Stock Windows 11 apps get a big change to improve user experience and security

Windows 11 gets an important update to its stock apps, which will significantly improve the user experience and security.

Microsoft Store with a bunch of app icons

If you have installed Windows 11 at least once, you probably know that the operating system's stock apps cannot run immediately when you get to the desktop. Some of them are not apps at all, just placeholders that, when opened, download the necessary files from the Microsoft Store. This approach helped Microsoft reduce the install media file and speed up Windows 11 installation. Now, however, Microsoft is changing that.

Microsoft announced that the updated Windows Media releases of Windows 11 and Windows Server now include more recent versions of inbox applications. The company changed how this works for two reasons: security and convenience.

Microsoft is improving the operating system security by eliminating potential vulnerabilities and exposures in out-of-date RTM versions of inbox applications. As for convenience, there is no longer a need to wait for the app to download its files before you can start using it. This saves bandwidth and time for the end user.

Windows 11 version 24H2 now has the following 36 apps updated to the most recent versions:

Alarms & Clock
App Installer
AV1 Video Extension
AVC Encoder Extension
Bing Search
Calculator
Camera
Clipchamp
Cross-Device Experience Host

Get Help
HEIF Image Extension
HEVC Video Extension
Media Player
Microsoft Store
Microsoft To Do
Notepad
Office Hub
Paint

Phone Link
Photos
Power Automate
Quick Assist
Raw Image Extension
Snipping Tool
Solitaire Collection
Sound Recorder
Sticky Notes

Store Purchase App
VP9 Video Extension
Weather
Web Media Extensions
WebP Image Extension
Windows Security
Windows Web Experience Pack
Xbox Game Bar
Xbox Speech-to-Text Overlay

On Windows Server 2025, the updated media have updated App Installer and Windows Security.

If you want to get the latest Windows 11 install media, use the Media Creation Tool app from the official Windows 11 website. IT admins can get them from the Microsoft 365 admin center and the Azure Marketplace. You can read more about the updated inbox app experience in a post on the Microsoft Tech Community website.