Download Universal apps without the Store on Windows 10 & 11

Madalina Dinita
by Madalina Dinita
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer. She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies -- AI and DNA computing in... Read more
Updated:
Posted: August 2018
Affiliate Disclosure
  • To download Universal apps without Microsoft Store, you'll have to rely on third-party sources.
  • Doing so requires using Windows PowerShell, so familiarize yourself with it first.
  • Do keep in mind that you can only download free apps using these methods.
download microsoft store apps-without store
XINSTALL BY CLICKING THE DOWNLOAD FILE
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The Microsoft Store App allows Windows users to download their favorite apps, games, movies, and other types of content directly on their computers.

Sadly, sometimes downloading apps isn’t possible because of certain issues. So, what to do if the Microsoft Store won’t work and you can’t download new Windows 10 apps nor update the ones you already installed?

Luckily for you, there is a way to install Windows Store apps without having to use the Store, and in today’s guide, we’re going to show you how to do it.

Why should someone install Universal apps without using the Store?

The best and the easiest way to install apps is by using the Store, but sometimes you aren’t able to access it, and this is why this method can come in handy, as a workaround.

If you have any problems, we advise you to check our Microsoft Store won’t open guide for ways to fix it.

Is Adguard Store safe to use?

Although it’s a third-party service, Adguard Store has a reputation for being safe, so you should be able to use it without worrying too much.

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Keep in mind that the files you download from this website are labeled as potentially unsafe, but that’s just a warning message, so you can ignore it.

How can I download Microsoft Store apps without using the Store on Windows 10 & 11?

Download Microsoft Store appswith Adguard Store

  1. Locate the web page of the Windows Store app that you want to download and copy its address.
  2. Visit the Adguard website.
  3. Paste the URL in the search field and click the Check icon on the right. Be sure to remove #activetab=pivot:overviewtab from the URL that you pasted.
  4. Now look for a link that has appxbundle at the end. Click the one that has the latest version in its name.
  5. Wait for the download to finish. Make sure to save the file in a directory that you can easily access.
  6. You might get a warning that this file type is harmfu. Just select Allow download option to continue.
  7. Once the download is finsihed, press Windows key + X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu.
  8. Now run the following command: Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\WindowsReport\Downloads\ee2546d7-f0e5-4aa2-be54-032299162322"
  9. If the app doesn’t install, you should get an error message similar to this one. Check the name of the missing component. In our case, it was Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.Universal.
  10. Go go the Adguard page you used to download appxbundle and download the missing component.
  11. In PowerShell run the following command: Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\WindowsReport\Downloads\2d1aff29-2c22-4e80-be37-7c3db4d1573d"
  12. Now try to run this commadn to install the app: Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\WindowsReport\Downloads\ee2546d7-f0e5-4aa2-be54-032299162322"
  13. If everything is in order, the app should be installed and ready to use.
Note icon
NOTE
The commands will differ on your PC depending on the app and the download location of your PC.

How can I download apps without using the Store on Windows 11?

Use Adguard and PowerShell

  1. Visit the page of the Microsoft Store app that you want to download and copy its URL.
  2. Visit the Adguard website. Paste your URL and click the search icon. Be sure to remove #activetab=pivot:overviewtab from the URL when you paste it.
  3. Locate the latest version that has appxbundle at the and of its name and download it.
  4. Click the three dots next to the file in the Download section and choose Keep.
  5. Press Windows key + X and choose Windows Terminal (Admin).
  6. Run the following command: Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\WindowsReport\Downloads\VideoLAN.VLC_3.2.1.0_neutral___paz6r1rewnh0a.AppxBundle"
  7. If you encounter an error, note the missing component. For us, it was Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.7.
  8. Go back to the Adguard website results and look for the missing component. Once you find the one with appx at the end, click to download it.
  9. Go back to the Terminal, and run the following command: Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\WindowsReport\Downloads\Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.7_1.7.27413.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.Appx"
  10. Now run this command: Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\WindowsReport\Downloads\VideoLAN.VLC_3.2.1.0_neutral___paz6r1rewnh0a.AppxBundle"
  11. In our case, we also had to install Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.7 and Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.Universal before the command from the previous step could work.
  12. After the command is executed, your app should be installed and ready to work.
Note icon
NOTE
Keep in mind that the commands used will differ depending on the app that you’re trying to install.

Do I have to use PowerShell to install Universal apps without Microsoft Store?

  1. Download the app that you want to install using the Adguard.
  2. Open the directory in which the appxbundle file is stored.
  3. Go to View and check File name extensions.
  4. Now check if the file you downloaded has the appxbundle extenion.
  5. If it doesn’t, right-click the file and choose Rename. Now add .appxbundle at the end.
  6. Double-click the file you renamed.
  7. Click on Install.
  8. Wait for the installation process to complete.

Can I install paid apps without Microsoft Store?

Microsoft servers need to check your credit card information before you can purchase and download certain applications from the store.

This means in order to get paid apps, you’ll need to purchase them from the Microsoft Store.

As you can see, it’s relatively simple to install Windows apps without having to use the Store. As long as you enter the correct commands, you should be able to do that without too many problems.

Speaking of problems, we advise you to check our Microsoft Store doesn’t work guide if you’re unable to download apps.

Did you find this guide useful? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below.

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