Block Microsoft Store apps using Intune except winget

In my recent blog post, I outlined the steps to completely disable Microsoft Store apps, including Winget. However, some situations may require you to block Store apps while still being able to use Winget APIs for downloading and installing applications on Windows 10/11 devices.

In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the process of blocking Store apps without affecting Winget on Windows devices. We’ll achieve this by utilizing the “Require Private Store Only” policy setting, which effectively restricts access to the Microsoft store.

If you use “Require Private Store Only” policy setting to disable Microsoft store, Store app will be blocked, but users can still utilize winget APIs to Install random apps from Store.

Require Private Store Only

If your goal is to prevent end-users from installing random applications from the Store without interfering with the Windows Package Manager, all you need to do is enable the “ApplicationManagement/RequirePrivateStoreOnly” setting.

Steps to disable Microsoft Store using Intune except Winget

To disable the Microsoft Store using Intune, please follow these steps:

• Login on Microsoft Intune admin center
• Go to Devices > Configuration profiles
• Click on + Create Profile
• Select Platform as Windows 10 and later
• Profile type: Settings Catalog

Basics

In basics tab, we will provide information about the device configuration profile like Name and Description.

• Name – Disable Microsoft Public App store
• Description – Disable MS Store excluding Winget API

Configuration settings

Click on + Add settings and then search for Microsoft App store. This should list all settings related to Microsoft App store. Check Require Private Store Only and toggle the setting to Enable.

Assignments

You can assign this profile to an Azure AD group, which can include users or devices. For a controlled deployment, it’s recommended to add devices to the group and target it. Once testing is successful and you want to apply the setting to all managed devices, you can also choose to + Add all devices.

Review + Create

On the “Review + Create” tab, review the device configuration profile settings, and then click “Create.”

Sync Intune Policies

The device check-in process might not begin immediately. If you’re testing this policy on a test device, you can manually kickstart the Intune sync either from the device itself or remotely through the Intune admin center.

Alternatively, you can use PowerShell to force the Intune sync on Windows devices. Another way to trigger the Intune device check-in process is by restarting the device.

End-User Experience

Let’s see what happens from the end user’s perspective when the policy is successfully applied. Follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Start” button.
2. In the search bar, type “Microsoft Store” and press Enter.
3. When you open Microsoft Store, you may encounter one of the following error messages:

1. “Microsoft Store is blocked. Please check with your IT or system administrator. Code: 0x800704EC.”
2. “Try that again. The page could not be loaded. Please try again and refresh the page. Code: 0x80131500.”
3. This place is off-limits, Not sure how you got here, but there’s nothing for you here. Report this problem. Refresh this Page.

FAQs

Other Microsoft App Store Settings available on Intune admin center

Setting Name	Detailed Information about the Policy setting
Allow All Trusted Apps	If you enable this policy setting, you can install any LOB or developer-signed Windows Store app (which must be signed with a certificate chain that can be successfully validated by the local computer).
Allow apps from the Microsoft app store to auto update	Specifies whether automatic update of apps from Microsoft Store are allowed. Most restricted value is 0.
Allow Developer Unlock	If you enable this setting and enable the “Allow all trusted apps to install” Policy, you can develop Microsoft Store apps and install them directly from an IDE.
Allow Game DVR	This setting enables or disables the Windows Game Recording and Broadcasting features. If you disable this setting, Windows Game Recording won’t be allowed.
Allow Shared User App Data	If you enable this policy, a Windows app can share app data with other instances of that app. Data is shared through the SharedLocal folder. This folder is available through the Windows. Storage API.
Block Non Admin User Install	If you enable this policy, non-Administrators will be unable to initiate installation of Windows app packages. Administrators who wish to install an app will need to do so from an Administrator context (for example, an Administrator PowerShell window). All users will still be able to install Windows app packages via the Microsoft Store, if permitted by other policies.
Disable Store Originated Apps	Disable turns off the launch of all apps from the Microsoft Store that came pre-installed or were downloaded. Apps won’t be updated. Your Store will also be disabled. Enable turns all of it back on. This setting applies only to Enterprise and Education editions of Windows.
Launch App After Log On	List of semi-colon delimited Package Family Names of Windows apps. Listed Windows apps are to be launched after logon.
MSI Allow User Control Over Install	If you enable this policy setting, some of the security features of Windows Installer are bypassed. It permits installations to complete that otherwise would be halted due to a security violation.
MSI Always Install With Elevated Privileges	If you enable this policy setting, privileges are extended to all programs. These privileges are usually reserved for programs that have been assigned to the user (offered on the desktop), assigned to the computer (installed automatically), or made available in Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel. This profile setting lets users install programs that require access to directories that the user might not have permission to view or change, including directories on highly restricted computers.
MSI Always Install With Elevated Privileges (User)	This policy setting appears both in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. To make this policy setting effective, you must enable it in both folders.
Require Private Store Only	If you enable this setting, users won’t be able to view the retail catalog in the Microsoft Store, but they will be able to view apps in the private store.

Conclusion

Consider blocking access to the Microsoft Store in your company because it offers a wide range of non-productive apps. Additionally, using the Microsoft Store can complicate app management for your IT administrators.

Instead, it’s advisable to centralize app management through a platform like Microsoft Intune, which provides greater control. Furthermore, Microsoft has introduced a new app type in Microsoft Intune for improved app management which is Microsoft Store app (new).

You can select Microsoft Store app (new) which connects with Microsoft Store to search the apps and publish them directly via Intune. As Microsoft Store for Business is getting retired, it is recommended to switch to this method of app deployment which is much easier and faster than other app deployment methods in Intune.