Windows 8 install app for multiple user accounts

windows 8

I purchased Adera episode 2 intending to play through it with my son. We each have our own user account on the same PC. When my son logged in, he was prompted to purchase the app which I had already purchased, installed, and played on the same PC.

So I checked the Terms of Use. After selecting an app in the store, there is a Terms of Use link on the left side under the Install button. It is almost impossible to identify it as a link unless you put your mouse over it. The Terms of Use are standard across all apps in the store, not specific to particular apps.

The terms of use indicates that the app may be installed on up to five devices, but says nothing about multiple user accounts on those devices. However, this Microsoft blog article indicates that it is allowed.

Say, for example, that your family has a shared PC. You have
previously used your Microsoft account to purchase a game that all
your kids like to play. You can install it for each of your kids by
having each of them sign in to their Windows accounts on the shared
PC, then launch the Store and sign in to the Store using your own
Microsoft account. There, you’ll see all your apps and you can
re-install the app on your kid’s Windows account. Installing apps on
multiple user accounts on a shared PC still only counts as one of the
five allowable PCs where you can install apps.

So I have two questions:

  1. Is it permissible under the Terms of Use to install the app under multiple accounts on the same device?
  2. If so, how do I do so given that my son has already signed into the store using his own Microsoft account.

Best Answer

It turns out Adera uses an XBox in game purchase rather than the Windows 8 Store in game purchase which is a further problem. However it is possible to install an app purchased in the Windows 8 store on multiple accounts on the same computer.

  1. Purchase the app from the Windows 8 store on the primary windows account.
  2. Install the app on the primary windows account.
  3. Switch users to the secondary windows account.
  4. Launch the store
  5. Move your mouse to the top or bottom right corner of the screen bringing up a menu on the right side.
  6. Select "Settings" from the menu
  7. Select "Your account" from the settings menu
  8. Hit the "Sign out" button
  9. Hit the "Sign in" button
  10. Authenticate with the Microsoft account which made the purchase in step 1
  11. Hit the back button
  12. Find the app in the store. The button under the price should now say "Install" instead of "Buy"
  13. Hit the "Install" button
  14. You may be prompted for the Microsoft account password again

Once complete, I suggest signing out of Windows 8 store under the secondary windows account. If you have multiple secondary accounts, you must complete steps 3-14 for each account.

Thanks, Microsoft! This is clearly a superior process to the old process of a single install for all users on a system.

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