absent, fall back to winget or an alternate provisioning path. This prevents brittle scripts on varied Windows builds.
• Use product IDs for deterministic installs.
• Use store search or store show to obtain the Store Product ID (a stable identifier) and call store install <ProductID>ty. This mirrors best practices used for winget manifests.
• Validate installation explicitly.
• After store install, verify the app with store installed and check system installers (e.g., Get‑AppxPackage for MSIX/UWP). Add a retry loop with reasonable timeouts; the CLI’s sparse output makes implic
• Handle paid apps and entitlements separately.
• If store search shows a price, block automated install attempts unless entitlements are pre‑provisioned through enterprise licensing. Attempting to script purchases is not supported — the CLI will fail and rrchase completion.
• Combine tools for full provisioning.
• Use a hybrid approach: winget for wide package coverage, MSI/EXE vendors, and enterprise manifests; store CLI for Store exclusives, curated lists and Store‑accurate entries. This is the most pragmatic path until the Store CLI matches winget’s enterprise features.
• Build logging and observability.
• Wrap store commands in a logging function that timestamps outputs, records exit codes, and collects Get‑AppxPackage/file Ship these logs to centralized telemetry for compliance and troubleshooting.

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Example workflows and command snippets​

Below are a few representative examples that show how the Store CLI might be used in everyday workflows. Each example assumes the store command is present on the device.

• Search for a Store app and install by Product ID:
• store search brave
  (look for the Product ID in the results, then)
• store install XP8C9QZMS2PC1T
  This will trigger a Store install for Braveilable in your region and entitlements allow it.
• Browse top free productivity apps:
• store browse-apps top-free --categoryhis returns a compact, Store‑ordered list you can consume directly in scripts or logs.
• Update all installed Store apps:
  se store updates to check for updates across installed Store apps and trigger installs. Follow up with store installed to validate updated versions. Keep in mind terminal progress may be minimal, so verify via installed package queries.
• Combine winget and store in a provisioning script (pseudo):
• Ensure store is available; otherwise use winget fallback.
• winget install --silent 7zip
• store install <ProductID_for_Store_only_app>
• Verify both installs via appropriate checks.

These snippets reflect what early testers and documentation show; adjuscation to match your environment.

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Strengths and who benefits most​

The built‑in Store CLI brings meaningful benefits for specific user groups:

• **Power users and devee terminal and want faster Store discovery and installs without GUI friction. The browse and search filters offer a way to replicate Store browsing in a compact, scriptable format.
• IT pros and single‑machine automation tasks where a handful of Store apps musteloper or test machines — the CLI makes those installs less fiddly and faster than clicking through the Store.
• Troubleshooters who need quick device audits: store installed and `store showlity into store‑installed packages and metadata useful for debugging.

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Limitations and risks — what Microsoft still needs to fix or clarify​

The Store CLI as shipped in Preview has clear gaps that limit enterge‑scale automation:

• No documented enterprise integration. How the CLI integrates with Intune, offline licensing, or enterprise purchase entitlements is unclear. Microsoft needs to pubd APIs for enterprise workflows.
• Sparse progress and exit reporting. Scripts need robust exit codes and progress signals; right now, the terminal output is too minimal for confident automation without extra verification steps.
• Uninstall and full lifecycle coverage. Many builds lack a supported uninstall command, making the CLI a partiarprises expect install, update and uninstall parity with other management tools.
• Availability inconsistency. The CLI’s presence depending on Windows build/channel complicates rollouts; Microsoft should publish versioning, release channels and backcompat guarantees.

Where claims exist in community writeups about behavior variance (e.g., discrepancies between GUI update lists and CLI update discovery), treat these as real observations but also as potentially environment‑dependent. They require Microsoft confirmation or broader testing to explain staging, entitlements or publisher rollout interactions.

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The bigger picture: what this says about Microsoft’s app strategy​

The Store CLI reflects a pragmatic approach: Microsoft is doubling down on the Store as a canonical content source while recognizing that many users and admins prefer terminal workflows. By giving the Store a native CLI, Microsoft acknowledges that the Store’s role is larger than a simple GUI front end and that some Store‑speci lists, paid entitlements, extensions) deserve a dedicated command‑line surface.
At the same time, the decision not to fold these features directly into winget speaks to functional separation: winget remains a general package manager and automation engine, while the Store CLI is a Store client optimized to reflect Sering. That separation is defensible — the two tools have different trust, entitlement and distribution models — but it introduces a modest maintenance and integration burden for teams that now must th tools in provisioning flows.

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Recommendations for IT teams and power users​

• s Preview for now. Use it for lab work, single‑machine provisioning and targeted scripts where Store accuracy matters. Avoid relying on it for fleet provisioning until Microsoft publishes enterprise docs and logging.
• Adopt a hybrid provisioning strategy. Continue using winget for broad package installs and automation; call store for Store exclusives or when you need canonical Store entries and price metadata.
• Harden scripts. Always check for CLI presence, use Product IDs, validate results explicitly, and log every action. Add retry logic and fallbacks to guard against entitlements and staged rollouts.
• Watch Microsoft documentation and release notes. Because the Store CLI is rolling out in Preview, monitor official Microsoft channels for versioning, enterprise features, and any audit/logging support that’s added. Microsoft has posted the initial announcement in its developer blog; expect formal docs to follow.

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Conclusion​

The built‑in Microsoft Store CLI is a welcome addition for an, scriptable access to Store content. It fills a clear niche — Store‑accurate discovery and installs — that winget does not fully cover, and it offers practical value for power users and small‑scale automation. But it’s not a replacement for winget or a full enterprise management solution yet. Expect growing pains: minimal progress reporting, licensing and purchase constraints, lifecycle gaps and uncertainuilds. For now, the smart path is a hybrid approach: use winget for broad automation and the Store CLI where canonical Store listings or curated Store browsing matter, while keeping a close eye on Microsoft’s documentation updates and enterprise feature announcements.
The Store CLI makes the Microsoft Store more accessible to terminal users — that’s progress. The next step is for Microsoft to pair the CLI with clear enterprise guidance, robust logging and lifecycle parity so administrators can trust it in large‑scale deployments. Until then, experiment cautiously, log everything, and prefer deterministic Product IDs over name‑based installs when you need reliability.

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Source: Thurrott.com Windows 11 Has a Microsoft Store CLI Now

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft has quietly added a command-line client for the Microsoft Store to Windows 11, giving power users and developers a new way to discover, install and update Store apps from the terminal with a small set of focused commands.

Background / Overview​

The new Store command-line interface—invoked simply as the store command—is distinct from two other Store-related tools that already exist: WinGet (the Windows Package Manager) and the Microsoft Store Developer CLI (msstore). WinGet is a general-purpose package manager that aggregates manifests and multiple repositories, while msstore is a cross-platform publishing tool intended for app authors to upload and manage packages in Partner Center. The built-in Store CLI is focused on consuming content in the Microsoft Store catalog: discovery, installs and updates for Store-listed items.
Microsoft framed the feature as a developer- and power-user-oriented capability that “brings app discovery, installation and update management directly to your terminal,” noting that the CLI is only available on devices where the Microsoft Store is enabled. That means the tool depends on the Store client and its platform services to function.

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What the Store CLI does today​

Core capabilities (quick list)​

• Browse and discover Store listings with curated lists and category filters using commands like store browse-apps and store browse-games.
• Search and inspect product metadata and publisher information using commands such as store search and store show.
• Install Store apps from the terminal with store install <product-id> or by app name where supported.
• Update one or more Store-installed apps with store update <product-id> or store updates to scan and apply available updates.
• List installed apps that were obtained through the Store using store installed, and inspect similar or publisher-scoped listings with convenience commands.

These are the commands Microsoft highlighted in its developer blog, and early hands-on reports have filled out additional convenience verbs (search, show, installed, similar, updates) that make the tool comfortable for daily usage and scripting.

How it behaves in practice​

Early community testing and write-ups show the Store CLI surfaces canonical Store ordering, price metadata and the Store product identifier (the product ID you’ll use to target installs). Because the CLI talks directly to Store services, search results tend to match what you’d see in the Store app GUI—not third-party manifests or mirror repos—so discovery is less noisy when you only want official Store entries. Installations can begin without opening the full Store GUI, which makes command-line provisioning and scripted installs possible. That said, several reports note the terminal feedback during downloads and installs is minimal: progress bars may be limited and completion messages are sometimes sparse, so you may still need to validate installs via Start or other package queries in automation scenarios.

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A closer look at key commands​

store browse-apps / store browse-games​

• Purpose: Pull curated lists (top-free, top-paid, new releases) and filter by category, market, language or subcategory.
• Why it matters: This brings the Store’s curated discovery model—rankings and editorial lists—into scripts and logs, not just GUI browsing.

Example (typical usage):

• store browse-apps top-free --category "Productivity"

store search / store show​

• Purpose: Text search across the Store catalog and inspect detailed metadata for a product (name, publisher, product-id, pricing where applicable).
• Why it matters: The output includes the Store’s canonical product ID used for reliable installs, avoiding ambiguous matches that might occur with aggregated package managers.

Example:

• store search "Microsoft Teams"
• store show XP8C9QZMS2PC1T

store install <product-id>​

• Purpose: Start a Store install from the terminal targeting the Store product identifier.
• Remarks: The install flow is driven by the Store client on the device; the CLI acts as a trigger and status reporter. Terminal feedback varies by build and may be minimal in Preview releases.

store update / store updates​

• Purpose: Update a specific Store-installed app or scan and apply updates across installed Store apps.
• Remarks: Useful when you want to script update checks separately from GUI-driven Store update flows.

store installed / store similar / publisher-scoped commands​

• Purpose: Inventory and discovery helpers that make automation and reporting easier—list what the Store has installed, find similar apps, or enumerate a publisher’s portfolio.

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How this fits with WinGet and msstore (the messy triage)​

One of the first questions users ask is: “Which command-line tool should I use—winget, msstore, or store?” The short answer: it depends on what you want to do.

• WinGet (Windows Package Manager) is a general-purpose, open-source package manager optimized for fast installs, reproducible manifests and enterprise provisioning. It aggregates community manifests and other sources, so it can install apps that do not live in the Microsoft Store. Use winget for broad automation, reproducible manifests, and multi-source installs.
• msstore (Microsoft Store Developer CLI) is a cross-platform tool for publishers to package, configure and publish apps to the Microsoft Store and Partner Center. It is not an end-user installer—the focus is on submissions, CI/CD and publisher workflows. The msstore tool can also be installed on non-Windows platforms for publishing tasks and requires Microsoft Entra (not personal MSA) for sign-in in many operations.
• store (Store CLI) is a consumer- and admin-facing Store-specific client for discovery, installs and updates of items that live in the Microsoft Store. It’s not a drop-in replacement for winget and is purpose-built to mirror Store UI semantics (curation, charts, price metadata). Use store when your target is specifically Store-hosted content and you want canonical Store discovery and entitlements.

This three-tool landscape can be an advantage: choose the right tool for the job. It’s also a point of friction for automation architects who must decide whether to rely on Store entitlements or generalized package manifests.

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Availability, preview status and rollout considerations​

Microsoft’s developer blog introduced the Store CLI as part of a broader set of Store and Partner Center updates on February 11, 2026. The blog explicitly states the CLI is available only on devices where Microsoft Store is enabled. Outside of that, community testing indicates the Store CLI currently appears as a Preview feature in recent Windows 11 builds and in some installs arrives as a built-in command rather than a separately installed binary. That means behavior and availability can vary between channels and device images. Treat early behavior as Preview-grade and expect Microsoft to iterate quickly.
A few caveats surfaced in early coverage and hands-on reports:

• The tool may not show detailed progress in the terminal during installs and updates; some users reported minimal terminal feedback.
• The CLI depends on the Store client being present and enabled; if your organization disables the Microsoft Store, the CLI will not function.
• Enterprise-grade management, group policies and offline package workflows are currently better served by winget and existing device management tools; the Store CLI’s role in those scenarios is not yet fully documented. Community tests and Microsoft’s public documentation for msstore and Partner Center cover publisher workflows, but the new store client is consumption-focused.

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Practical scenarios: where the Store CLI shines​

• Fast one-off installs from the terminal: Need to install a Store app without switching to GUI? Run store install <product-id> and continue scripting other setup steps. This is great for quickly provisioning a dev box with Teams, Visual Studio Code (if present in Store), or other Store-packaged tools.
• Discovery-driven automation: Use store browse-apps and store search to build scripts that generate curated app lists, compare top charts across markets, or auto-log recommended apps into onboarding checklists. The CLI preserves Store ordering and price metadata that winget does not expose.
• Targeted updates for Store-only apps: If you rely on apps that are distributed exclusively through the Store, store updates gives scripted control to check and apply Store updates without navigating the GUI manually. This can be useful for small fleets where the Store is allowed and the goal is to keep a subset of Store apps current.
• Integration with provisioning scripts: Combine winget for general installations with the Store CLI for Store-only titles to achieve a more complete zero-touch provisioning script that respects where each package originates. Community examples show hybrid provisioning workflows using both tools.

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Enterprise, security and governance considerations​

Command-line access to app discovery and installation raises practical governance questions for IT admins. Here are the main points to weigh:

• Policy alignment: If your organization disables the Microsoft Store through policy, the Store CLI will not work. That’s by design: the CLI uses the Store client and entitlements. Confirm organizational policy before relying on Store CLI in managed images.
• Entitlements and licensing: The Store enforces entitlements (region, organizational licensing, in-app purchases). Automation that triggers Store installs must account for licensing models and user entitlements; silent installs that bypass consent are generally not possible unless the Store and enterprise provisioning flows explicitly allow them. Treat any automation that interacts with paid tiers with caution and validate license behavior. (This is a general caution inferred from how the Store enforces entitlements; hands-on reports and official docs emphasize Store-driven entitlements.)
• Telemetry and privacy: Because the Store CLI talks to Store services, usage will interact with the same telemetry and telemetry consent boundaries the Store uses. Admins who require telemetry minimization should treat any Store-based automation like other Store activity and check organizational telemetry settings. This is an area where official documentation is still catching up; flag it as something to validate in your environment.
• Scripting reliability: Current reports mention limited terminal progress reporting during installs. When scripting, add verification steps (check installed version, query Start menu, validate file versions) rather than relying on a single terminal exit status. Community write-ups show examples of follow-up checks after store install or store update.

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How to try it (quick guide)​

• Open Windows Terminal, PowerShell or Command Prompt on a Windows 11 device where the Microsoft Store is enabled.
• Type: store --help
• This prints the available subcommands and usage examples. Microsoft’s blog points users to this as the main discovery path.
• Try a safe search: store search "calculator" or store browse-apps top-free --category "Productivity".
• Inspect a result to get the product ID, then run: store install <product-id> to begin an install.
• Use store installed and store updates to audit and update your Store-installed inventory. Community articles show these basic flows and example commands for experimentation.

If you do not see the store command, you may be on a build that has not yet received the feature, or your Store client may be disabled by policy. Community reports suggest the Store CLI is present on many updated Windows 11 systems but is still rolling and surfaced as Preview in several channels.

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Strengths, limitations and risks — a balanced critique​

Notable strengths​

• Canonical Store discovery: The CLI surfaces Store-curated rankings and product metadata—useful when you need the official Store view rather than aggregated results.
• Tighter Store integration: Because the CLI triggers installs through the Store client, entitlements, licensing and other Store rules are preserved. That reduces mismatch scenarios where a manifest-based install might differ from the Store version.
• Convenience for devs and power users: Quick terminal access to browse, install and update accelerates many common tasks and fits into developer workflows and provisioning scripts. ([turbolab.it](Come installare le app dello Store Microsoft dalla linea di comando (aggiornato: gennaio 2026) and risks
• Scope is narrow by design: The tool only operates on Microsoft Store content. It does not replace winget for broader package management needs. Treat it as complementary, not a universal package manager.
• Preview maturity: Early builds show limited progress reporting and inconsistent semantics between Windows builds. Expect the command’s UX to evolve. Don’t rely on it for mission-critical automation until Microsoft documents enterprise scenarios more fully.
• Policy-dependent availability: If an organization disables the Microsoft Store, the tool is unusable; plan accordingly for managed device fleets.
• Documentation gaps: While Microsoft published the feature as part of a developer blog and is adding developer-focused docs elsewhere, official command reference and enterprise guidance is still being filled out; verify behavior in lab environments before rolling into production.

Whenever you see a new system tool arrive in Preview, the right approach for IT teams is cautious exploration: test reproducibility, capture metrics, and design fallback paths in your automation should the CLI’s behavior change.

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What this means for developers and the Store ecosystem​

For developers, the Store CLI is primarily a convenience for users and admins who install and update apps. The bigger developer-side changes announced alongside the CLI in Partner Center (improved analytics, anomaly alerts and a consolidated summary dashboard) are likely to have a larger direct impact on release cycles and maintenance prioritization. The msstore Developer CLI remains the authoritative tooling for publisher-side packaging and publishing tasks. In short: developers get better metrics and publishing tools; end users and IT get a new, scriptable consumption channel.

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Final verdict and practical recommendations​

Microsoft’s Store CLI is a small but meaningful addition to the Windows tooling landscape. It fills a clear gap for Store-specific discovery and lifecycle actions from the terminal, and it complements—not replaces—winget or msstore. For power users, sysadmins of small managed fleets, and developers who want command-line install flows to match Store semantics, the Store CLI will be immediately useful.
Practical recommendations:

• Try it in a lab first. Validate store install and store update behavior on your Windows 11 images before adopting it in automation.
• Use it for Store-only titles. Combine winget for wider packages and store for Store-catalog-specific installs.
• Add verification steps. Since terminal progress can be minimal, script post-install checks to confirm results.
• Monitor Microsoft documentation. The Store CLI is rolling out in Preview—expect command syntax and enterprise guidance to mature. Check Microsoft’s developer blog and docs for updates.

Microsoft’s move to add a first-party Store CLI is a pragmatic win for command-line users: it brings the Store’s curated, entitlement-aware model into automation-friendly workflows while keeping the established roles of winget and msstore intact. For most readers, the next practical step is simple: open a terminal, run store --help, and see whether the feature has arrived on your device.
Conclusion: the Store CLI is lightweight but purposeful—an example of Microsoft iterating on real-world developer and admin feedback to make the Store more scriptable and approachable from the command line.

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Source: Windows Central Windows 11 just gained a command line version of the Microsoft Store

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft has quietly added a first‑party command‑line client for the Microsoft Store to Windows: a built‑in Store CLI surfaced as the store command that lets you browse, search, install and update Store content from the terminal without opening the GUI. This is a small change on the surface, but it matters — especially to power users, IT professionals and administrators who want faster, scriptable access to Store‑hosted apps. The feature was announced as part of Microsoft’s February 11, 2026 developer blog post and is already showing up in Preview builds and coverage across major outlets.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft’s Windows ecosystem already offered multiple command‑line touchpoints for app distribution and publishing: the Windows Package Manager (winget) for broad package management and the Microsoft Store Developer CLI (msstore) for publisher and CI workflows. The newly introduced Store CLI — invoked simply as the store command — is distinct in purpose and scope. It is a Store‑centric, end‑user consumption client that talks directly to the Microsoft Store catalog and the Store client on the device, focusing on discovery, installation and lifecycle actions for items listed in the Store.
Microsoft frames the change bluntly: give developers and terminal users “a new way to discover and install Store apps, without needing the GUI.” The official blog lists core commands, including browse, install and update verbs, and notes the CLI is available only on devices where the Microsoft Store is enabled. Early hands‑on coverage from independent sites confirms the CLI’s presence in Preview on recent Windows 11 builds.

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What the Store CLI does today​

The Store CLI exposes a compact, familiar command set focused on tasks you already perform in the Store app. The most visible capabilities are:

• Discover and browse curated lists with commands like store browse-apps and store browse-games, supporting filters for category, listing type (top‑free, top‑paid, new releases), market and language.
• Search the Store catalog and inspect product metadata with store search and store show, returning the Store product ID, publisher and price metadata where applicable. This keeps discovery aligned with the Store’s canonical listing.
• Install from the terminal with store install <product-id> (or s helpful), kicking off the Store client’s download and installation pipeline without launching the full GUI.
• Update management via store update <product-id> for single apps and store updates for scanning and applying updates across installed Store apps.
• Inventory and discovery helpers such as store installed, store similar, and publisher‑scoped listing commands for reporting and scriptable discovery.

These commands mirror many Store GUI actions and are intentionally compact to aid both interactive use and scripting. The CLI’s output is designed to be CLI‑friendly — table formatted, colorized in supported terminals and containing Store‑specific fields (product ID, pricing, curated list tags) that winget does not surface.

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How the Store CLI compares to winget and msstore​

The presence of three store‑related CLIs in the Windows ecosystem begs the question: when do you use each?

• store (Store CLI) — Store‑first, consumption oriented. Queries the Microsoft Store catalog and surfaces canonical Store entries, editorial rankings and price metadata. Ideal when you need the Store’s curated ordering, accurate entitlements and listings that match the GUI. The tool depends on the Store client and its entitlements, so it only operates where the Microsoft Store is enabled.
• winget (Windows Package Manager) — General pacse‑friendly. Aggregates manifests from multiple sources, supports reproducible manifests, export/import and custom repositories, and is better suited to broad provisioning, offline distributions and enterprise automation. winget is source‑agnostic and installs packages beyond the Store catalog.
• msstore (Microsoft Store Developer CLI) — Publisher and CI tool. Cross‑platform tool for packaging, submitting and managing apps in Partner Center and for automating publishing workflows. It is not intended for end‑user installs.

Put simply: use winget for wide coverage and reproducibility, store when you need canonical Store discovery and entitlement fidelity, and msstore when you are pg Partner Center work. The three‑tool landscape gives choice but also introduces friction for provisioning architects who must decide which tool aligns with their trust model and distribution pipeline.

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Practical behaviour and early limitations​

Early hands‑on reports and community testing reveal several practical behaviours you should expect when adopting the Store CLI in scripts and workflows.

• Preview‑grade rollout and variable availability. Microsoft announced the CLI in a developer blog post dated February 11, 2026; it currently appears as a Preview feature in recent Windows 11 builds and on devices where the Microsoft Store is enabled. Availability and behavior can vary by channel and image. Treat it as rapidly evolving.
• Terminal feedback is minimal in some builds. Testers note the CLI can emit limited progress information during downloads and installs: no rich, persistent progress bar and sometimes sparse terminal messages. For automation that depends on precise progress signals, additional validation steps are recommended (e.g., query installed apps after a timeout).
• Dependence on the Store client and entitlements. The store CLI delegates installs and entitlement checks to the Store client and underlying platform services. If an organization disables the Microsoft Store, the CLI will not function. Similarly, paid apps retain their licensing flow; automation of paid downloads requires entitlement and potentially an interactive sign‑in depending on the purchase model.
• Enterprise management gaps today. As of the initial announcement, firm enterprise guidance — logging details, group policy integration, offline package workflows and audit trails — is limited. For broad fleet provisioning and compliance scenarios, winget and existing MDM/Intune workflows remain the safer, documented route.

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Security, compliance and operational risks​

Introducing a new agent that triggers installs from the device shell raises immediate operational questions that IT and security teams must address.

• Authentication and account context. Because the CLI triggers Store installs, actions execute under the signed‑in user’s account and entiautomated installs running in user context may not behave identically to system‑level provisioning. Ensure your automation semantics match your security model before rolling out.
• Auditing and logging. Enterprise deployments require ompliance. The initial Store CLI lacks the mature audit/telemetry hooks present in established device management tools. Until Microsof documentation, enable supplementary logging, and incorporate explicit verification steps into scripts.
• Paid app workflows and licensing. Automated installs of paid Store content need careful handling. msstore (the developer CLI) and Partner Center workflows use Microsoft Entra for publisher tasks; consumer installs interact with Microsoft Store purchase flows and entitlements. Automation ent should be pilot‑tested and validated against your licensing model.
• Attack surface considerations. Any system that accepts remote or scripted installs increases potential abuse vectors. Apply the principle of least privilege, restrict who can run automation scripts, and monitor for unusual installation patterns. Combine the Store CLI with existing endpoint protection and process‑monitoring controls.

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Recommended adoption strategy for IT and power users​

Until the Store CLI matures into a fully documented enterprise tool, a guarded, hybrid approach minimizes risk while unlocking value.

• Start in lab environments — test the store command across representative images and sign‑in contexts. Validate product ID installs, licensing prompts and post‑install visibility.
• Use Product IDs for determinism — prefer store install <product-id> over human‑readable names to avoid ambiguous matches.
• Treat the Store CLI as complementary to winget — keep winget for bulk provisioning and reproducible manifests; call store for Store‑only items where canonical Store metadata matters.
• Harden scripts — add retries, timeouts, and explicit verification (query installed apps, check Start menu entries) and log every action to a central logging endpoint.
• Watch for enterprise docs — track Microsoft’s official guidance and Partner Center updates for added audit, policy and offline deployment features before expanding to fleets.

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Developer and publisher benefits​

The Store CLI is not just a consumer convenience; Microsoft paired the CLI with concrete developer‑focused investments in Partner Center, analytics and distribution tooling.

• **Partner Center dashboards and anomalyfreshed to provide deeper signals (installs, ratings, stability, engagement) so developers can tie CLI‑driven installs to performance metrics.
• Web Installer and badge improvements make it easier for developers to surface the Store Web Installer on websites, and the updated tools support more enterprise device scenarios for Win32 apps. That rnversion and distribution.
• For publishers, msstore remains the primary CLI for packaging and publishing workflows. The developer tooling and the consumption‑focused store command form a complementary chain: msstore handles the publishing pipeline while store surfaces the published entries for end users.

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Examples and scripting patterns​

Here are concise, practical examples that illustrate common tasks and how they fit into automation.

• Interactive discovery:
• store browse-apps top-free --category "Productivity"
• store search "Visual Studio Code"
  These commands return canonical Store listings, product IDs and price tags that match the Store GUI.
• Install by product ID (deterministic):
• store show XP8C9QZMS2PC1T — confirm title and publisher.
• store install XP8C9QZMS2PC1T — trigger the Store install and then verify with store installed or a winget query.
• Update flow for automation:
• store updates — scan for updates.
• For each returned product ID, call store update <product-id> with scripted logging and backoff logic.

These patterns keep automation deterministic and resilient against transient conditions that Preview‑grade clients can exhibit.

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What remains unclear — and what to watch for​

The arrival of the Store CLI answers several long‑standing user requests but leaves open critical enterprise and technical details:

• Formal enterprise feature set. Will Microsoft add out‑of‑process logging, machine‑level installs (system context), and Intune/MDM integrations? Current guidance is thin.
• Offline package workflows. Can IT teams stage Store packages for disconnected deployments via the CLI or Partner Center APIs? No clear story yet beyond winget’s manifest/offline options.
• Paid app automation. Microsoft’s documentation highlights the Store client’s entitlement model — test paid content automation carefully and expect interactive gating or additional controls.
• Versioning and update cadence. The CLI currently ships as a built‑in element for some builds. Microsoft may iterate quickly via Windows updates or Store client updates; monitor change logs and the Windows Developer Blog for breaking changes.

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Conclusion​

The built‑in Microsoft Store CLI is a welcome and pragmatic addition to Windows’ command‑line ecosystem. It fills a clear gap by making canonical Store discovery, curated lists and entitlement‑aware installs available from the terminal, which benefits power users, developers and small‑scale automation efforts. At the same time, it is not a drop‑in replacement for the Windows Package Manager (winget) or the Microsoft Store Developer CLI (msstore). Today it reads as a consumption‑focused tool in Preview: useful, purposeful and still maturing on enterprise features, logging and predictable automation behaviors.
For IT teams and power users, the immediate takeaway is simple: experiment in labs, adopt a hybrid approach with winget for broad provisioning and store for Store‑native items, prefer deterministic Product IDs, and harden scripts with verification and logging. Over the coming months, watch Microsoft’s official documentation, Partner Center changes and platform updates to see whether the Store CLI evolves into a fully supported enterprise automation tool — or remains a powerful niche utility for developer‑centric and power‑user workflows.

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Source: Neowin Microsoft introduces a new command-line interface for the Microsoft Store