Sharing apps between user accounts

Thanks for your response. The number of PCs you can install a purchased app varies from app to app. Thanks for your remarkable feedback, we will pass the info to the appropriate team.

 

Cheers,

If the restrictions vary app to app, it would be useful if the windows store lists the limit when purchasing each app.

I won't drop as much (if any) money if it can't be used on more that 5 devices. (Ideally 5-6 users on the same 5 devices). You could even list the relationship of family members somewhere online.  In gmail they have spots in the address book for listing relationships.  I'm not sure the function of this (probably something to do with google plus), but it might be used by microsoft (if you made an equivalent) to store who is immediate family, etc.

Here is the Blog Post that explains Device Limits for Apps in Windows 8.1

http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/appbuilder/archive/2013/09/27/increasing-the-app-roaming-limits.aspx

Each user can only see the Store apps that have been installed while that same user was logged into the Surface. If that user has a Microsoft account and is using it to log into the Surface, they can download and install their own apps from Windows Store.

If they don't have a Microsoft account, then someone with a Microsoft account can install apps for them. It works this way:

A Microsoft account can install free or purchased apps for each user on the same Surface device (up to five users and/or five devices).

1. The user has to sign into Surface, then go to Store.

2. Once in Store switch to your Microsoft account by opening the Charms and under Settings select 'Your Account". Store will ask you to login or Change user, change the user to your Microsoft account.

3. Now simply find the apps you want to install for your user and install them.

 4. Open the Charms and under Settings select 'Your Account", click sign out, that returns the Store Settings to revert back to the Surface user account. Exit Store.

You don't have to add your credit card to your son's account. You can install free or purchased apps to each account on the same Surface device.

1. The user (your son) has to sign into Surface, go to Store.

2. Once in Store switch to your Microsoft account by opening the Charms and under Settings select 'Your Account". Store will ask you to login or Change user, change the user to your Microsoft account.

3. Now simply find the apps you want to install for your son and install them (and of course pay for them).

 4. Open the Charms and under Settings select 'Your Account", click sign out, that returns the Store Settings to revert back to the Surface user account (your son's). Exit Store.

If you use Family Safety you can add your credit card for his account, I did it for my son. After you can disable the function. This also means your son isn't an admin on the machine.

If there is a way to share apps across all users with one download/install, I haven't found it.

If there are multiple users on a Surface and at least one of them has a Microsoft account, apps for the Microsoft account can be shared with as many as four additional users (five total), but you do have to download/install for each user.

You can install free or purchased apps to each account on the same devices without repurchasing. The user has to sign into Surface, go to Store, once in Store switch to the Microsoft account by opening the Charms and under Settings select 'Your Account". Store will ask you to login, once you do then simply find the apps you have previously paid for and/or installed under the Surface Microsoft account and install the app for that Surface user, then open the Charms and under Settings select 'Your Account", click sign out and that returns the Store Settings to revert back to the Surface user account.

You would repeat this process for each user. Please note that many of the Microsoft apps require you to login with a Microsoft account in order to use them.

Hi!

Apps are specific to each user account, you will need to download them separately for each. This is intended to help differentiate app profiles and make for a more seamless experience. As many apps require log in credentials, or save progress (in the case of gaming apps) or usage profiles (in the case of a map/direction program) shared apps can lead to confusion and inconvenience.