With Windows 8, Microsoft launched the store to download and install applications for Windows, which work a bit like smartphone apps, integrating into the system. Although initially the apps of Windows 8 and 8.1 were not very successful, with Windows 10 Microsoft made several changes to its Store, made the apps viewable in windows as are the programs (while in Windows 8 initially they were only full screen ) and, above all, launched the Centennial App project, allowing developers to convert traditional PC programs into apps, thus becoming lighter and faster in execution.
This is slowly bringing a growth of apps to the store with super-well-known names like Spotify, Irfaview, Instagram, Kodi, F.Lux and others.
The Windows 10 apps are not only optimized and faster, but are also installable on Windows tablets and smartphones and are safer also because they are run inside a sandbox (isolated from the system).
The only problem with Windows 10 apps is that it is not known where they are installed on the PC disk, that is where the folder with the installation files is located which, in some cases, could be useful for changing internal configurations, especially relatively to desktop programs converted to apps.
The installed apps, in fact, are not like the traditional Windows desktop programs that save the files in their specific folder in C: / Program Files .
READ ALSO: Best applications for Windows 10 and 8.1 to download for free from the Microsoft Store
Even if they are hidden from view, the installation files of the apps installed from the Microsoft store can be discovered and navigated even if a configuration of the permissions is required.
First of all, then, open File Explorer in Windows 10 and go to C: \ Program Files (or C: / Programs )
Scrolling down you will not find any App folder, because this is hidden.
To view it, press at the top on the View menu and activate the Hidden Elements option.
With this option activated, in the Programs folder you will find the WindowsApps folder, which is that of the apps, but which cannot be opened.
Trying to double click to view the files contained in it, the access denied warning will appear even if you are an administrator.
To access the folder, right click on WindowsApps, then select Properties from the list of options, click on the Security tab and then press the Advanced button.
In the window that opens, press at the top on the Change link to change the owner who, by default, is TrustedInstaller .
Press YES in the security warning and then, in the user selection window, press first on the Advanced button and then on the Find button.
At the bottom, in the user list, locate the user with our name, select him and press OK twice.
When you return to the configuration of the folder's security permissions, before pressing Apply and OK, note the change of the owner at the top and put the selection in the " Change owner for subcontainers and objects " option.
After doing all this, click on the "Ok" button to save the changes and wait for the change of permissions to be loaded.
Once the file and folder permissions have been changed, you can open the Windows Apps folder and find the folders of each installed app.
Although the names of the caries folders seem confusing, they still contain the name of the application and are easily recognizable.
If you want more information on changing permissions, refer to the guide to change the owner of folders in Windows (also TrustedInstaller).
NOTE: If you want to view a folder that contains all the apps installed in Windows 10 you can do it this way.
Right click on the empty desktop and go to New -> Shortcut .
Enter Explorer Shell: AppsFolder as path and choose one as name.
The folder will eventually open the list of installed apps.
