How to Pre-Fetch a Large App From Microsoft Store on Windows 11

Quick fix: Microsoft Store doesn’t officially support pre-fetching apps. To download a large app efficiently: ensure PC is on Wi-Fi (not metered). Open the Store → pick app → Get. Download starts. To pause and resume: Library → pending downloads. To download faster: ensure Delivery Optimization is on (Settings → Windows Update → Advanced → Delivery Optimization → PCs on local network).

Large Store apps like Microsoft Flight Simulator (150GB+), Forza Horizon (100GB+) take hours. You want to start download before bed, before traveling. The Store doesn’t schedule pre-fetch the way Steam does, but you can optimize download speed and use the built-in pause/resume.

What causes this need

Some Store apps (especially games) are huge. Downloading at peak Internet usage hours is slow. Pre-fetching during off-hours saves time. The Store doesn’t natively schedule downloads, but you can manage them effectively with pause/resume and Delivery Optimization.

Method 1: Start download immediately, manage pause/resume

The standard route.

1. Open Microsoft Store. Find the app.
2. Click Get or Install.
3. Download starts. Progress visible.
4. To pause: Library → pending downloads → click the app → pause icon.
5. To resume: same screen → play icon.
6. Download survives reboots. Resumes from where it stopped.
7. For schedules: use Windows’s Active Hours instead. Set hours when updates pause. During off-hours, downloads run faster.
8. For large downloads (50GB+): ensure adequate disk space first. Settings → System → Storage to confirm.
9. For pause-and-resume across reboots: works automatically. Microsoft Store handles persistence.

This is the standard usage.

Method 2: Use Delivery Optimization to speed up

For faster downloads.

1. Delivery Optimization (DO) uses peer-to-peer for Windows Update and Store apps. PCs on your local network share content.
2. Open Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Delivery Optimization.
3. Toggle Allow downloads from other PCs to On.
4. Pick: PCs on my local network (recommended for home) or PCs on my local network, and PCs on the Internet (Internet sharing).
5. Click Advanced options. Set bandwidth caps:
   • Absolute bandwidth: limit Mbps during foreground/background.
   • Percentage: limit % of measured connection.
6. For 1 Gbps fiber: leave unlimited.
7. For limited bandwidth: cap background to 50% to allow other usage.
8. Bandwidth limits help: Storage Sense, Windows Update, and Store app downloads all use DO.

This is the speed optimization.

Method 3: Pre-fetch via winget for command-line workflows

For advanced users or scripting.

1. winget (Windows Package Manager) supports Store app downloads with explicit control.
2. Search for app: winget search "App Name". Gets the package ID.
3. Install with bandwidth control via winget. Note: winget downloads, then runs installer. For Store apps, that’s seamless.
4. Schedule via Task Scheduler:

   schtasks /create /sc once /st 03:00 /tn "Pre-fetch FlightSim" /tr "winget install -e --id Microsoft.FlightSimulator"

   Runs winget install at 3 AM.

5. For one-off: winget install Microsoft.FlightSimulator in PowerShell.
6. Some apps may not be available via winget. Use Store directly for those.
7. For multi-PC mass download: WSUS Offline Update, MDT for image distribution.
8. For corporate: SCCM distributes apps. Native option.

This is for scripted prefetching.

How to verify the fix worked

• Library → pending downloads shows progress.
• Disk space decreases as download proceeds.
• After complete: app listed in Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
• Bandwidth usage visible in Task Manager → Performance → Ethernet / Wi-Fi.

If none of these work

If download stalls: Microsoft Store glitch: pause and resume. Or restart Store: Settings → Apps → Microsoft Store → Advanced options → Repair / Reset. Disk space issue: ensure enough space + 10% overhead. Network issue: check connection. Try different Wi-Fi network. For metered connection: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → pick network → toggle Metered connection off. Store may pause on metered. For wsreset: clear Store cache. wsreset.exe in Run dialog. For Delivery Optimization conflicts: if behind corporate proxy, disable DO. For corporate-managed PCs: bandwidth throttled by BITS / DO policy. Contact IT. For Xbox / Game Pass: same DO settings apply.

Bottom line: Store doesn’t schedule pre-fetch natively. Start download immediately, pause if needed. Enable Delivery Optimization for speed. Use winget + Task Scheduler for scripted pre-fetch.