Microsoft no longer lets company admins block Windows Store access in Windows 10 Pro

Microsoft has made it so company administrators can no longer block access to the Windows Store in Windows 10 Pro . It was previously possible for said teams to set up group policy to close down employee access to apps and games on the store. Microsoft now only allows said access to be revoked on both Enterprise and Education versions of Windows 10.

A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the change to ZDNet:

"Microsoft is focused on helping enterprises manage their environment while giving people choice in the apps and devices they use to be productive across work and life. Windows 10 Enterprise is our offering that provides IT pros with the most granular control over company devices. Windows 10 Pro offers a subset of those capabilities and is recommended for small and mid-size businesses looking for some management controls, but not the full suite necessary for IT pros at larger enterprises.The ability to block access to the Windows Store is typically for organizations who want more control over corporate-owned devices. This fits into the value of Windows 10 Enterprise."

Microsoft is getting serious with the Windows Store and now businesses could be caught up in this move should they opt to run Windows 10 Pro and not have Enterprise rolled out across employee systems.

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.