I'm using the Enterprise version, this will be for a private school computer lab. We would like to avoid students from using the Store to download games and other stuff so anything can help to avoid this should work.By disable, you want to keep the Store app but deny its usage? Or simply remove the app entirely?
To disable users from running Store, you can create an AppLocker rule under local Group Policy to ban specific apps from executing. Using LGPO, you can export the policy and import it back to a new system. There is a GPO setting for explicitly disabling the Store, but it only works for EDU or Enterprise editions. So the alternative is an AppLocker rule.
; Disable winget
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppInstaller]
"EnableAppInstaller"=dword:00000000
; Disable Store app
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore]
"RemoveWindowsStore"=dword:00000001
; Disable sideloaded apps
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModelUnlock]
"AllowAllTrustedApps"=dword:00000000
"AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense"=dword:00000000
Thank you!Even if you remove the Store app, your "enterprising" students will try to sideload apps, or use winget.
Copy this to a .reg file, and add under Registry:
Code:; Disable winget [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppInstaller] "EnableAppInstaller"=dword:00000000 ; Disable Store app [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore] "RemoveWindowsStore"=dword:00000001 ; Disable sideloaded apps [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModelUnlock] "AllowAllTrustedApps"=dword:00000000 "AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense"=dword:00000000
I would still test, to make sure Store app and winget are correctly disabled. WU will continue to background update UWP apps, regardless of Store or winget's current state.