Allow Microsoft Store?

[Nausing]

We've always blocked the Microsoft Store since offering Windows 10 but some staff have requested we enable it to allow them to install apps themselves.

 

Is there anything immediately I should be concerned about with enabling the Microsoft Store and what are the best practices with offering it?

 

Thanks

[meakjoe]

From what I've seen when I've experimented it briefly before, I don't think theres too much to worry about.

 

If you are concerned about what Apps they can and can't install, you can restrict through GPO to only see the 'Private' store. You can then control which apps they see by navigating to the Microsoft Store for Business, and logging in with your O365 Admin and then downloading and sharing apps to specific groups or users from there. When they open the store and log in with O365 credentials, thats all they see.

 

It might be possible to also do App Requests but I haven't investigated that yet.

[NicholasEsping]

We have no issues with allowing the Microsoft store. If you have disabled the store it will cause a security risk because none of the store apps will receive any updates and that incudes apps like calendar and calculator which are installed by default. We force the private store and also implemented app locker through GPO to allow and deny apps we want on the devices.

[CHiLL]

I have left the store in on my images, it's never caused us problems. It's allowed me to deploy store apps and if required, I can block access to the store app to specific user groups using AppLocker.

[Ertech]

is there a way to manage apps remotely?

[SYNACK]

is there a way to manage apps remotely?

If you mean deploy them then Intune or SCCM plus Intune along with windows store for business. If you have infinate time I think you can build them into an image but that requires a reimagine to add new stuff.