Microsoft has announced the winning apps for this year’s Microsoft Store Community Choice Awards and Microsoft Store Editor’s Choice Awards.
The awards highlight the best apps available in the Microsoft Store as voted on by Windows users and Store publishers. Microsoft is courting developers to distribute traditional desktop apps targeting the standard Win32 interface in the Store after its Windows 11-aligned redesign. Previously, it only supported UWP, PWA, and MISX apps.
The most popular utilities were ShareX and Speed test by Ookla. Most people who have checked their broadband speed are familiar with Speedtest, while ShareX allows users to capture or record a screenshot or full screen and quickly share it. The finalists were BitTorrent Client Torrex Lite and Smooth Screen Recorder.
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The winners of file management are the file manager Files app and Rufus, a tool that helps users format and create bootable USB drives. The finalists were 8 zipper and A commander.
The open platform winners were Auto dark modean app that allows users to schedule times for dark or light mode; EarTrumpeta volume control app and Modern Flyouts, which replaces Windows’ built-in sound, plane, and brightness drop-down menus. The finalists were Animated background and TranslucentTB.
Microsoft Store publishers have been selected Disney+, Hulu and tube for best video app. For audio and music, the editors chose Spotify, FluentCast and Grover Pro. The award for best creativity app went to Cloth, painting.net. The winner in the audio and video creativity category was the video editing application Wondershare Filmora. For social networks, Microsoft publishers have chosen Discord.
Become developer friendly
Microsoft announced a shortlist of dozens of apps in May, allowing Windows 10 and Windows 11 users to vote for their favorites in categories including Utility, File Management and Open Platform. Microsoft Store Editor’s Choice categories included Creativity, Entertainment, Productivity, Social Media, and a Special Recognition Award.
Over the past few months, Microsoft has announced friendlier terms for developers to use its “open” store; the arrival of major applications from Adobe, Disney, Zoom, Microsoft and more; and this week it launched Microsoft Store Ads – taking inspiration from Apple’s App Store ads to help developers reach users.
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Notably, Microsoft has excluded games from this year’s awards. That’s somewhat surprising given the scope of Windows gaming, but perhaps not so surprising given that regulators are still reviewing its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
“While gaming is still extremely important to us and our customers, for these awards we are focusing on apps,” said Microsoft Store General Manager Giorgio Sardo.
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