HomeWinBuzzer NewsWindows Store Improvements Make Apps and Games Easier to Find

Windows Store Improvements Make Apps and Games Easier to Find

-

has heeded the call of developers who were disgruntled that their applications and games were difficult to find in the .

WinBuzzer reported last month that developers were unhappy that their apps and games were getting hidden in the Windows Store, citing the lack of a search function.

The current search function does not find some apps even if keywords are searched, despite developers submitting keywords to the store when loading their apps.

Redmond has responded with a Windows Store update that solves the problem, while an update at the end of the month will “optimize the algorithms that determine which app reviews are shown in Dev Center and Windows Store.”

Microsoft has been criticized for struggling to get search results right, the Windows Store has less apps than rival platforms, so should get more accurate results. The store also has larger displays to work with, so displaying more apps in one view should be possible.

windows store app discovery issue

Improvements

The company says that the launch of saw the Store rebuilt from the ground up, and since then work has been ongoing to improve the search algorithms. During the last few months, the following additions have been made to the Windows Store, all of which should make apps and games more visible.

More accurate rankings: The algorithm used to rank search results has been adjusted to give more weight to app quality signals such as the number of downloads and ratings. When searching for apps or games, customers now see apps with more downloads and higher ratings earlier in search results.

Search enhancements: The algorithm to index apps has been updated to make apps easier to be discovered, specifically when searching by app name and related keywords. The Store will continue to limit search visibility for apps that don't meet quality requirements, such as those that abuse keywords or are considered spam, as described in the Give Your Apps More Visibility.

Support process adjustments: Developer support is reviewing tickets opened for app search and visibility issues, to confirm they are solved by the two updates mentioned above or to identify any remaining gaps before a ticket is closed.

Microsoft has also changed the way in which the Windows Store manages app reviews, hiding reviews that do not meet criteria. All reviews appear in the Dev Center before those that are spam or fraudulent are removed, while reviews currently in the Windows 10 Insider Preview will also show in the regular Windows Store starting in March.

SOURCE: Windows Blog

Luke Jones
Luke Jones
Luke has been writing about all things tech for more than five years. He is following Microsoft closely to bring you the latest news about Windows, Office, Azure, Skype, HoloLens and all the rest of their products.

Recent News