Windows 11 & Server 2025 Get Secure, Up-to-Date Inbox Apps with June 2025 Update

Installing Windows 11, version 24H2 or Windows Server 2025 just got a significant boost in user experience, convenience, and—most importantly—security, thanks to a pivotal change in how inbox Microsoft Store apps are handled during fresh installations. Traditionally, even the latest ISO, VHD, or cloud images of Windows shipped with app versions that trailed behind current feature and security updates. This led to the all-too-familiar ritual on new devices where dozens of pre-installed apps clambered for immediate downloads the moment you hit the desktop, consuming precious bandwidth and dragging on system resources. However, as of June 2025, all refreshed Windows media now come bundled with fully up-to-date versions of these apps, presenting a considerable stride towards smoother deployments and stronger default security postures.

Inbox Apps Get “Day Zero” Updates​

For IT pros and everyday users alike, the term “inbox apps” refers to the core set of applications Microsoft includes with every version of Windows—everything from Calculator and Notepad to Photos, Media Player, and the Microsoft Store itself. With the release of Windows 11, version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025, ISOs and cloud deployment images now include the latest available versions of these applications out-of-the-box.
This transformation applies not only to ISO files and virtual hard disks downloaded from admin portals, but also to cloud-based images found in the Azure Marketplace. Whether you're provisioning on-premises desktops, refreshing VMs, or rolling out hardware in an enterprise, these contemporary app versions are baked directly into the initial install experience.

A Closer Look at What’s Included​

The Windows 11, version 24H2 media, refreshed in or after June 2025, now ships with 36 updated built-in apps, a full suite of everyday tools and convenience features. Among the headline apps receiving instant freshness are:

• Alarms & Clock
• App Installer
• Calculator
• Camera
• Clipchamp (Microsoft's video editor)
• Media Player
• Microsoft Store
• Notepad
• Paint
• Photos
• Power Automate
• Snipping Tool
• Sticky Notes
• Weather
• Xbox Game Bar

It also covers video and image codecs (e.g., AV1 Video Extension, HEIF, and HEVC Image Extensions), crucial for a variety of modern workloads. On the server side, the update is less expansive but still significant, ensuring App Installer and Windows Security are ready-to-use without day-one patching.

Enhanced Security and Compliance Benefits​

Perhaps the most compelling reason for this shift is security. Prior to this change, organizations and users were vulnerable during the crucial early hours following deployment. New hardware or cloud VMs—whether destined for the desktop, data center, or hybrid environments—shipped with inbox apps whose codebase might already be weeks or even months out of date compared to Microsoft’s secure development lifecycle. That gap between provisioned version and the latest patch introduced the risk of Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) already being exploited in the wild.
With the June 2025 (and later) images, inbox apps are built using the latest secure versions available at the time the media is generated, and the images themselves are now refreshed monthly. This delivers several pronounced advantages:

• Reduced Exposure: Devices ship with a lower attack surface from day one, shrinking the time window between deployment and patching.
• Compliance Made Easier: Meeting cybersecurity mandates for up-to-date, secure baselines is now less reliant on post-install updates or complex scripting.
• Fewer False Positives: Security management tools will encounter fewer outdated app versions, diminishing unnecessary alerts and noise in both enterprise and cloud environments.

While this won’t entirely remove the responsibility of regular updating—long-term security still requires ongoing maintenance—it raises the “baseline” closer to current, known good states.

Tangible Benefits for Deployment and User Experience​

For system administrators, device imaging, and management teams, the operational benefits are immediate and potentially far-reaching. Previously, new installs would often spend several minutes (or longer) updating apps via the Microsoft Store on first sign-in. In bandwidth-constrained or security-restricted environments, this could delay productivity, increase IT troubleshooting overhead, and generate support calls about missing features. Now, with day-zero readiness:

• Faster setup times: Devices spend far less time “catching up” on initial boot, especially in environments managing hundreds or thousands of endpoints simultaneously.
• Bandwidth Conservation: Enterprises, schools, and government agencies in particular will see reduced network load—no more compounding gigabytes of redundant downloads across large deployments.
• Immediate Access to Features: Users and admins can leverage the newest app features and fixes without a multi-stage update phase.

This model is especially friendly to environments where Store access is restricted or disabled, a common scenario in regulated industries or highly managed networks.

Getting the Updated Media: Simple, but With a New Twist​

For anyone involved in deployment, the next steps are straightforward. Download the updated ISOs, VHDs, or virtual images dated June 2025 or later from the Microsoft 365 admin center, the Media Creation Tool, or the Azure Marketplace, and use them as the standard for new rollouts and device imaging. Microsoft emphasizes that the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) has been retired, streamlining distribution even further.
Organizations leveraging enterprise deployment tools, such as Microsoft Configuration Manager, can point their scripts and workflows to the new images just as they would for routine version upgrades. The major change is that immediate Store-based app updating post-deployment is no longer required—everything needed for compliance and usability is meticulously baked into the installer image itself.

Devices Running Older Media? There’s a Path to Parity​

If you’ve already rolled out Windows 11 24H2 or Windows Server 2025 devices using older (pre-June 2025) media, Microsoft offers a simple remedy—update the inbox apps via the Microsoft Store or using enterprise management tools. This includes leveraging Microsoft Intune for environments where direct Store access is restricted. Intune’s integration with the Microsoft Store ensures that, where possible, all core apps can receive updates as soon as they’re available.

Addressing Known Gaps and Limitations​

While this marks a dramatic improvement over previous practices, there are a few important caveats and operational realities to note:

• Refresh Cadence: The media is refreshed monthly, but organizations relying on a local “golden image” may still need to update their repositories regularly to stay current.
• Custom Imaging Chains: If your deployment workflow involves slipstreaming the OS image or customizing WIM files, careful attention will be needed to ensure that you aren’t inadvertently rolling back to older app versions.
• Offline Scenarios: Environments completely isolated from the internet will need to periodically inject new media to benefit from ongoing app security updates.
• Enterprise App Restrictions: Some organizations intentionally restrict or customize the inbox apps that are delivered to endpoints. The updated approach still allows removal or modification of apps as part of the deployment process.

Key Implications for Security Teams and IT Departments​

This move brings Microsoft’s Windows deployment model in line with best practices long heard in enterprise security circles: minimize initial vulnerability exposure, stay ahead on compliance mandates, and streamline the “image-to-usable” journey. In regulated sectors—finance, government, healthcare, education—where even a brief window of unpatched software introduces risk, this is likely to be viewed as table stakes for modern deployments.
Yet, IT teams should remain vigilant. The risk of “stale images” still exists if updated media isn’t routinely downloaded and incorporated into the deployment process. Automation strategies, such as scripts that check for and grab the latest install media, will be vital in reaping long-term benefits.

Microsoft Intune and Modern App Management​

The update process aligns harmoniously with the increasing enterprise adoption of Microsoft Intune, the cloud-based endpoint manager. With Intune and its Microsoft Store integration, organizations can enforce policy-driven updates for inbox (and other) Store apps, even in environments where end users never directly interact with the Microsoft Store. This provides a future-proof, scalable pathway to app compliance across globally distributed workforces, with reporting and remediation built in.

Broader Trends: From Point-in-Time Imaging to Continuous Baseline Security​

This change is emblematic of a wider industry trend pushing operating system vendors towards “continuous delivery” philosophies, not just for core OS updates but for the entire out-of-box experience. As threat actors increasingly target old vulnerabilities within pre-installed apps, having those apps as up-to-date as the OS core itself becomes more than a matter of convenience.
At the same time, Microsoft’s move could motivate third-party vendors to consider similar practices. The days of “RTM” images frozen in amber, coupled with hours of post-deployment catch-up, appear—at least within the Windows ecosystem—to be numbered.

Critical Analysis: Strengths, Risks, and What Comes Next​

Strengths​

• Security by Design: Minimizing the window of app vulnerabilities at new deployment is a big step towards “security out of the box.”
• User Experience: Less disruptive onboarding; users start with fully functional tools immediately.
• Bandwith & Efficiency: Particularly useful for metered, limited, or slow connections common in branch offices, schools, or rural deployments.
• Compliance Support: Easier for organizations to prove that devices are built from up-to-date, compliant baselines, meeting growing audit expectations.

Potential Risks and Limitations​

• Stale Local Images: The solution’s effectiveness hinges entirely on organizations using the most recently refreshed media. Older images still require the traditional update routines.
• Missed Customization Opportunities: Organizations that strip inbox apps or implement highly bespoke deployments may need to adjust workflows or risk reintroducing outdated versions.
• Varying Global Rollout Timestamps: Depending on geography or channel, there could be small lags between app updates and their inclusion in official media. Verification is wise for mission-critical deployments.
• Reliance on Third-Party Distribution Channels: Enterprises using third-party deployment tools or repository mirrors must ensure they sync with Microsoft’s update cadence to avoid deploying outdated apps.

Crucially, while Microsoft’s blog and official documentation outline the main benefits and procedural steps, the true scale of this improvement will depend on vigilant rollout—and careful coordination between security, deployment, and end-user support teams.

Best Practices for IT Pros Moving Forward​

• Regularly Update Deployment Media: Make it a monthly habit to download the latest ISOs and cloud images.
• Automate Image Validation: Integrate checks into your workflow to ensure you’re not deploying outdated media.
• Pair With Policy Management: Leverage Microsoft Intune and Store integration to keep all apps up-to-date post-deployment, regardless of user privileges or Store access.
• Educate Support Teams: Highlight to front-line IT support how this change reduces initial update load—and explain fallback steps if app mismatches are detected.
• Monitor App Version Compliance: Correlate device onboarding logs with app inventory to spot outliers or failed updates early.

Conclusion​

The June 2025 refresh of Windows installation media, bundling the latest versions of inbox Microsoft Store apps, marks a quiet but profound leap forward in the default Windows experience. It streamlines deployment for administrators, strengthens the baseline security posture for all users, and diminishes wasteful update cycles that once gnawed away at productivity and network efficiency.
However, to fully capitalize, organizations must adapt their deployment routines to consistently use the freshest media and embrace cloud-driven app management strategies, particularly in highly managed or restricted scenarios. The big-picture message is clear: The days of deploying systems burdened by immediately obsolete applications are ending, replaced by a world where “day zero” truly means everything is ready—secure, compliant, and feature-rich—from the very first login. As Windows evolves to meet the challenges of the modern enterprise, this is a pivotal move in harmonizing security, usability, and manageability for organizations of all sizes.

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Source: Microsoft - Message Center Inbox Microsoft Store apps update in Windows media - Windows IT Pro Blog