# Differences to the Microsoft Store version
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [January 10, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533 "2021-01-10T14:59:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/1 "2021-01-10T14:59:17Z")
There is Mp3tag in Microsoft Store.
Is that the preferred version over the classical one that we have to use setup?
Thanks
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/2 "2021-01-10T15:05:08Z")
I would not prefer it as the store versions does not have all the features like the explorer context menu.
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2021, 3:15pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/3 "2021-01-10T15:15:05Z")
The store version is identical to the version distributed via the website, except for the following differences:
**Features**
- ~~It doesn't come with the Explorer context-menu extension to open files and folders via right-click "Mp3tag"~~.
- It supports auto-updating without the need for manual download.
**Versioning**
- New versions are sometimes not available on day one of a release, but need to go through app review first.
- The store doesn't have beta versions.
---
### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2021, 2:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/4 "2021-01-15T14:19:34Z")
Except the Explorer context-menu extension, the others are not important to me. But the context menu extension is very convenient.
I have installed the Store-based app for a test. I found that I couldn't even do a "Open with" which is really bad. Obviously, it's a matter of programming because I have installed Store-based IrfanView and after installation, I can do "Open with" on all kind of image files.
I think the installation has to register the kinds of files (ie the file extensions) the application is able to handle. It's in this way that supported files can be sent to "Open with" which can be a workaround to missing context menu extension.
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2021, 9:20am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/5 "2021-03-18T09:20:45Z")
A post was split to a new topic: [Bearbeiten der Export-Konfiguration in der Store Version](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/bearbeiten-der-export-konfiguration-in-der-store-version/52425)
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2021, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/6 "2021-11-08T13:25:01Z")
The version available via the Microsoft Store now also comes with a Explorer context-menu extension starting with v3.11b so that there should be no differences anymore.
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### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2021, 11:51am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/7 "2021-11-09T11:51:17Z")
I have installed the v3.11b from Microsoft Store and I confirm that context menu extension is working. However, this extension only works after **Windows session reopening**. I think it is worth to mention this point or users might think it is not working.
Since context menu extension is working, it's not important to make "Open with" work.
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### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/8 "2022-01-29T20:04:31Z")
I have just installed the v3.12 from Microsoft store but the context menu extension is not working again.
Regression?
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2022, 10:34am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/9 "2022-01-30T10:34:10Z")
Can you give a little more details?
Have you restarted your machine. Is this under Windows 11 or 10. If it's the former, is it missing from the main context menu in Windows File Explorer or from the classic that is displayed via _Show more options_?
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### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2022, 12:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/10 "2022-02-08T12:00:49Z")
I didn't restart my computer because that was not necessary in v3.11b. Personally, I would consider that a software requiring a computer restart as not mature enough.
However, I didn't distinguish Win11 from Win10, indeed. Let me check this point first and come back later.
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### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 1:36pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/11 "2022-02-10T13:36:57Z")
OK, I've done the test in both Win10 & 11. Here is a summary of the results.
**NOTE:**
1. I have Win10 ver 21H2 and Win11 ver 21H2
2. MP3TAG that is being tested is ver 3.12 in both Microsoft Store and setup
3. I know the existence of "simplified context menu" in Win11. So this is not the cause.
4. After every test of "from store", the app was uninstalled and computer rebooted to make it as clean as possible.
```auto
Context menu shown?
Win 10 Win 11
----------------------------------------------------
Just installed from store NO NO
After opening MP3tag once NO NO
After reboot YES YES
----------------------------------------------------
Just installed from setup YES NO
After opening MP3tag once N/A NO
After reboot N/A YES
```
So, in Win11, the situation is worse even with the setup. It's clear that there's a **regression**.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/12 "2022-02-10T14:59:35Z")
I thougth that a shell extension is something that the explorer manages and that the explorer has to register the shell extension.
To do that, the explorer has to be restarted.
So, IMHO, it is irrelevant how often MP3tag is started to show the shell extension.
If you do not get the shell extension after a W10 reboot, check which installation method you used. The shell extension is only available for the standard installation, not the portable one.
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/13 "2022-02-10T15:41:28Z")
Thanks for your extensive tests. I'm not sure if it's a regression, because you've mentioned before that
> [@Horus](#):
>
> this extension only works after **Windows session reopening**
The problem with the Store installation is, that there is no installer I can use to refresh the shell. It's really up to Windows and the whole packaging machinery to parse the manifests and provide the different capabilities to the user interface.
The same applies to installing the shell extension from setup under Windows 11. Here, making the extension available to the system is not done via the well-established process that has been used for decades, but via a Windows Package Manager that is used to deploy a sparse package with the shell extension. I've tried to refresh the shell after deployment through the Package Manager, but it doesn't trigger a refresh of the installed shell extension packages.
> [@Horus](#):
>
> Personally, I would consider that a software requiring a computer restart as not mature enough.
I'd not consider Mp3tag not mature enough, given that it's one of the first that even supports the new Windows 11 context menu. I also want to point out, that it's not _required_ in the sense that Mp3tag isn't usable otherwise.
And to speed-up things a little the next time you run into this issue, you can also just restart Explorer via the Task Manager to make the context menu entry appear.
---
### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/14 "2022-02-10T16:26:03Z")
Where did I say that the shell extension does not work after a reboot? (No need to reply. It's a rhetorical question)
On the other hand, take WinRAR as an example. Its Shell extension works without computer reboot. So it's possible to do it.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/15 "2022-02-10T16:31:58Z")
> [@Horus](#):
>
> ```auto
> Just installed from setup YES NO
> After opening MP3tag once N/A NO
> After reboot N/A YES
>
> ```
I interpret n/a as "does not work" as otherwise it would say "yes".
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/16 "2022-02-10T16:35:23Z")
> [@Horus](#):
>
> On the other hand, take WinRAR as an example. Its Shell extension works without computer reboot. So it's possible to do it.
I think WinRAR is still using the classic context menu for its shell extension.
---
### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/17 "2022-02-10T16:50:06Z")
N/A (non applicable) means it does not make sense to say Yes or No in this situation. Implicitly Yes, but still not making sense
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### Author:  [@MotleyG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MotleyG)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/18 "2022-02-10T17:00:57Z")
This really comes down to a personal preference to a rather insignificant ideal. If you want it to work as you have indicated, simply use the website download version instead of the MS Store version. Is a single re-boot really worth the time and energy you have focused on this? There are 100's of other software packages that still rely on a reboot to implement integrated functionality.
---
### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/19 "2022-02-10T17:02:01Z")
> [@Florian](#):
>
> Thanks for your extensive tests. I'm not sure if it's a regression, because you've mentioned before that
>
> > [@Horus](#):
> >
> > this extension only works after **Windows session reopening**
>
> The problem with the Store installation [snipped.......] installed shell extension packages.
Oh, indeed. I forgot that ( **Windows session reopening** ) It was so confusing. Sorry.
My WinRAR is indeed not a good example as it is installed with a setup, not Store.
However, Skype might be a good example. "might be" because it has the "Share with Skype" context menu. However, I have never tried to uninstall it and reinstall in Store to see if the context menu appears immediately. I'm not willing to reboot my computers for the time being as I have too much things on it.
If anyone's free, please don't hesitate to test it.
---
### Author:  [@Horus](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Horus)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533/20 "2022-02-10T17:32:36Z")
> [@MotleyG](#):
>
> This really comes down to a personal preference to a rather insignificant ideal. If you want it to work as you have indicated, simply use the website download version instead of the MS Store version. Is a single re-boot really worth the time and energy you have focused on this? There are 100's of other software packages that still rely on a reboot to implement integrated functionality.
For me it's certainly not a "personal preference" but rather a work constraint. My Windows session is my work. And I cannot close the session like that because Windows session CANNOT (yet) reopen every thing in previous session. Browser sessions are managed by browsers, so that's not an issue. But not other applications.
I would prefer MS Store version despite this "context menu" bug because it will update softwares automatically. No more "downloading and installing" -- so tedious. MS Store (and winget) is the future. It makes deployment in companies a lot easier. Setup are in the past / history.
[Next page](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/differences-to-the-microsoft-store-version/51533.md?page=2)