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To check for updates manually in Windows 11, open Microsoft Store, select Library, and then select Get updates. To have Store apps update on their own, open Microsoft Store, select your profile picture, choose Store Settings, and set App updates to On. Windows 10 uses the same two ideas, but the menu labels are different, and a few apps are updated by their publishers rather than by the Store.
How do I update Microsoft Store apps?
Microsoft Support describes two routes. The general page Get updates for apps and games in Microsoft Store tells you to open the Store and select Check for Updates. The Store’s own troubleshooting article gives the navigation that matches the Windows 11 Store layout, which is Library > Get updates. Because the label you see depends on your Store version, follow whichever wording appears on your screen; the action is the same.
Windows 11
- Click the Start button and select Microsoft Store.
- Select Library in the lower-left corner of the window.
- Select Get updates. The Store checks for updates to installed apps and installs any that are available.
Apps you installed from the Store appear in the list as they download. If nothing is listed after the check, every Store app is already current.
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Microsoft’s troubleshooting article documents an older navigation path for Windows 10:
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- Open Microsoft Store from the Start menu.
- Select See more (the three dots at the top right of the window).
- Select Downloads and updates, then select Get updates.
Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free software updates through Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. That statement concerns Windows support. It does not decide whether an individual Store app receives an update, and the Store can still list updates for apps that continue to support your Windows version.
How do I turn on automatic app updates?
Automatic updating is controlled from the Store, not from Windows Update. Use these steps on Windows 11 or Windows 10:
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- Open Microsoft Store.
- Select your profile or account picture, then select Store Settings.
- Set App updates to On.
With this setting on, the Store installs updates for apps it manages without waiting for you to run a manual check. If you prefer to control timing, leave the setting off and use the manual route above.
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| Factor | Manual check | Automatic (App updates set to On) |
|---|---|---|
| How it starts | You open the Store and run a check | The Store checks and installs in the background |
| Where it is set | Library > Get updates (Windows 11) or See more > Downloads and updates > Get updates (Windows 10) | Store Settings > App updates |
| Best for | Checking timing yourself, or before using an app you have not opened recently | Keeping most Store apps current with no action |
| Limit | Relies on you remembering to check | Does not cover apps that publishers update through their own programs |
Most people benefit from leaving automatic updates on and running a manual check only when an app looks out of date.
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Why some app updates do not come from the Store
Microsoft’s automatic-update page states: “Some app publishers manage their own updates through their app.” If an app was not installed from the Store, or it has its own update mechanism, the Store setting will not change its version. In that case, check the publisher’s own update instructions, which are often found in the app’s Help or About screen.
If an app update does not appear or does not finish
Work through these checks in order. Microsoft’s troubleshooting sequence follows much the same order, and each step is quick to confirm.
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- Sign in with a Microsoft account. Open the Store and confirm you are signed in, then close the app completely and reopen it.
- Check Windows Update. Confirm your Windows installation is current. Store updates depend on a supported and reasonably current Windows build.
- Confirm the app supports your Windows version. A publisher may have dropped support for an older Windows release, which means no update will appear for that version.
- Update the Store itself. Use Library > Get updates on Windows 11, or See more > Downloads and updates > Get updates on Windows 10. An outdated Store can stall other app updates.
- Repair or reset the app. Microsoft’s guidance covers repairing or resetting the app as a next step if the update fails to install. You can find these options in Settings under Apps > Installed apps, by selecting the app and then its advanced options.
- Reinstall from the Store library. If repair does not help, uninstall the app and install it again from the Store, which fetches the current package.
- Run the Windows Store apps troubleshooter. Microsoft’s Windows 10 section names this troubleshooter for Store app problems.
Store app updates and Windows Update are separate
Windows Update installs changes to Windows itself. The Store checks only the apps you installed from it. If the operating system cannot update, troubleshoot Windows Update first, because a failed Windows update can prevent Store app updates from completing. Once Windows is current, return to the Store checks above.
Frequently overlooked points
- The Store’s labels differ between Windows 11 and Windows 10, and between Store versions. Match the wording on your screen to the steps above.
- Automatic updates apply only to Store-managed apps. Publisher-managed apps need their own update process.
- Microsoft’s support pages in this guidance do not show publication dates, so check the Store interface on your own device if a label does not match.
Windows 10 readers should note
If you still run Windows 10, the Store steps above still work for apps that continue to be offered for that version. But the operating system no longer receives free security fixes from Windows Update, so an updated app does not make an out-of-support Windows installation secure. Consider moving to a supported Windows version.
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