Microsoft removes Google Chrome installer from Windows Store for violating Microsoft Store policies

In order to combat the appearance of fake Chrome browsers on the Microsoft Store, Google just published a Google Chrome Installer app on the app store that basically redirected users to a download link to install the browser. Microsoft is having none of this and has taken down the app saying it violates their app store’s policies. According to a Microsoft spokesperson, they want apps to “provide unique and distinct value” and Google is welcome to do so as long as they “build a Microsoft Store browser app compliant with our Microsoft Store policies.”

This might be something Google won’t be interested in as The Verge points out. One of the big reasons is most likely related to restrictions on Windows 10 S that requires apps to use HTML and JavaScript engines that are provided by Windows 10. Google already has its own Blink rendering engine called Blink and it’s highly doubtful they’ll create a special app just to adhere to Microsoft’s Store policies. Google also can’t package its current desktop app into a Centennial Windows Store app either as Microsoft wants these apps to use Edge rendering engine. So, for now and possibly what you’ve already been doing, if you want Chrome on your Windows machine, you’ll need to launch that right from Edge browser first.