Learning how to install Windows 11 onto your gaming PC is far easier than the days when Microsoft’s operating system was intrinsically linked to your computer’s hardware, but it’s still a pain having to remember each and every program you need to redownload. In an effort to streamline the process, the Microsoft Store is getting a way to restore apps at the click of a single button.
Previously handled by third-party programs, the integrated feature will enable you to build a library of your favourite applications and install them all in one fell swoop without going through the hassle of hunting them down one-by-one. You’ll also be able to choose which ones make the jump to the new operating system by selecting apps individually, just in case there are a couple you want to toss to the curb.
Speaking as someone that needs to reinstall Windows 11 more regularly than most, works remote, and sometimes visits an office filled with unpersonalised PCs, this sounds like it could be quite the time-saver – if I used the Microsoft Store more, that is.
It might sound surprising that it’s taken Microsoft this long to implement something so useful, but the reason likely lies with how underutilised the Microsoft Store is. Currently, its roster of applications is a little thin and hasn’t really expanded enough over the past two years to make the hub a viable platform. It also needs to shake off its poor reputation, as performance woes in its early days on Windows 10 still has people reluctant to use the Microsoft Store in a meaningful way.
For those interested, the new feature will soon be tested in the Windows Insider channel. There’s currently no indication of when it’ll arrive on the live build of the operating system.
