What's the best app in the Microsoft Store? Microsoft wants to know!

What you need to know

• Nominations for the 2024 Microsoft Store App Awards opened recently.
• Microsoft has asked people to nominate apps regardless of if you're a developer or just a fan.
• Nominations will remain open until September 15, 2024 and then winners will be announced in October.
• To qualify, apps must be in the Microsoft Store and not owned by Microsoft employees.

Microsoft is on the hunt for the best apps in the Microsoft Store. The tech giant opened nominations for its 2024 Microsoft Store App Awards recently, and the nomination window will remain open until Sunday, September 15, 2024. After reviewing the entries, Microsoft will then announce winners in October.

The tech giant encouraged everyone to get involved in the nomination process, including developers who want to nominate their own apps.

"Whether you’re a developer or a fan of a fantastic app, we invite you to submit your nomination," said Microsoft . "If you don’t have your app on Microsoft Store yet, it’s not too late! Publish your app by Sept. 15, 2024, and participate in the awards to compete for incredible prizes, like Surface Pro Limited Edition Copilot+ PCs."

You can nominate an app through a Microsoft Form shared by the tech giant.

Microsoft outlined the requirements for entry and what winners will receive in a blog post :

"Evaluation criteria: Apps will be judged on User Experience, Innovation, Uniqueness, and Integration with the latest hardware and technologies.

Eligibility: To qualify, apps must be publicly listed in the Microsoft Store and cannot be owned by Microsoft employees.

Open nominations: We encourage everyone to participate in the nomination process. Whether you’re a developer, or a fan of a fantastic app, your voice matters. It’s an opportunity open for all to shine and be recognized for their contributions to the Windows ecosystem. Our editors will also bring in some hidden gems they discover to the process.

Rising Star recognition: We’re introducing a special category for new developers who publish their app during the awards nomination period. Don’t forget to fill in the nomination form after publishing your app to participate.

Exciting rewards for winners: In addition to the prestige of being recognized as a leader in Windows PC app development, winners will receive extraordinary rewards. We will be giving away Surface Pro Limited Edition Copilot+ PCs to our winners, providing them with the latest in cutting-edge technology to continue their development journey. Winners will also receive an exclusive badge on their product page for one year and likely be featured on the Microsoft Store homepage."

Last year , Mozilla Firefox won the Productivity category and WhatsApp won the award for the best integration with Windows. But it wasn't just large companies that received recognition. Ava Accessibility won a Special Recognition Award for its efforts to help individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

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