[Mini-News] Windows 10 App Store install limit detailed.

[GoodBytes]

Microsoft reveals that Apps purchased from the Windows 10 App Store, will have a limit on the number of devices that you can install them on.

The apps can be installed up to 10 devices. That means 10: Windows 10 PC's, Windows 10 tablets, XBox One and Windows 10 phones that shares the same account. To be clear, in Windows 10, when you purchase an app, it is not locked in to the device, but rather to your account. So you only need to buy a game or app once, and you can play it on your Windows 10 PC, or Windows 10 Mobile Phone, or Windows 10 powered tablet, or even, if available on your XBox One.

To manage your devices, or to unregister old systems re-installs, just go here, login with your account, and you can unregister your devices.

https://account.microsoft.com/devices/about

If you re-install Windows on a device, it is considered as a new device being installed on. But fear not! It does NOT mean that you are limited to 10 installs in total, you can remove the old registered devices, and that will free up to have more devices to register, if you have more.

For example, in my case, I have the following:

As you can see, all 3 is the same system with different upgrade/re-installs (there is more in my actual list, but this is just 3 of them), you need to remove the old ones registered to free more slots for future re-installs, or additional system you want registered in. Just click on "Remove PC".

So in my case, I want to remove all of them, beside my Surface Pro 2 (which isn't listed in the picture, and my other desktop entries except for the last one)

So you may want to bookmark the link above for later use to manage your devices.

Source: me and: http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-lowers-app-installs-from-81-to-10-with-windows-10

[Mug]

To be fair, it makes sense.

[qwertywarrior]

i dont see anything wrong with this

there are many apps out there that limit the number of installs on multiple computers

 

10 is plenty !

[Sidiox]

10 is a decent amount I think. Lets say I have 1 desktop, 2 laptops, 1 tablet, and a smartphone. That would be 5 devices. This i think would be a fair estimate. So 10 is plenty.

[Grrizz]

Looks nice, easy to manage and you don't have to buy one licence per device

[terrytek]

So 10 devices of each type, like 10 pcs, 10 windows phones, 10 laptops, or like 10 devices total? If total, it's kinda weird.

[samcool55]

If you have more than 10 devices that you use daily, well then it might be time to take a step back and reflect on your life

[StareX]

Most normal and sane people have like 3 Windows PCs.. or 1 .. Like me. So IDC.

[GoodBytes]

So 10 devices of each type, like 10 pcs, 10 windows phones, 10 laptops, or like 10 devices total? If total, it's kinda weird.

10 total devices.

So for example: 2 PC, 2 laptops, 3 XBox One in your mansion, 2 Windows 10 Mobile phones, and a Windows 10 tablet

[kuddlesworth9419]

Can you download and install software outside of the app store because I really don't give a flying sh*t about mobile apps and software sh*t on my desktop. Just let me install whatever I damn want and that's that. Why even have a store to begin with it's just a waste of money when the best software out there is free anyway.

[Derangel]

10 seems like a pretty good number. Low enough to prevent things like sharing your account with a bunch of friends and high enough not to be an issue for personal or family use.

[terrytek]

10 total devices.

So for example: 2 PC, 2 laptops, 3 XBox One in your mansion, 2 Windows 10 Mobile phones, and a Windows 10 tablet

That's ok, for like a small family. But when you have a school computer lab with Windows 10 loaded, and you use the apps on those PCs, it's gonna be hell to try to install them on all pcs.

[Derangel]

That's ok, for like a small family. But when you have a school computer lab with Windows 10 loaded, and you use the apps on those PCs, it's gonna be hell to try to install them on all pcs.

 

Won't matter for schools. Schools use volume licencing for OS and software.

[GoodBytes]

Can you download and install software outside of the app store because I really don't give a flying sh*t about mobile apps and software sh*t on my desktop. Just let me install whatever I damn want and that's that. Why even have a store to begin with it's just a waste of money when the best software out there is free anyway.

For desktop application it is like right now, on how it works.

For Windows Apps (aka: Universal Apps, apps that can run on your Windows 10 devices including XBox One and HoloLens), they need to be acquired through the app store.

Windows 10 has the ability to side-load apps, but it is not enabled by default (because of security reasons), and I have no idea how it will work exactly.

[GoodBytes]

That's ok, for like a small family. But when you have a school computer lab with Windows 10 loaded, and you use the apps on those PCs, it's gonna be hell to try to install them on all pcs.

I doubt your school will allow you this. Usually everything is locked down on a school computer, and any changes you are able to do in your account is not stored on the server. You'll be able to only use what is installed (or you bring as a portable app via a USB drive of disk that doesn't need admin privileges).

And if you mean for schools own setup for students, they use a different system. The App Store in Windows 10, support multi-user purchases of apps (from my understanding), and can customize the Windows App Store to show company recommended apps to get, or even locked it down to select apps that a user can get.

[terrytek]

I doubt your school will allow you this. Usually everything is locked down on a school computer, and any changes you are able to do in your account is not stored on the server. You'll be able to only use what is installed (or you bring as a portable app via a USB drive of disk that doesn't need admin privileges).

And if you mean for schools own setup for students, they use a different system. The App Store in Windows 10, support multi-user purchases of apps (from my understanding), and can customize the Windows App Store to show company recommended apps to get, or even locked it down to select apps that a user can get.

I meant like if the school ITs decided to install these apps onto the school computers,

[TacticlTwinkie]

This is a quite reasonable policy. 10 active installations will be plenty for the vast majority of users.

[othertomperson]

Yay more arbitrary DRM :')

[GoodBytes]

I meant like if the school ITs decided to install these apps onto the school computers,

Ah ok. Windows 10 allows businesses/schools to use their domain accounts as a connected accounts that work just like a Microsoft account, for the App store purchases and licensing.

So, I guess the pricing of app purchases, will depend on the developer, much like it does for desktop applications.

As for those device management thing is probably and most likely all managed by/within Windows Server.

[GoodBytes]

Yay more arbitrary DRM :')

Microsoft has always done DRM better than everyone else. I am not saying it is perfect, but far better than others.

And it better than to have no DRM, and that means that you need to purchase apps and DLC for apps / micro transaction for all your devices, and not just once for all.

[othertomperson]

Microsoft has always done DRM better than everyone else. I am not saying it is perfect, but far better than others.

And it better than to have no DRM, and that means that you need to purchase apps and DLC for apps / micro transaction for all your devices, and not just once for all.

 

Or just have unlimited installs for your account? If you've bought that many Windows devices and paid that much money to Microsoft you should be able to install your stuff on all of them. Apple has no such limit for their phones or tablets, and I'll be surprised if Android does.

[GoodBytes]

Or just have unlimited installs for your account? If you've bought that many Windows devices and paid that much money to Microsoft you should be able to install your stuff on all of them. Apple has no such limit for their phones or tablets, and I'll be surprised if Android does.

And then you cash out 500$ for buying a crap tone of apps, and sale your account to multiple people for 10$, you making thousands of dollars, and developers nothing beside your initial purchases.

[othertomperson]

And then you cash out 500$ for buying a crap tone of apps, and sale your account to multiple people for 10$, you making thousands of dollars, and developers nothing beside your initial purchases.

 

Is this a well-documented problem that Apple has encountered with iOS? Because their app store seems to be doing just fine from what I can see.

[GoodBytes]

Is this a well-documented problem that Apple has encountered with iOS? Because their app store seems to be doing just fine from what I can see.

I don't know if things have changed recently, but no you can't. Purchases are locked to the device under Apple ecosystem. The only way you can do it, is to connect both device to iTunes and use iTunes DRM system to allow you to transfer the app license from 1 device to another.

It does mean you need an Apple account, and you need to manage your devices.

Here with Microsoft solution, you don't need a computer or software in between. Each device, including Windows 10 Mobile are independence devices. Windows 10 Mobile is like a PC, Windows 10 tablet is a PC, you can download stuff on them as you would on a desktop computer, and heck even re-install the device without needing a system with some software to do this. This model is great, as it makes the experience identical between desktop, laptop, phone and tablet all in the Windows 10 ecosystem. So due to this design, the DRM method that Apple uses doesn't work for Windows 10 ecosystem. Well it can technically work, but it would be nothing more than a pain, like Apple one, possibly worse, while it doesn't have to be.

[othertomperson]

I don't know if things have changed recently, but no you can't. Purchases are locked to the device under Apple ecosystem. The only way you can do it, is to connect both device to iTunes and use iTunes DRM system to allow you to transfer the app license from 1 device to another.

It does mean you need an Apple account, and you need to manage your devices.

 

That wasn't the case when I upgraded my iPhone a couple of months ago, I was quite happily installing my apps to both simultaneously without issue. People using iPads, iMacs, iPhones and iPods all in tandem don't seem to be reporting any major issues either, so unless something has changed very recently.

 

I don't think it's any big issue to require an Apple account either. You need one to buy anything from the App store, and I'd kind of expect that tbh. Is the same not true for Android? It seems to be for Microsoft.