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Publish Your Software on the Microsoft Store: Benefits and Common Misconceptions
Hello, I am "Plum Rice," and I released "AuText" about a week ago.
Today's Topic
I released an app for Windows 10 and Windows 11 called "AuText" on the Microsoft Store, and I would like to introduce some common misconceptions as well as the pros and cons of publishing on the Microsoft Store.
- Common Misconceptions
- Pros of publishing on the Microsoft Store
- Cons of publishing on the Microsoft Store
While major players like Microsoft (with WSL and Python) or iTunes are on the Microsoft Store, many software products developed by smaller companies or individuals (especially in Japan) are often not listed there.
Based on my experience using WSL and iTunes, I thought, "Isn't the Microsoft Store actually quite convenient...?" So, I really wanted to try publishing there myself if I could.
Now, I am writing down the things I noticed after actually releasing the software.
Before that... Helpful Resources
I saw this article, though I didn't follow the exact same process. If you are not developing with Visual Studio like C# WinUI 3 or UWP, you might want to check this out as well.
1. Common Misconceptions
You need a signing certificate to publish on the Microsoft Store
This is a misconception.
When I reached the release stage of development and was about to publish, I had a moment of "Wait, maybe I need one..." and broke into a bit of a cold sweat during the initial steps, but I was wrong.
A signing certificate is mandatory when releasing outside of the Microsoft Store for WinUI 3 or UWP.
However, to put it another way, you don't need one if you are using the Microsoft Store.
Furthermore, even for exe apps developed in WPF or various other environments besides WinUI 3 or UWP, a signing certificate is not required when publishing on the Microsoft Store.
For information on how to configure and build for the Microsoft Store when developing in Visual Studio, see here:
Only apps developed with UWP or WinUI can be published on the Microsoft Store
This is also a misconception.
As I mentioned in the "Helpful Resources" section above, that resource introduces how to publish when you have developed in an environment other than UWP or WinUI.
Difficult registration process and strict screening
Registration Process
The registration process is not difficult; you are simply asked standard questions like "Is it sexual or violent?", "Describe what you do if you collect information," and "Provide the app description in different languages."
In fact, not writing things like "Describe what you do if you collect information" is scarier—it could even lead to being called out on social media—so having these requirements is actually helpful.
Also, personally, applying for the Twitter API is much harder. On Twitter, explanations like "purpose of use for this API" all have to be written in English...
Screening
While Microsoft does make a judgment on things like whether the app works correctly, as long as you have properly fixed bugs and provided clear descriptions, it will pass without a hitch.
In fact, I don't really understand why anyone would try to release something with known bugs in a state where it's uncertain if it will even run the first time.
2. Pros of Publishing on the Microsoft Store
Can be provided to users with automatic updates
I personally use software listed on Booth for my own requirements, but to be honest, updating is a pain. For some developers, I follow them on Twitter, so I know when they update, but if I didn't, I wouldn't know at all. Also, while you could build a mechanism into the software to notify users of updates... if you're going to put in that effort, I think it's more efficient and easier for users to understand if you let the store handle it automatically.
Can be easily provided to organizations
I haven't had any purchases from organizations yet, but you can configure volume purchasing. There is no need to write things like "Please contact us for volume purchases" on your website.
Additionally, since it supports offline licensing, you can provide your software with peace of mind even if it's the type that "basically functions entirely offline."
Developers can track downloads, crashes, and other statuses
Yes. You can see crash information. By the way, it seems AuText crashes or freezes with a fairly high probability. So scaaary! There are distinct categories for "Crashes," "Freezes (Hangups)," and "Memory Errors."
Privacy policy and operating environment can be clearly displayed
From a user's perspective, since it's a store, it provides a unified display for all apps. Therefore, the privacy policy and operating environment are clearly displayed.
Subscriptions and add-ons can be easily provided
I haven't started selling subscriptions or add-ons yet, but it's easier than building everything from scratch yourself. It's not limited to just one method; you can implement various systems. The image below shows a part of the "Create a new add-on" page in the "Microsoft Partner Center," which is the screen developers see.
You can perform registration for the Microsoft Store in Japanese
Emails might be in English, but basically, you can change the display to your own language. Also, because it was a bit of a hassle, I wrote my message to Microsoft in Japanese, and they handled it just like any other communication. I was truly surprised by this. For most application processes, you're told to write almost everything in English, so I'm very grateful.
They conduct a three-stage status check before the software is published
I think this is quite helpful. I was especially assisted by the automatic investigation feature. As I mentioned, there are three stages to the software status check:
- After building the software, software validation is performed automatically on the developer's computer.
- Once you upload the software, it automatically investigates things like icons configured within the software.
- After setting all the information about the software and submitting the application, they likely investigate it manually during the review process.
I didn't have any rejections for the 1st and 3rd stages, but I was rejected about 6 times at the 2nd stage. However, looking at it another way, you could say they stopped me before I provided it to users in a broken state. Also, when writing the software description, if the software uses specific permissions on the computer, there is a field for "Why is this permission necessary?" I felt that thanks to this, users can use the app with peace of mind.
You can distribute to the whole world
Common platforms used for distribution in Japan include Booth, self-hosted sites, Steam, and Vector, but among those I've listed, Steam is the only one that can target the whole world at once.
Since the Microsoft Store is pre-installed on Windows, I think it's an easy point of entry. My app "AuText" supports both English and Japanese. The total number of downloads is small, so this is just an observation, but within about a week, there were installations from Malaysia, Poland, New Zealand, and the UK. (Wow, the world!) In another few days, it looks like overseas installations might surpass those from Japan. Multi-language support isn't that difficult in any development environment, so it might be better to at least support English.
By the way, I haven't explained this software in English on Twitter or my website, so those overseas users came solely through the Microsoft Store.
Regarding the timing of installations, Japan only had installations for the first two days or so, but overseas, several installations have been coming in steadily every day. It's natural that the market is larger overseas (especially in English-speaking regions), but I felt it would be quite a waste to overlook the English-speaking world.
Addendum (2023/5/12)
Nearly a month has passed since the release of AuText. Total downloads have exceeded 50. Japan accounts for only about 40%, and the remaining 60% is from overseas. As for overseas, it wasn't just "only the US"; as mentioned before, downloads came from a very diverse range of countries. The number of daily installations has recently been increasing to 3 or 4. I really felt the broadness of the global sales channel of the Microsoft Store.
3. Cons of Publishing on the Microsoft Store
A website is required
A static site, like those that can be hosted on GitHub Pages, is fine, so you need to have a website.
The reason is that there is a field for the "Privacy Policy."
(*Depending on the app's permissions, a privacy policy page may not be required.)
As I mentioned earlier, for this purpose, it doesn't have to be something elaborate like WordPress; you can quickly create the essentials with Jekyll or similar.
Therefore, the required server specs are minimal.
If you are running a static site on a rental server like Sakura Internet, the lowest "Light" plan in the catalog is sufficient (as of April 21, 2023, it costs 128 yen per month).
Registration requires money
In my case, as an individual developer, it is a one-time payment.
The fee is low, 1,847 yen as of April 21, 2023.
Fees are taken from sales of add-ons, etc.
Well, it's a store, so of course fees are taken. Just think of it as a tax and accept it.
By the way, Steam is 30%, and the Microsoft Store is reportedly 12%. That's cheap!
Note that Apple and Google Play Store are 15%.
(*For Apple, this applies to small businesses only. For larger ones, it's 30%.)
Limited to Windows software
Since it is Microsoft, this is unavoidable.
In the case of AuText, it included Windows-only features, so I decided that distribution through the Microsoft Store alone was sufficient.
The End!
That concludes the introduction to the Microsoft Store.
Everyone, try publishing your software on the Microsoft Store too!
[Postscript] Follow-up
Discussion