Microsoft Store previously added an arcade section to play mini-games without installing them. The current version has its fair share of problems, slow loading times being one of them. Microsoft noticed this issue and has released an updated version of the app for Windows 11 insiders.
Rudy Huyn, the Principal Architect at Microsoft, shared an elaborate X thread highlighting improvements in Microsoft Store app version 22403. He shared a small video clip that compared the loading times between the old and new versions.
The latter was faster, with Rudy claiming an average 40 percent performance boost while loading a product page. It is a slight but thoughtful improvement.
We have previously encountered issues with the Get button appearing way slower. But this update resolves this problem.
Another video clip shared by Rudy highlights that the Get button appears in under two seconds when you open an app’s details page. Earlier, it used to take almost five seconds to do so. Now, starting an app installation or purchasing it is 1.5 times faster.
We have also optimized how the application manages entitlement and licensing, resulting in the “Buy” button being displayed approximately 1.5 times faster. (3/5) pic.twitter.com/9iLOq7X2D1
— Rudy Huyn (@RudyHuyn) April 3, 2024
The last improvement is the splash screen appearing before the content loads in the Microsoft Store app. It is significantly faster now, and you won’t even notice the splash screen in most cases, says Rudy.
Surprisingly, Microsoft didn’t mention anything in the latest Insider Build change log but used X to share the news about the app improvements.
Rudy teased that there are more hidden improvements in the new version of the Microsoft Store app and expects the Insiders to find them.
To use the updated version of the Microsoft Store, you must be a part of the Windows 11 Insider program with the most recent Canary or Dev channel build 26100 installed on your PC. After that, check for Microsoft Store updates using the Library section.
Microsoft Store is gradually getting better
Opening the dedicated store page to install a familiar app wastes time. But now, you can directly download an app without launching the store page.
When you hover over an app card, the Get button appears after a small animation. Clicking on the Get button starts the installation directly and even displays a progress bar. You can cancel the download from the card by hovering on it again and clicking the close button.
Purchasing an app will require you to open the App info page and continue the checkout process.
Nevertheless, these changes are in the experimental phase and will take a while to ship to the stable channel users.