Windows users can now access .exe files directly from the Microsoft Store website. The website no longer requires a link with the installed Microsoft Store app and offers its own standalone .exe files.
Rudy Huyn, a Microsoft employee, made the change announcement on X. Huyn writes that the Microsoft Store web environment will now offer undocked .exe files and will no longer display separate dialog boxes asking for a link to the installed Windows Store app.
According to Huyn, this new approach offers several advantages: it reduces the number of clicks needed to download apps via the website, the provided installer is lighter and faster than that of the Microsoft Store itself, and the .exe file of the program will always be available even if the Microsoft Store app is removed from a Windows device. Huyn also believes that this method allows for multiple app installations simultaneously and ensures that the most up-to-date version of the app is always offered.
This new method of app distribution through the Microsoft Store has undergone testing over the past five months, resulting in positive outcomes. Huyn indicates that Microsoft has decided to implement this feature widely and suggests that further enhancements can be anticipated in the future.
English (US)