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{{Outdated |reason=The article omits latest developments such as the newest name ("packaged apps") and related technologies such as AppContainer, AppSilo, WinUI 3, MAUI
{{short description|Applications usable across all compatible Microsoft Windows devices}}
[[File:Khan Academy Metro app (player).png|thumb|[[Khan Academy]], an example of a
[[File:Wikipedia App snapped to Windows 8 desktop.png|thumb|Left: A traditional desktop app without contents; it is showing 60 [[Widget (GUI)|graphical widgets]], and a thick border.<br/>Right: Metro-style app; entirely composed of contents]]
'''Universal Windows Platform''' ('''UWP''') '''apps'''<ref>{{citation|title=Microsoft is trying to change Windows software forever — here's why it'll be a tough fight|first=Matt|last=Weinberger|date=March 17, 2016|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-universal-windows-platform-explained|access-date=June 27, 2016}}</ref> (formerly named '''Windows Store apps''', '''Metro-style apps''' and '''Modern apps''')<ref name=Harrel>{{citation|title=Metro, Modern, Now Universal? Microsoft Can't Make Up Its Mind!|first=William|last=Harrel|date=April 10, 2015|work=Digital Trends|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-universal-apps/|access-date=June 27, 2016}}</ref> are [[Application software|applications]] that can be used across all compatible [[Microsoft Windows]] devices. They are primarily purchased and downloaded via the [[Microsoft Store]], Microsoft's digital application storefront.<ref>{{citation|title=Microsoft's Windows app strategy comes under fire: 'The most aggressive move Microsoft has ever made'|first=Matt|last=Weinberger|date=March 4, 2016|work=Business Insider|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/epic-ceo-tim-sweeney-slams-windows-10-2016-3|access-date=June 27, 2016}}</ref> UWP stopped adding new features in October 2021,<ref>https://www.developer-tech.com/news/microsoft-universal-windows-platform-finally-being-sunset/</ref> but toolchain updates continue to be made.<ref>https://devblogs.microsoft.com/ifdef-windows/preview-uwp-support-for-dotnet-9-native-aot/</ref>
==Nomenclature==
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Before Windows 8, programs were identified by their static [[computer icon]]s. The [[Windows Shell#Taskbar|Windows taskbar]] was responsible for representing every app that had a window while running. Metro-style apps, however, are identified by their "tiles" that can show their icon and also other dynamic contents. In addition, in Windows 8 and [[Windows 8.1]] RTM, they are not shown on the Windows taskbar when they run, but on a dedicated app switcher on the left side of the screen.<ref>{{cite web|title=Switch between open apps|url=http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/apps-and-windows-store/how-to-switch-between-apps?lc=1033|work=[[Microsoft Surface]] manual|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=31 December 2013}}</ref> [[Windows 8.1 Update]] added taskbar icons for Metro-style apps.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fitzsimmons |first=Michelle |title=Windows 8.1 Update 1: hands on with Microsoft's latest Windows update |url= http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/windows-8-1-update-1-what-s-in-microsoft-s-latest-windows-update-1232863 |work=[[TechRadar]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |access-date=May 19, 2014 |date=May 13, 2014}}</ref>
There is no set limit on how many copies of desktop apps can run simultaneously. For example, one user may run as many copies of programs such as [[Windows Notepad]], [[Paint (software)|Paint]] or [[Firefox]] as long as the system resources can support. (Some desktop apps, such as [[Windows Media Player]], have extra code that prevents spawning more than one instance.) However, in Windows 8, only one copy of Metro-style apps may run at any given time. True multi-instancing of these apps were not available until Windows 10 version 1803 (released in May 2018).<ref name="multi-instancing">{{cite magazine|last1=Whitechapel|first1=Andrew|title=Universal Windows Platform - Closing UWP-Win32 Gaps|url=https://
== In Windows 10 and Windows 11 ==
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=== Licensing and distribution ===
UWP apps can be downloaded from [[Windows Store]] or can be [[Sideloading|sideloaded]]. The sideloading requirements were reduced significantly from Windows 8.x to 10, but the app must still be signed by a trusted [[digital certificate]] that chains to a [[root certificate]].<ref>{{cite AV media |last1=Sheehan |first1=John |first2=Peyman |last2=Zanjani |date=30 March 2016 |title=Project Centennial: Bringing Existing Desktop Applications to the Universal Windows Platform |medium=Video |work=Microsoft Build 2016 Conference |url=https://
==Lifecycle==
Metro-style apps are suspended when they are closed; suspended apps are terminated automatically as needed by a Windows app manager. Dynamic tiles, background components and contracts (interfaces for interacting with other apps) may require an app to be activated before a user starts it.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Joshi|first1=Bipin|title=Understanding Windows Store App Lifecycle and State Management|url=http://www.codeguru.com/win_mobile/win_store_apps/understanding-windows-store-app-lifecycle-and-state-management.htm|website=Code Guru|publisher=[[QuinStreet]]|date=22 February 2013|access-date=8 March 2016|archive-date=8 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308165234/http://www.codeguru.com/win_mobile/win_store_apps/understanding-windows-store-app-lifecycle-and-state-management.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Hale|first1=David|title=
Invoking an arbitrary Metro-style app or UWP app from the command line was first introduced in the [[Windows Insider|Insider]] build 16226 of Windows 10,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Whitechapel|first1=Andrew|title=Command-Line Activation of Universal Windows Apps|url=https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2017/07/05/command-line-activation-universal-windows-apps/|website=Building Apps for Windows|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|date=5 July 2017}}</ref> which was released on 21 June 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sarkar|first1=Dona|title=Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16226 for PC|url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/06/21/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-16226-pc/|website=Windows Experience Blog|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|date=21 June 2017}}</ref>
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===Windows Runtime===
Traditionally, Windows software is developed using the [[Windows API]]. Software has access to the Windows [[API]] with no arbitrary restrictions. Developers were free to choose their own [[programming language]] and [[development tool]]s. Metro-style apps can only be developed using [[Windows Runtime]] (WinRT). (Note that not every app using WinRT is a Metro-style app.) A limited subset of WinRT is also available for
Metro-style apps can only be developed using Microsoft's own development tools. According to Allen Bauer, Chief Scientist of [[Embarcadero Technologies]], there are APIs that every computer program must call but Microsoft has forbidden them, except when the call comes from Microsoft's own [[Visual C++]] runtime.<ref>{{cite web|last=Grange|first=Eric|title=Why no native WinRT support in Delphi XE3?|url=http://www.delphitools.info/2012/08/23/why-no-native-winrt-support-in-delphi-xe3/|work=DelphiTools|access-date=13 January 2014|date=23 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=Tim|title=Third-party compilers locked out of Windows Runtime development|url=http://www.itwriting.com/blog/6347-third-party-compilers-locked-out-of-windows-runtime-development.html|work=Tim Anderson's ITWriting|access-date=13 January 2014|date=23 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Bauer|first=Allen|title=HTML5 Builder|url=https://forums.embarcadero.com/message.jspa?messageID=484319#484319|work=Embarcadero Developer Network|publisher=Embarcadero Technologies|access-date=13 January 2014|date=22 August 2012|archive-date=14 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614102211/https://forums.embarcadero.com/message.jspa?messageID=484319#484319|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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<!--[[Universal app]] redirects here-->
{{Main|Universal Windows Platform}}
UWP apps developed to work on [[smartphone]]s, [[personal computer]]s, [[video game console]]s and [[HoloLens]].
UWP is an extension of [[Windows Runtime]] and has access to WinRT APIs, although whether UWP apps can take advantage of WinRT APIs depends on their programming language and its tooling.<ref>{{cite web|title=What's a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app? |at=How the Universal Windows Platform relates to Windows Runtime APIs |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/get-started/universal-application-platform-guide#how-the-universal-windows-platform-relates-to-windows-runtime-apis |work=UWP documentation |via=[[Microsoft Learn]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=20 April 2022}}</ref>
===APPX===
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| genre = [[Archive (computing)|Archive]]
| container for = Installation information and an EXE or MSI file
| contained by = [[ZIP (file format)|ZIP]], [[Open Packaging Conventions|OPC]]
| extended from =
| extended to = MSIX
| standard =
| open = Yes
}}
'''APPX''' is
The [[Windows Phone Store|Windows Phone 8.x Marketplace]]
===MSIX===
{{Infobox file format
| name = MSIX
| logo =
| icon =
| iconcaption =
| screenshot =
| caption =
| extension = .msix, .msixbundle
| mime =
| type code =
| uniform type =
| conforms to =
| magic =
| owner = [[Microsoft]]
| genre = [[Archive (computing)|Archive]]
| container for = Installation information, an EXE file, DLL files, and/or other bundled content ("assets")
| contained by = [[ZIP (file format)|ZIP]], [[Open Packaging Conventions|OPC]]
| extended from = [[Microsoft App-V|App-V]], APPX, [[Windows Installer|MSI]]
| extended to =
| standard =
| open = Yes
}}
[[Windows 10]] version 1709 and [[Windows Server 2019]] LTSC introduced a new installation package format called '''MSIX''', which is intended to be a replacement for both the APPX format and the [[Windows Installer]] (.msi) desktop application installation format.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/overview|title=What is MSIX?|date=11 June 2022|access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref> MSIX is now the preferred way of distributing UWP apps.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/publish/?tabs=individual%2Cmsix-pwa-getting-started|title=Get started: Publish your first app in the Microsoft Store|date=23 July 2024|access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref> An open source project called MSIX Core was started to provide MSIX support for Windows versions earlier than Windows 10 version 1709.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/msix-core/msixcore|title=MSIX Core|date=6 October 2022|access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref>
▲'''APPX''' is the [[file format]] used to distribute and install apps on Windows 8.x, 10, 11, Windows Phone 8.1, Windows 10 Mobile, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Hololens, and Windows 10 IoT Core.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh464929.aspx |title=App packages and deployment (Windows Runtime apps) |website=[[MSDN|Windows Dev Center]] |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=8 March 2016}}</ref> Unlike legacy desktop apps, APPX is the only installation system allowed for UWP apps. It replaces the [[XAP (file format)|XAP]] file format on [[Windows Phone 8.1]], in an attempt to unify the distribution of apps for Windows Phone and Windows 8.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/11/5400660/windows-phone-8-1-features-leaked |title=Windows Phone 8.1 includes universal apps and lots of feature updates |first=Tom |last=Warren |date=11 February 2014 |publisher=[[Vox Media]]|work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref> APPX files are only compatible with Windows Phone 8.1 and later versions, and with Windows 8 and later versions.<ref>[http://www.wphoneapps.net/2013/12/how-to-install-xap-file-on-windows-phone.html How to Install APPX File on Windows Phone 8.1] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150425033027/http://www.wphoneapps.net/2013/12/how-to-install-xap-file-on-windows-phone.html |date=April 25, 2015 }}</ref>
▲The Windows Phone 8.x Marketplace allows users to download APPX files to an [[SD Card]] and install them manually. In contrast, sideloading is prohibited on Windows 8.x, unless the user has a developers license or in a business ___domain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.howtogeek.com/129535/how-to-sideload-modern-apps-on-windows-8/ |title=How To Sideload Modern Apps on Windows 8 |work=How-To Geek}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=March 2016}}
==Security==
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