Windows Store

[kingcharlesx3]

There seems to be an issue with something in this script that removes the Windows store permanently from my computer altogether. I have tried every possible solution with no resolve...even the restore debloat option does not. Anyone else have this issue?

[lbr88]

Would not call that an issue but a feature.

[RealPortalPlayer]

windows store is technically bloatware if you dont like it being removed then add it to the blacklist

this "issue" should be closed due to it not being a real issue

[kingcharlesx3]

The issue is that the windows store is unable to be re downloaded. It seems to be removed permanently. Even the undo feature of the software does not change this.

[batterycharger]

Funny enough, now how about "undo the damage" button?

Even resetting windows with removing everything, didn't restore store on a new computer, and as they don't ship DVDs with new computers anymore I'm going to need to order one. (Probably digital download)

As it is, this tool works like a trap and defaults should not break things this much. This issue should be closed, when reasonable guide or other problem undoing fix is implemented.

[Chillkroete42]

I had the same issue, I dont know why but the store was not available for users (except the admin). I reinstalled the following this guide. My first mistake was to run the powershell as admin and not as the affected user. After taking the control of the "WindowsApps" folder I was then able to reinstall windows store using the Add-AppXPackage command.

[thygrrr]

Windows Store is certainly no longer "Bloatware". Given what a fundamentally important source of trusted software it is (WSL Ubuntu, Kali or Debian distros, you can't even easily get outside of it anymore). Removing Window Store could be an extra operation, much like the Uninstall OneDrive action. Though while I think 99.99% of the people in the world want to get rid of OneDrive, less than half have these feelings for Windows Store. :)

I ran the Debloater on a pre-2004 updated machine (not realizing it's for fresh installs), and it permanently removed my Windows Store because I didn't see it in the blacklist, or misunderstood what the checkboxes might have meant. I tried a lot of things to restore, to no avail. As most of the documentation and also tutorials that use this script don't mention this kills the only source of software for certain users (or, for developers, one of their main vectors for software deployment), I feel this is a major issue.

In fact, the tool by default (as well as the whitelist customizer) picks SEVERAL non-bloat items for whareve reason:

• Windows Store (as per this topic)
• WSL Ubuntu or Debian Distros (this is massively exacerbated by Windows Store getting uninstalled, these things should never even be considered to be touched)... interestingly, it did not touch the new Windows Terminal
• Nvidia control panel (i could agree with craplets such as GeForce experience, but NCP? that's required to set the correct overscan, g-sync, and/or color gamuts for at least 3 of my screens [I have a bunch of workstations])
• Skype and other small apps (dubious but borderline accetable)
• Windows Calculator (again, borderline acceptable but that should go in a "Uninstall Windows Accessories" sub-operation)

It also claims to get rid of MS Paint but it never did. 🗡️ Funny enough, getting rid of MS Paint was what triggered me to run the Debloater. 💯

I would suggest:

• adding creating a restore point to the default behaviour. Restore points can be managed and cleaned out by different tools, so there is no conflict of responsiblity
• adding Windows Store to the whitelist by default, and making the default behaviour not uninstall Windows Store
• not touching any unknown software packages, no matter what it is
• absolutely walk the user through the blacklist editing process
• absolutely make the blacklist and whitelists more readable: on my system, it is full of unexplained conflicts and non-information out of the box
• make a separate blacklist and whitelist interface, explain what is blacklisted (does blacklist mean "gets removed" or does blacklist mean "gets kept"; does checked mean "is kept" or does checked mean "will be removed" - and the same for whitelist)