Resolve submission errors for MSIX app

If you encounter errors after submitting your app to the Store, you must resolve them in order to continue the certification process. The error message will indicate what the problem is and what you might need to do in order to fix the issue. Here is some additional info that can help you resolve these errors.

UWP apps

If you are submitting a UWP app, you may see an error during preprocessing if your package file is not a .msixupload or .appxupload file generated by Visual Studio for the Store. Be sure that you follow the steps in Package a UWP app with Visual Studio when creating your app's package file, and only upload the .msixupload or .appxupload file on the Packages page of the submission, not a .msix/appx or .msixbundle/appxbundle.

If a compilation error is displayed, make sure that you are able to build your application in Release mode successfully. For more info, see .NET Native Internal Compiler Errors.

Desktop application

If you plan to submit a package that contains both Win32 and UWP binaries, make sure that you create that package by using the Windows Packaging Project that is available in Visual Studio 2017 Update 4 and later versions. If you create the package by using a UWP project template, you might not be able to submit that package to the Store or sideload it onto other PCs. Even if the package publishes successfully, it might behave in unexpected ways on the user's PC. For more info, see Package an app by using Visual Studio (Desktop Bridge).

Name/identity errors

If you see an error that says The name found in the package is not one of your reserved app names. Please reserve the app name and/or update your package with the correct app name for this language, it may be because you’ve entered an incorrect name in your package. This error can also occur if you are using an app name that you haven’t reserved in Partner Center. You can usually resolve this error by following these steps:

• Go to the Product identity page for your app (under Product management) to confirm whether your app has an assigned Identity. If it doesn’t, you’ll see an option to create one. You’ll need to reserve a name for your app in order to create the Identity. Make sure this is the name you’ve used in your package.
• If your app already has an identity, you might still need to reserve the name that you want to use in your package. Under Product management, click Manage app name reservations. Enter the name you’d like to use, and click Reserve app name.

Avoid common certification failures

Review this list to help avoid issues that frequently prevent apps from getting certified, or that might be identified during a spot check after the app is published.

• Submit your app only when it's finished. You're welcome to use your app's description to mention upcoming features, but make sure that your app doesn't contain incomplete sections, links to web pages that are under construction, or anything else that would give a customer the impression that your app is incomplete.

• Test your app with the Windows App Certification Kit before you submit your app.

• Test your app on several different configurations to ensure that it's as stable as possible.

• Ensure that your app doesn't crash without network connectivity. Even if a connection is required to actually use your app, it needs to perform appropriately when no connection is present.

• Provide any necessary info required to use your app, such as the user name and password for a test account if your app requires users to log in to a service, or any steps required to access hidden or locked features.

• Include a privacy policy URL if your app requires one; for example, if your app accesses any kind of personal information in any way or is otherwise required by law. To help determine if your app requires a privacy policy, review the App Developer Agreement and the Microsoft Store Policies.

• Make sure that your app's description clearly represents what your app does.

• Provide complete and accurate responses to all of the questions in the Age ratings section.

• Don't declare your app as accessible unless you have specifically engineered and tested it for accessibility scenarios.

• If your app uses the commerce APIs from the Windows.ApplicationModel.Store namespace, make sure to test the app and verify that it handles typical exceptions. Also, make sure that your app uses the CurrentApp class and not the CurrentAppSimulator class, which is for testing purposes only. (Note that if your app targets Windows 10, version 1607 or later, we recommend that you use members of the Windows.Services.Store namespace instead of the Windows.ApplicationModel.Store namespace.)

Frequently asked questions

1. What should I do if my app fails certification or is removed from the Store?

   If your app fails certification, Microsoft will provide a certification report explaining why it failed—whether due to a technical issue or policy violation.

   To address the failure:

   1. Review the Microsoft Store Policies to understand the issue.
   2. Fix the problem (e.g., remove prohibited content, correct metadata).
   3. Submit an updated version for certification.

   If your app was removed from the Store after being published, it may be due to a severe issue (e.g., security vulnerabilities or policy violations). In such cases:

   • Check Partner Center and your email for communication from Microsoft.
   • Address the stated issue.
   • Submit a corrected update for review.

   For clarification or help, contact Microsoft at reportapp@microsoft.com with your app ID or respond to the certification report email directly.

2. How can I improve my app’s chances of passing certification on the first try?

   Here are Microsoft’s best practices to help your app pass certification smoothly:

   • Submit only when ready: Ensure your app is complete and free of placeholders or broken features.
   • Use Windows App Certification Kit (WACK): Run this tool locally to pre-test for issues Microsoft will check.
   • Test across environments: Validate your app on different devices, OS versions, and conditions (including offline).
   • Handle offline scenarios: Don’t let your app crash without internet—display proper error messages.
   • Provide test info: Share credentials or instructions in the “Notes for certification” if your app has locked features or requires sign-in.
   • Include a privacy policy: If your app accesses personal data or services, include a privacy policy URL and display it in the app.
   • Write clear Store listings: Make sure descriptions truthfully represent the app to avoid rejections for being misleading.
   • Answer age rating questionnaire carefully: Be truthful to avoid generating incorrect ratings.
   • Accessibility claims: Only mark your app as accessible if it genuinely meets accessibility standards.

   Finally, always check the latest Microsoft Store Policies to ensure compliance with technical and content guidelines.