How to check for Microsoft Store updates without triggering an automatic download?

Question

How to check for Microsoft Store updates without triggering an automatic download?

Diogo Costa Maranhao Rodrigues 40

I am developing a Packaged Windows Service application and I need to check for available updates from the Microsoft Store. However, I am encountering an issue where the download starts automatically as soon as the update is detected.

I have tried two different approaches, but both result in the same behavior:

Using StoreContext.GetAppAndOptionalStorePackageUpdatesAsync: Even when I just want to retrieve the list of StorePackageUpdate objects, the system often triggers the download process in the store.

Using AppInstallManager.SearchForUpdatesAsync: I explicitly set the AppUpdateOptions to prevent automatic actions, but it seems to be ignored:

   AppUpdateOptions options = new AppUpdateOptions();
   options.AutomaticallyDownloadAndInstallUpdateIfFound = false;
   // The download still starts automatically after calling SearchForUpdatesAsync

I need to only search for updates for the current app and display the information to the user. I want to give the user the choice to start the download manually later.

Questions:

Is there a specific flag or a different method to ensure a "passive" search only?

How can I filter the search to a specific Package Family Name without triggering the global Store update queue?

Is this a known behavior when the Windows Store "Auto-update apps" setting is enabled globally in the OS?

Any guidance or code snippets would be greatly appreciated.

Answer accepted by question author

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Answer 1

Hello @Diogo Costa Maranhao Rodrigues ,

With the OS auto-updates enabled, calling any Store API can coincide with the system waking its update services, and downloads may begin even if your code didn't request them. This can happen naturally within the update process, so trying to prevent it isn’t recommended.

You could ask the user to temporarily disable auto-updates while checking for updates, but this is not a guaranteed solution.

Instead, a more reliable approach is to check for updates by comparing your app's current version against what's available on your backend server.

However, if having complete manual control over updates is absolutely essential for your use case, you might want to consider distributing your app outside the Microsoft Store entirely.

I hope this clarifies, and happy holidays.

Answer 2

To check for Microsoft Store updates without triggering an automatic download, you can use the StoreContext.GetAppAndOptionalStorePackageUpdatesAsync method to retrieve the list of available updates. However, it seems you are experiencing issues with automatic downloads starting when you only want to check for updates.

Here are some points to consider:

Passive Search: Unfortunately, there isn't a specific flag in the StoreContext methods to ensure a completely passive search that avoids triggering downloads. The behavior you are encountering may be related to the global settings for automatic updates in Windows.
Filtering by Package Family Name: While the GetAppAndOptionalStorePackageUpdatesAsync method retrieves updates for your app, it does not allow for filtering by Package Family Name in a way that prevents the global Store update queue from being triggered. You may need to handle the updates at a higher level or manage user notifications manually.
Known Behavior: Yes, this behavior is known when the "Auto-update apps" setting is enabled in the OS. When this setting is turned on, the Store may initiate downloads automatically when updates are detected, regardless of your app's settings.

To summarize, while you can check for updates using the methods provided, the automatic download behavior is influenced by the user's global settings in the Microsoft Store. You may want to inform users about this setting or provide guidance on how to manage it if they prefer manual updates.

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How to check for Microsoft Store updates without triggering an automatic download?

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