Microsoft is quietly adding an
“App updates” page inside the Windows 11 Settings app that lets the OS check for and install updates for Store-hosted apps without opening the Microsoft Store — a small but meaningful change that signals Microsoft’s continued push to centralize update management on Windows.
Background
Windows has long split update responsibilities across multiple places:
Windows Update handles the operating system and device drivers, the
Microsoft Store manages apps acquired from the Store, and third‑party Win32 apps usually ship their own updaters. That fragmentation has been a frequent complaint among power users and administrators who want a single, auditable place to view and control software updates.
In late November 2025 this dynamic got a subtle nudge: an
App updates page surfaced in the Settings app on Insider preview builds of Windows 11. The page appears under Settings → Apps and exposes a simple UI for checking for updates and recording last-check timestamps. The feature is clearly in preview — in early tests the
Check for updates button does not always trigger a visible update flow — but the presence of the UI is important because it shows Microsoft is willing to surface app update controls outside the Store client.
Concurrently, Microsoft has adjusted how the Microsoft Store treats automatic app updates: the Store now treats “auto-update” as a managed process that can be
paused for fixed periods (commonly 1–5 weeks) rather than turned off indefinitely from the UI. That change aligns app updates more closely with how the platform manages Windows Updates and makes the Store a less user‑configurable endpoint for update policy on unmanaged devices.
What’s changed: the new App updates page in Settings
Where it lives and what you’ll see
- The new page is located in Settings → Apps → App updates.
- The UI shows a Last checked timestamp and exposes a Check for updates button.
- It lists apps that can be updated via the Store infrastructure and gives a simple way to trigger a check without launching the full Microsoft Store app.
What it does — and what it doesn’t (yet)
- It enables a Settings‑based check/installation path for apps that are distributed through the Microsoft Store or Store‑managed pipelines.
- It is not a universal updater for all software: traditional third‑party Win32 apps, MSI installers and apps with their own update services are unaffected and will continue to update via their own mechanisms.
- Early previews show the UI present but not fully functional in all scenarios; the Check for updates control may do nothing on some Insider builds until the backend plumbing is activated.
Why Microsoft is doing this: clarifying the strategy
Microsoft’s moves around app updates in 2025 make strategic sense when viewed together. The company is clearly working to reduce fragmentation and increase the platform’s ability to ensure apps receive timely security and compatibility fixes.
- Centralizing update discovery: Putting a simple app update control inside Settings reduces friction for users who don’t want to navigate the Store UI or who can’t access it because of management policies or because the Store was removed.
- Covering more use cases: Devices in kiosk mode, gaming modes that lock the system into a fullscreen interface (Xbox-style experiences), and certain enterprise scenarios benefit from a Settings‑level check so updates can be triggered without leaving the active session.
- Security and compliance: Making it harder to permanently disable automatic app updates — and giving a Settings-level check — aligns with Microsoft’s broader push to keep Windows devices current to reduce attack surface.
Taken together, the Settings page is a user-experience surface for a deeper intent: integrate the Store’s update capabilities into the OS control plane and, over time, provide a tighter orchestration between OS updates and application updates.
How this fits into Microsoft’s broader update roadmap
Microsoft has already been working on ways to make Windows Update more than just a kernel-and-driver updater. Recent platform initiatives aim to allow Windows Update to orchestrate or at least surface updates for a wider set of apps — especially apps packaged in modern formats (MSIX/Appx) or those that opt into Microsoft’s update orchestration.
Expect the Settings app change to be one visible step toward:
- A unified update experience where users and admins can view update status for both OS and Store apps from a single place.
- A future where app updates can be scheduled or throttled by device state (idle, battery, metered connection), similar to how Windows Update already behaves.
- Better behavior on devices that intentionally block the Store app UI but still need installed apps to remain secure and supported.
Benefits for users, gamers, and administrators
For everyday Windows users
- Simplicity: One place in Settings to see Store app update status reduces friction for casual users who rarely open the Store.
- Fallback: If the Microsoft Store client breaks or is inaccessible, the Settings page offers a fallback route to keep in‑box apps updated.
- Controller‑friendly: Gamers running a fullscreen Xbox-like UI can now check for app updates without exiting to the desktop, making the experience smoother for controller-driven devices.
For IT administrators and organizations
- Improved compliance: Centralized app update info helps administrators confirm that Store apps on unmanaged or kiosk devices are being updated.
- Policy compatibility: Management controls (Group Policy, Intune/MDM) remain the authoritative way to control update behavior; the Settings surface simply exposes the capability for end users where policy allows.
- Audibility: Having update checks and timestamps in Settings makes it easier to triage issues and explain whether a device has checked for available app patches recently.
For developers and publishers
- Higher install‑base security: Apps distributed through the Store can expect fewer users running out-of-date versions, reducing support load from old‑version issues.
- Predictable distribution: If Microsoft increases Store‑orchestrated distribution, it offers more consistent delivery models to developers — especially those adopting modern packaging (MSIX).
Risks, limitations, and user concerns
Not a universal updater
The Settings app update page will only control apps that the Store can manage. For the many desktop apps that still ship their own updaters (Chrome, Adobe apps, many enterprise tools), this change has no direct effect. Users relying on a single “update everything” control should temper expectations.
Reduced user control (UI-level)
Recent changes to the Microsoft Store UI that remove a permanent “off” toggle for automatic app updates in favour of short, fixed‑length
pause options (e.g., 1–5 weeks) show Microsoft’s tilt toward enforced updating. That reduces UI-level control for users who prefer to remain on older app versions for compatibility testing or bandwidth limitations.
- This is a security‑first posture that benefits the majority but may frustrate power users who deliberately manage versioning.
- Managed environments retain administrative controls, but consumer devices will see less granular choice in the UI.
Potential reliability and rollout pain
- Early Insider previews indicate the Settings page is not fully functional in all builds; the Check for updates button sometimes does nothing.
- When Microsoft centralizes update logic, failures in a single pipeline can affect many apps simultaneously. A Store-side issue or a bad app update could have a larger blast radius if more users rely on a centralized updater.
- Microsoft will need robust roll-back and staged rollouts for Store updates — and clear recovery procedures when things go wrong.
Telemetry, privacy, and telemetry implications
Centralizing updates often increases telemetry usage for orchestration (which apps are installed, when they last checked, whether updates succeeded). Users and organizations should understand:
- What diagnostic and usage data is collected during update checks.
- Whether the Settings app surfaces any unique telemetry controls for app update activity.
- That enterprises can typically control telemetry via MDM or Group Policy, but consumer choices may be limited.
Edge cases: unlisted and publisher‑managed apps
- Some apps in the Microsoft Store are listed as provided and updated by publisher and use external update channels; the Settings page will reflect what the Store actually manages.
- For sideloaded or unpackaged Win32 apps, the Settings page will not provide updates — these remain the user’s responsibility.
Practical implications and workflows
How to find and use the App updates page (Insider preview)
- Open Settings (Win + I).
- Navigate to Apps → App updates.
- Review the Last checked timestamp and use Check for updates to start a scan.
Note: In preview builds the button may not always trigger visible activity; this is expected during early rollouts. If the UI reports a previous automatic check, that indicates background mechanics are already running on some devices.
For gamers and Xbox full‑screen users
- The Settings page removes a friction point for devices using a full‑screen gaming shell or when the Microsoft Store client is not accessible by controller input.
- This makes it easier to ensure storefront apps and in‑box games receive updates without switching contexts.
For administrators
- Continue to rely on Group Policy and Intune/MDM for authoritative control of update behavior across fleets.
- The Settings UI is a convenience for local users; it does not replace enterprise configuration and reporting tools.
- Monitor the rollout: the new Settings page is being deployed via Insider and Store updates, so expect staggered visibility across devices.
What to watch next (milestones and verification)
- Rollout cadence: Expect the App updates page to be visible to more Insiders over the coming weeks and to reach Release Preview or public builds in a phased manner. Microsoft’s Insider release notes and Store changelogs will update when the feature is broadly available.
- Functional parity: The obvious next step is to make the Settings page fully functional and to add more controls — for example, a visible list of updateable apps, an “Update all” button, and error diagnostics.
- Deeper Windows Update integration: Microsoft has previously signaled plans to let Windows Update orchestrate or at least surface updates for a broader set of apps. Watch for announcements that tie the Settings app view into Windows Update’s scheduling and energy‑aware behavior.
- Enterprise features: Enterprises will want reporting and audit trails. Look for Intune and Windows Update for Business integrations that allow admins to see Store app update status at scale.
Strengths and opportunities
- Improved discoverability: Users who don’t habitually open the Store now have a clearer path to keep Store apps updated.
- Resilience: Devices that lose access to the full Store client (policy blocks, accidental uninstall) still have a path to receive important app updates.
- Unified UX direction: Having app update controls inside Settings aligns the UI with the mental model of “one place for system health” and is a step toward unifying OS and app maintenance.
- Gaming and kiosk gains: The new surface is particularly useful for controller-driven devices and locked-down experiences where launching the full Store app breaks immersion.
Warnings and caveats
- The feature is in preview; functionality and scope can change before public release.
- The Settings page is currently limited to apps the Store can manage and will not replace third‑party updaters.
- Microsoft’s pivot toward mandatory (or pause-only) updates at a UI level reduces local control; while this helps security, it reduces freedom for users who intentionally hold back versions.
- There is potential for single‑pipeline failure: incidents that affect the Store or Store distribution could impact many apps if users increasingly rely on a centralized path.
Quick recommendations
- Users who value maximum control should continue to:
- Keep copies of installers for critical apps where version pinning is required.
- Use enterprise tools for fleet management rather than relying on per-device UI controls.
- Gamers and console-style users should test the Settings page in an Insider build to confirm controller flows.
- Administrators should:
- Review existing Group Policy and Intune settings for Microsoft Store and app update controls.
- Prepare communications for end users if Store behavior changes land in production (particularly about the pause-only model).
- Monitor Store and Windows Update health dashboards for any signs of coordinated update issues.
Conclusion
The appearance of an
App updates page inside Windows 11’s Settings app is modest on the surface but meaningful in direction: Microsoft is gradually bringing app update management closer to the core OS control plane. For users, this adds convenience and a fallback path when the Store isn’t available. For administrators, it clarifies Microsoft’s preference for central orchestration while leaving management controls firmly in enterprise tooling.
There are clear upsides — better update discoverability, improved security posture, and smoother experiences for gaming and kiosk devices — but also trade‑offs: reduced UI-level control for consumers, the risk of larger blast radii from single-point failures, and the continued need to manage non‑Store software separately. As the feature moves out of Insider builds, expect incremental improvements in functionality and scope, and plan accordingly: test the behavior on representative devices, keep admin controls in place, and maintain versioning discipline for critical applications.
Source: Windows Central
https://www.windowscentral.com/micr...g-installed-apps-without-the-microsoft-store/