Microsoft has announced an important update for the developer community. Individual developers can now publish apps to the Microsoft Store without paying any registration fees.
Previously, developers needed to pay a registration fee and provide credit card details to begin publishing on the Microsoft Store.
Now, the process has been streamlined to require only a personal Microsoft account and a quick identity verification step. This change is available globally across nearly 200 markets, making app publishing more accessible than ever before.
The new onboarding process features:
With over 250 million monthly active users, the Microsoft Store offers substantial reach for applications. But accessibility isn’t the only advantage developers gain:
The platform supports virtually any Windows application type, including Win32 applications, UWP, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), .NET MAUI, and Electron apps. Developers can publish existing applications without requiring code modifications, further reducing barrier to entry.
Distribution and Discovery
Apps published through the Microsoft Store benefit from integration with Windows Search, making discovery easier for users. The platform also provides secure installation processes and enterprise distribution capabilities through Microsoft Intune, opening doors to both consumer and business markets.
And there are flexible commerce options. Developers can use Microsoft’s built-in commerce platform with competitive revenue share rates, or for non-gaming applications, they can implement their own in-app purchase systems and retain 100% of the revenue.
Developers interested in publishing to the Microsoft Store can begin the process immediately by visiting storedeveloper.microsoft.com.
This move strengthens the Windows ecosystem as the platform evolves with AI innovation and Copilot+ PCs by removing financial barriers for more developers to create applications that can take advantage of these new capabilities.
It’s a positive development that could lead to more diverse, creative applications reaching users worldwide.
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