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Submit qBittorrent for Windows to Microsoft Store #13977

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opened 2026-02-22 00:32:45 -05:00 by deekerman · 11 comments

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:45 -05:00

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Originally created by @rakleed on GitHub (Nov 14, 2022).

Suggestion

Could you please submit qBittorent for Windows to the Microsoft Store so it's easier to download and users don't have to think about updates? With the release of Windows 11, it became possible to submit traditional desktop apps (Win32) in the Microsoft Store, not just UWP. Learn more: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-store/desktop-apps/.

Use case

So it's easier to download and users don't have to think about updates.

Extra info/examples/attachments

Earlier you mentioned that you are not interested in distribution on Stores (https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/9165#issuecomment-460029045). Your position has not changed since then, despite the fact that this is Microsoft's Store and you do not need to change the app to submit it?

Originally created by @rakleed on GitHub (Nov 14, 2022). ### Suggestion Could you please submit qBittorent for Windows to the Microsoft Store so it's easier to download and users don't have to think about updates? With the release of Windows 11, it became possible to submit traditional desktop apps (Win32) in the Microsoft Store, not just UWP. Learn more: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-store/desktop-apps/. ### Use case So it's easier to download and users don't have to think about updates. ### Extra info/examples/attachments Earlier you mentioned that you are not interested in distribution on Stores (https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/9165#issuecomment-460029045). Your position has not changed since then, despite the fact that this is Microsoft's Store and you do not need to change the app to submit it?

deekerman added the

OS: Windows

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2026-02-22 00:32:45 -05:00

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:57 -05:00

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@OpenSpaghettiSauce commented on GitHub (Nov 15, 2022):

My word means nothing here, but:

qBittorrent's installer/EXE is not signed. I think that's a requirement. It is extremely expensive and tedious to do so. (last time I checked)
Not sure what kind of installer/setup Store requires. IIRC it uses MSIX?
UWP had serious permission limitations last time I checked.
qBittorrent offers many, many builds with each release. For example, Qt5/Qt6. Lt2 build. On Store, you can only deliver one.
Store could also introduce many more issues that'd land right here. Ie.: What about configs? What about migrating installation? What about importing from other client scripts? What about upgrading between versions?
Microsoft is the new Google. They changed their mind on this. Who knows when they will change it again?

I don't know, I'm just a bit skeptical about it. It's maybe just me though.

I think Store is great! Scammers use it all the time to re-package open-source applications and rip people off. So it is definitely useful for some (scammers). And less useful for others (actual users and the devs.)

@OpenSpaghettiSauce commented on GitHub (Nov 15, 2022): My word means nothing here, but: - qBittorrent's installer/EXE is not signed. I think that's a requirement. It is extremely expensive and tedious to do so. (last time I checked) - Not sure what kind of installer/setup Store requires. IIRC it uses MSIX? - UWP had serious permission limitations last time I checked. - qBittorrent offers many, many builds with each release. For example, Qt5/Qt6. Lt2 build. On Store, you can only deliver one. - Store could also introduce many more issues that'd land right here. Ie.: What about configs? What about migrating installation? What about importing from other client scripts? What about upgrading between versions? - Microsoft is the new Google. They changed their mind on this. Who knows when they will change it again? I don't know, I'm just a bit skeptical about it. It's maybe just me though. I think Store is great! Scammers use it all the time to re-package open-source applications and rip people off. So it is definitely useful for some (scammers). And less useful for others (actual users and the devs.)

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@clicktodev commented on GitHub (Nov 17, 2022):

@OpenSpaghettiSauce on your third point, windows store now allows Win32 apps.
Although I agree, I don't see much value in publishing qbt to the windows store.

@clicktodev commented on GitHub (Nov 17, 2022): @OpenSpaghettiSauce on your third point, windows store now allows Win32 apps. Although I agree, I don't see much value in publishing qbt to the windows store.

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@Balls0fSteel commented on GitHub (Nov 17, 2022):

Oh I know @hichemfantar , but it still requires preparation/changes on the packaging/installer end of things.

@Balls0fSteel commented on GitHub (Nov 17, 2022): Oh I know @hichemfantar , but it still requires preparation/changes on the packaging/installer end of things.

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@Balls0fSteel commented on GitHub (Nov 17, 2022):

Also, FIXME on this one, but qBittorrent's current installer allows for disabling the Windows path limit for example. Putting out an icon, etc. I am not sure if these are available if you use Store to install an app.

(Heck, this is a personal "issue" I suppose, but I cannot even find if something is installed. It may or may not appear in Start menu. Sometimes I have to open Store, find the application through My Library and then select it, and then Start. Then I have to pin it, so it may appear properly.)

But anyway! Code signing is a must for all of this.

@Balls0fSteel commented on GitHub (Nov 17, 2022): Also, FIXME on this one, but qBittorrent's current installer allows for disabling the Windows path limit for example. Putting out an icon, etc. I am not sure if these are available if you use Store to install an app. (Heck, this is a personal "issue" I suppose, but I cannot even find if something is installed. It may or may not appear in Start menu. Sometimes I have to open Store, find the application through My Library and then select it, and then Start. Then I have to pin it, so it may appear properly.) But anyway! Code signing is a must for all of this.

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@soredake commented on GitHub (Nov 30, 2022):

I agree, I don't see much value in publishing qbt to the windows store.

Auto updates, maybe? If this https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/17698 will be fixed and installer will terminate running process and launch qbittorrent again.

@soredake commented on GitHub (Nov 30, 2022): > I agree, I don't see much value in publishing qbt to the windows store. Auto updates, maybe? If this https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/17698 will be fixed and installer will terminate running process and launch qbittorrent again.

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@clicktodev commented on GitHub (Dec 1, 2022):

I personally have auto updates disabled in the windows store.
A better solution would be a built-in updater in qbt.

@clicktodev commented on GitHub (Dec 1, 2022): I personally have auto updates disabled in the windows store. A better solution would be a built-in updater in qbt.

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@soredake commented on GitHub (Jan 22, 2023):

https://github.com/felixrieseberg/windows95/issues/221

@soredake commented on GitHub (Jan 22, 2023): https://github.com/felixrieseberg/windows95/issues/221

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@RokeJulianLockhart commented on GitHub (May 17, 2023):

Although @soredake links a useful issue, .MSIX and .AppX haven't been the sole installer file formats possible to upload to the Microsoft Store since Windows 11's release. However, can anyone confirm that, due to winget-pkgs's manifests/q/qBittorrent/qBittorrent, qBitTorrent is at least installable via the Microsoft Store's GUI, even if not via the Store's backend (store) repository via winget-cli? It might/should be, because winget-pkgs accepts --installer-type=msix.

@RokeJulianLockhart commented on GitHub (May 17, 2023): Although @soredake links a useful issue, `.MSIX` and `.AppX` haven't been the sole installer file formats possible to upload to the Microsoft Store since Windows 11's release. However, can anyone confirm that, due to [`winget-pkgs`'s `manifests/q/qBittorrent/qBittorrent`](https://github.com/microsoft/winget-pkgs/tree/8ba391c9be73a6f5f3eaf302ab426a6021c74598/manifests/q/qBittorrent/qBittorrent), qBitTorrent is at least installable via the Microsoft Store's GUI, even if not via the Store's backend (`store`) repository via `winget-cli`? It might/should be, because `winget-pkgs` accepts `--installer-type=msix`.

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@soredake commented on GitHub (Dec 12, 2023):

qBitTorrent is at least installable via the Microsoft Store's GUI, even if not via the Store's backend (store) repository via microsoft/winget-cli?

No, it's not, and never be. The point of submitting qbittorent to microsoft store is to use .msix format for easy updates (https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/18115 https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/18582) and signed executable (https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/18028)

@soredake commented on GitHub (Dec 12, 2023): > qBitTorrent is at least installable via the Microsoft Store's GUI, even if not via the Store's backend (`store`) repository via [microsoft/winget-cli](https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli)? No, it's not, and never be. The point of submitting qbittorent to microsoft store is to use `.msix` format for easy updates (https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/18115 https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/18582) and signed executable (https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/18028)

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@manfromarce commented on GitHub (Nov 30, 2025):

It would be nice if this was reconsidered.

As of now, MSIX packages can be created for Win32 applications quite easily using MSIX Packaging Tool or other methods. Many desktop applications such as GIMP, Firefox, Blender, paint.NET, Inkscape have been successfully packaged for some time.
The MSIX does not actually need to be signed because the signing is done by Microsoft when uploading to the store (unless the msix is meant to be distributed outside the store).
Of course, the Microsoft developer account requires a fee but it's a one-time purchase, not a subscription.

About MSIX restrictions:

It's not the same as UWP. Win32 applications published as MSIX (and even WinUI 3 applications) have essentially full system access like classic applications, except they cannot write to their folder (because it's protected from write access), so settings, temp files, and other files which require modification need to be stored in AppData, Documents or any other directory. Reading the app folder may require a code change to get the "real" path but it's possible.
AppData and the registry are also redirected to special areas (virtualization so that when the app is uninstalled no leftovers remain), but this is "transparent" for the applications so that usually causes no issues because values can be read/written normally.
Some applications requiring deep system integration can request the "unvirtualized" access to avoid these limitations, but I don't think it's needed for qBittorrent. Alternatively, the regular .exe installer can also be submitted to the Store (instead of the .msix / .msixbundle), but as someone already pointed out, in that case users lose the benefit of automatic updates managed via the store, and the .exe needs to be signed, so it's probably not worth it.

@manfromarce commented on GitHub (Nov 30, 2025): It would be nice if this was reconsidered. As of now, MSIX packages can be created for Win32 applications quite easily using [MSIX Packaging Tool](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/packaging-tool/tool-overview#install) or other methods. Many desktop applications such as GIMP, Firefox, Blender, paint.NET, Inkscape have been successfully packaged for some time. The MSIX does not actually need to be signed because the signing is done by Microsoft when uploading to the store (unless the msix is meant to be distributed outside the store). Of course, the Microsoft developer account requires a fee but it's a one-time purchase, not a subscription. About MSIX restrictions: - It's *not* the same as UWP. Win32 applications published as MSIX (and even WinUI 3 applications) have essentially full system access like classic applications, except they cannot write to their folder (because it's protected from write access), so settings, temp files, and other files which require modification need to be stored in AppData, Documents or any other directory. Reading the app folder may require a code change to get the "real" path but it's possible. - AppData and the registry are also redirected to special areas (virtualization so that when the app is uninstalled no leftovers remain), but this is "transparent" for the applications so that usually causes no issues because values can be read/written normally. - Some applications requiring deep system integration can request the "unvirtualized" access to avoid these limitations, but I don't think it's needed for qBittorrent. Alternatively, the regular .exe installer can also be submitted to the Store (instead of the .msix / .msixbundle), but as someone already pointed out, in that case users lose the benefit of automatic updates managed via the store, and the .exe needs to be signed, so it's probably not worth it.

deekerman commented

2026-02-22 00:32:58 -05:00

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@RokeJulianLockhart commented on GitHub (Nov 30, 2025):

#issuecomment-1851656047

@soredake, .AppInstallers provide that, as does an .MSIX|.MSIXBundle uploaded to winget-pkgs.

@RokeJulianLockhart commented on GitHub (Nov 30, 2025): > [`#issuecomment-1851656047`](https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/18022#issuecomment-1851656047) @soredake, `.AppInstaller`s provide that, as does an `.MSIX|.MSIXBundle` uploaded to `winget-pkgs`.