I published a Windows desktop AI assistant to the Microsoft Store as a solo developer. It took two submissions, one rejection and a handful of undocumented surprises.
This is the list I wish I had found before I started.
Why the Store at all
I had a working NSIS installer and a payment flow running through an external provider. The Store was not obviously worth the trouble. Two things changed my mind.
Microsoft signs the package for you. Without the Store, a Windows SmartScreen warning greets every single user on first launch, and the only way around it is a paid code signing certificate. For a solo developer shipping a privacy-focused product, telling users to click through a security warning is a bad first impression.
