How to publish your first app to the Microsoft Store

Terms you'll see

• Partner Center is Microsoft's website where you create your app, fill in its Store page and submit it.
• MSIX is the package format the Store installs. It's one file that holds your app and a manifest describing it.
• Package identity is the name and publisher Microsoft gives your app. Your package has to carry the exact same values, or Partner Center refuses the upload.
• Submission is one version of your app plus its Store page, sent to Microsoft together.
• Certification is Microsoft's review. It scans the package for malware, runs technical tests and checks the content against the Store Policies.

What you need before you start

• A Windows app that runs on a PC other than the one you built it on.
• A personal Microsoft account, and a phone to photograph a government ID if you sign up as an individual.
• An app icon, at least one screenshot of 1366 x 768 or larger, and a description.
• A privacy policy. Microsoft's policy says desktop (Win32) apps must always have one. Our privacy policy guide covers what goes in it.

The steps

1. 1

   Make a developer account

   Go to storedeveloper.microsoft.com and choose Get started for free. Pick Individual developer for a personal or hobby project, or Company account if the app is part of your work. Microsoft says there are no registration fees for either one when you start there, and that other entry points show an older flow.

   Individuals verify with a photo of a government ID and a selfie. Companies verify the business, ideally with a D-U-N-S number, and a work email on the company's domain. You can't turn an individual account into a company account later. Our developer account guide covers both.

2. 2

   Reserve your app's name

   In Partner Center, open Apps and games›New product›MSIX or PWA app, type the name and choose Check availability, then Reserve product name. Microsoft holds the name for three months and releases it if you don't use it. Names can't contain emojis, and you need the rights to use them.

   If your app ships as an EXE or MSI installer and you want to keep it that way, choose EXE or MSI app instead. Our MSI vs MSIX guide explains what each route asks of you. The rest of this guide follows the MSIX route.

3. 3

   Copy your package identity

   Open your new app, expand Product management and select Product identity. Copy three values from there into your package's manifest or your packaging tool's settings.

   Partner Center shows	Goes into
   Package/Identity/Name	The package name
   Package/Identity/Publisher	The publisher, a long value starting with CN=
   Package/Properties/PublisherDisplayName	The publisher name people see

   Copy them exactly. If they don't match, Partner Center rejects the package. Fixing identity errors shows where each value goes.

4. 4

   Package the app as an MSIX

   How you build the MSIX depends on what your app is made with. Each guide below goes from your project to an .msix with the Partner Center identity in it.

   Your app is made with	Follow
   Electron	Electron guide
   Tauri	Tauri guide
   Flutter	Flutter guide
   .NET MAUI or WinUI 3	MAUI and WinUI guide
   WPF or Windows Forms	WPF and Windows Forms guide
   Avalonia or Uno Platform	Avalonia and Uno guide
   Qt or C++	Qt and C++ guide
   Python	Python guide
   A website (PWA)	PWA guide

   Whatever the tool, set the version to four numbers with the last one 0, like 1.0.0.0. Microsoft reserves the last number for the Store. Give the package real icons, too. Our icon sizes guide lists the files the Store needs.

5. 5

   Install it and test it

   Install the .msix on your own PC and use the app the way a customer would. Then run the Windows App Certification Kit, which runs the same technical tests Microsoft does. Our guide to installing and testing an MSIX covers both, with the errors you're likely to see.

6. 6

   Fill in the submission

   On your app's overview page, choose Start submission. Partner Center makes a draft with six sections. You can fill them in any order.

   Section	What you have to fill in
   Pricing and availability	A base price. Markets, audience, discoverability and schedule have defaults you can keep
   Properties	A category, and a privacy policy if your app handles personal information
   Age ratings	Every question in the questionnaire. See age ratings
   Packages	At least one package. Drag your .msix in
   Store listings	A description and at least one screenshot, in one language. See screenshot sizes
   Submission options	Nothing, unless your package declares restricted capabilities

   Two things are worth doing on your first try. If your app needs a sign-in, put a working test account in Notes for certification, because Microsoft's policy says the app must be testable. And on Properties, tick This product incorporates generative AI features if your app makes text, images or code with an AI model. Our submission checklist goes through every field.

7. 7

   Submit and wait for certification

   Choose Submit for certification. Microsoft says this can take up to three business days. If it fails, the certification report says which test or policy it missed, and you fix it and submit again. Our guides on certification time and failed certification cover both outcomes.

   Once it passes, Microsoft signs the package and publishes it. The status changes to In the Store, and Microsoft says customers usually see the listing within about 15 minutes. Your link is https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/ followed by the Store ID on the Product identity page.

How long it takes

After you're in the Store

Every update is a new submission with a higher version, like 1.0.1.0. Partner Center copies your last submission, so you only change the package and What's new. Our guide on updating an MSIX app covers the version rules and common upload errors.

Microsoft requires that first submission to be made in Partner Center, whatever tool you use later. From the second release on, StoreFast can do it for you. You connect your account once, drop the new .msix on your app's page and write What's new in English. StoreFast checks that the package name matches, the version is higher than the live one and ends in .0, translates the notes into each listing language and submits the update. You can also publish from a GitHub Action, the API or an AI assistant through the MCP server.

Questions

How much does it cost to publish an app on the Microsoft Store?

Nothing to sign up, if you start at storedeveloper.microsoft.com. Microsoft says there are no registration fees for individual or company accounts in that flow. If you sell your app or add-ons through Microsoft's commerce, Microsoft takes 15% for apps and 12% for games. Non-game apps can use their own payment system instead.

How long does it take to get an app on the Microsoft Store?

Reserving a name takes a minute. An individual account needs an ID and a selfie, and a company account can take 2 to 5 business days if verification goes to manual review. Certification can take up to three business days, and once the app passes, Microsoft says customers usually see the listing within about 15 minutes.

Do I need to buy a code signing certificate?

Not for an MSIX. Microsoft signs MSIX packages with its own certificate when it publishes them. You only need your own certificate if you submit an EXE or MSI installer, or to install your MSIX on your own PC to test it.

What file do I upload to the Microsoft Store?

Most apps upload an MSIX package (.msix, .msixbundle or .msixupload). Partner Center also accepts the older .appx formats. Apps that keep their own EXE or MSI installer are created as a different product type and give Microsoft a download link instead of a file.

Can I publish a free app?

Yes. You set the base price on the Pricing and availability page, and Free is one of the options.

Can I test my app in the Store before everyone sees it?

Yes. On Pricing and availability, set the audience to private and add your testers' Microsoft accounts. Our beta testing guide covers private audiences, package flights and gradual rollout.