This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable archive apps for your account, specific accounts, or all users in Windows 11.
To save storage space and Internet bandwidth, Microsoft Store apps you do not use frequently will be archived automatically. Your files and other data will be saved. The next time you use an archived app, it will connect to the Internet to restore the full version (if it's still available).
Reference:
ApplicationManagement Policy CSP
Learn more about the ApplicationManagement Area in Policy CSP.
learn.microsoft.com
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off Archive Apps for Current User in Settings
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Archive Apps for Specific User in Registry Editor
- Option Three: Enable or Disable Archive Apps for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Four: Enable or Disable Archive Apps for All Users using REG file
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Apps on the left side, and click/tap on Advanced app settings on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Turn On (default) or Off Archive apps for what you want. (see screenshot below)
4 You can now close Settings if you like.
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
1 Open Windows Terminal, and select Windows PowerShell.
2 Copy and paste the command below into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 3)
Get-WmiObject win32_useraccount | Select name,sid3 Find the SID (ex: "S-1-5-21-2212846312-626644311-134141314-1001") of the account (ex: "Brink") you want to turn on or off archive apps for. (see screenshot below)
You will need to know the SID of the user account to know which key to open at step 6 below.
4 Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
5 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\InstallService\Stubification
6 Under the Stubification key, click/tap on the subkey (ex: "S-1-5-21-1444435275-2663242741-221999885-1001") that is named the same as the SID (ex: "S-1-5-21-2212846312-626644311-134141314-1001") from step 3. (see screenshot below step 5)
The SID subkey (ex: "S-1-5-21-1444435275-2663242741-221999885-1001") will not be there by default unless the setting has already been toggled on or off from Option One.
7 In the right pane of the SID key (ex: "S-1-5-21-2212846312-626644311-134141314-1001") from step 6, double click/tap on the EnableAppOffloading DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot below step 5)
8 Type the number 1 (on - default) or 0 (off) for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
9 You can now close Registry Editor and Windows Terminal if you like.
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Four to configure the same policy.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
2 Navigate to the policy location below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > App Package Deployment
3 In the right pane of App Package Deployment in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Archive infrequently used apps policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (force enable), step 6 (disable), or step 7 (default) below for what you want.
5 Force Enable Archive Apps for All Users
This will override and prevent using Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below.
6 Disable App Archive Apps for All Users
This will override and prevent using Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Disabled. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below.
7 Default User-Choice Archive Apps
This is the default setting to allow using Option One and Option Two.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below.
8 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
1 Do step 2 (force enable), step 3 (disable), or step 4 (disable) below for what you want.
2. Force Enable Archive Apps for All Users
This will override and prevent using Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Force_enable_archive_apps_for_all_users.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx]
"AllowAutomaticAppArchiving"=dword:00000001 3. Disable Archive Apps for All Users
This will override and prevent using Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Disable_archive_apps_for_all_users.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx]
"AllowAutomaticAppArchiving"=dword:00000000 4. Default User-Choice Archive Apps
This is the default setting to allow using Option One and Option Two.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Default_user-choice_archive_apps.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx]
"AllowAutomaticAppArchiving"=-5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
6 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
7 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
8 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
9 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
