For Windows 10 Pro users who might be angrily flipping the "Turn Off Store" switch off and on, save the energy because the option no longer works and has been disabled since November. The unresponsive option is "by design," according to Microsoft.
The issue only affects Windows 10 Pro users who installed update 1511, which was released last November. Administrators on Windows 10's Enterprise and Education editions still have working "Turn Off Store" options that they can toggle to block or allow access to the Windows Store.
In general, the option to lock up the Windows Store is for organizations that desire more control over their devices, a Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNet. And that's a part of Windows 10 Enterprise's value, the spokespersons stated.
"Windows 10 Enterprise is our offering that provides IT pros with the most granular control over company devices," said the spokesperson. "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."
On a Windows support page, Microsoft notes that Windows 10 version 1511 disables the Group Policy for blocking or allowing access to the Windows Store.
"This behavior is by design," the help page reads.
The disabling of the Windows Store's padlock feature nudges small and mid-size business owners to upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise from Pro and it pushes private school administrators to the Education edition. And the move props open the doors of the Windows Store for those who can't or refuse to upgrade.
It's an aggressive business move. And it may be less about pushing users to more robust version of Windows 10 and more about driving sales to its app store.
The Windows Store, which predates Windows 10, Microsoft has counted more than 3 billion user visits to the store since the launch of the company's latest OS, according to February figures from Microsoft.
The number of PC and tablet visits to the Windows Store last holiday season was double that of the previous year, and the month of December saw a 60 percent increase in the amount of paying customers who were new to the store.
