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Microsoft Store
September 10, 2025

Free developer registration for individual developers on Microsoft Store

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We’re excited to share that individual developers can now publish apps to the Microsoft Store without paying any onboarding fees — and this new experience is now globally available in nearly 200 markets worldwide. Developers will no longer need a credit card to get started, removing a key point of friction that has affected many creators around the world. By eliminating these one-time fees, Microsoft is creating a more inclusive and accessible platform that empowers more developers to innovate, share and thrive on the Windows ecosystem. Visit storedeveloper.microsoft.com to get started.

We are committed to helping the developer ecosystem thrive, and we thank you for the feedback you continue to give us. The Microsoft Store is now used by over 250 million monthly active users, and  because of its open policies  — it is the most trusted and scalable PC distribution channel across both consumer and commercial devices. 

“Eliminating registration fees for individual developers isn’t just a technical decision: it’s a statement of respect for those who create from the periphery, with limited resources but powerful ideas. Thank you for opening this door: not just for me, but for an entire community that can now dream out loud.” – Freddy Castillo, Independent developer

“Over the past year, our daily new installs grew 10x on the Microsoft Store. All we focus on is building great apps — the Store does the heavy lifting by connecting us with users, driving targeted traffic, and providing sales funnel insights and customer support tools. This lets us dedicate our time to creating the best experiences for Windows users worldwide.” – HUXSoft, Independent publisher

“Recent improvements in the Microsoft Store led to a strong increase in our user base: daily active users of our flagship app, backiee, grew from 10,000 to 40,000 year-over-year, driving a sixfold revenue increase. We also reached a major milestone of 7 million downloads, while continuing to deliver unique features for our users.” – Good2Create, Independent publisher 

Screenshot of new onboarding process.

New onboarding process with zero registration fees for Individual developers.

What’s new in onboarding?

  • Free registration: No payment required for individual developers — just sign in with a personal Microsoft account and follow the guided, modern UI.
  • Lightweight ID verification: Quickly verify your identity by scanning a valid government-issued ID and your selfie — supported in all markets worldwide.
  • Streamlined setup: Auto-filled profile details and instant access to Partner Center once verified, meaning you can go from sign-up to submission in minutes.

Why build for Microsoft Store?

The Windows developer platform is evolving rapidly powered by Copilot+ PCs, AI innovation and a thriving ecosystem. The Microsoft Store sits at the heart of this momentum, offering developers unmatched reach, flexibility and trust.

  • Massive reach: Over 250 million users visit the Store each month.
  • All app types welcome: Publish your Win32 (including .NET WPF and WinForms), UWP, PWA, .NET MAUI or Electron apps to the Microsoft Store — no code changes required.
  • Trusted distribution: Get discovered through Windows Search, deliver secure installs and reach enterprise customers via Intune.
  • Commerce flexibility: Use Microsoft’s commerce platform at low revenue share rates to maximize your profit, while benefiting from its convenience and security. Alternatively, for non-game apps, developers can also bring their own in-app commerce system and keep 100% of the revenue.
  • Complimentary hosting, free signing and automatic updates (MSIX): Package your app as an MSIX and we’ll host your binary on our infrastructure and pay for the distribution — no need to set up your own CDN. We’ll also sign your app for free to boost trust and security, and Windows delivers updates automatically, so your users always have the latest version without any extra work. These built-in services reduce your overhead and let you focus on building great experiences.
Screenshot from the Microsoft Store.

Reach millions of users across Windows devices through the Microsoft Store.

Ready to publish?

Get started by opening your account at storedeveloper.microsoft.com.