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To make Windows 11 recommend or require Microsoft Store apps through its standard app-source setting, open Start > Settings > Apps > Advanced app settings. Next to Choose where to get apps, select The Microsoft Store only (Recommended).
This is a Windows app-source preference, not the same as Windows 11 S mode or an administrator-enforced application-control policy. Choose the option that matches how strictly you need to restrict installations.
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Set Windows 11 to allow apps from the Store only
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Apps > Advanced app settings.
- Beside Choose where to get apps, select The Microsoft Store only (Recommended).
Microsoft also lists options that allow apps from anywhere, including choices that show a warning or recommend a Store app when one is available. The Store-only choice is intended to help protect the PC and keep it running smoothly, but Microsoft does not describe it as a guarantee that every other way of running software is blocked or that Store apps are risk-free. For additional protection, Microsoft recommends trusted download sources and regular antivirus updates; Windows 11 also includes Smart App Control.
What the Store-only setting does—and does not do
The setting is a user-facing choice about where apps should come from. It is distinct from the stronger built-in restriction in S mode and from application-control policies managed by an organization. If you need a firm, administrator-enforced allowlist, this setting alone is not the equivalent of those controls.
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When S mode is the better fit
Windows 11 in S mode allows users to install only apps from the Microsoft Store. It is available only with Windows 11 Home. Unlike the app-source preference, leaving S mode is a one-way change: Microsoft states, “Switching out of S mode is one-way.”
S mode also has compatibility trade-offs. Microsoft says it requires Microsoft Edge for safe browsing; Edge remains the default browser and Bing the default search engine. If an app or assistive technology you need is not available in the Store, you may have to leave S mode, and you cannot switch back afterward. Check that your essential apps and devices will work before deciding to exit.
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Leave S mode only if you have decided to make the permanent change
- Open Settings > System > Activation.
- Find the section for switching to Windows and select Go to the Store.
- On the S mode page in Microsoft Store, select Get.
Microsoft says switching out of S mode is free, but the change cannot be reversed.
If you are using Windows 10
Microsoft’s documented Windows 10 path is Settings > Apps > Apps & features. The available choices and labels vary by Windows version. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so this is legacy guidance rather than the recommended path for a currently supported Windows installation.
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- Dell Optiplex 3050 SFF Desktop computer PC, Intel Quad Core i5-6500 up to 3.6GHz, 16GB DDR4, 256GB SSD
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Work or school computers may be controlled by policy
An organization can choose to keep a device in S mode or manage which applications can run. Microsoft documents AppLocker support for specified Windows versions after relevant updates and also references WDAC managed-installer policies. These are administrator-managed controls, not settings a user applies through the ordinary app-source menu. If a work or school device blocks the change or an app, contact your organization’s IT administrator.
Microsoft’s AppLocker compatibility article identifies updates dated September 30, 2022 and October 25, 2022, and specifically discusses Windows 10 versions 2004, 20H2, and 21H1 and all Windows 11 versions. Because that guidance is tied to particular releases and servicing, administrators should verify a device’s current servicing and management configuration before relying on it.
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