Feature: Optional Telemetry Event for Microsoft Store Catalog Installs (msstore Source)

[shmuelie]

Summary

When WinGet installs an application from the Microsoft Store catalog (msstore source), emit a telemetry event that can be consumed by Microsoft Store analytics systems for install attribution.

The event should be emitted only for successful installations originating from the msstore source and should follow all existing WinGet telemetry consent and privacy requirements.

Problem Statement

Microsoft Store analytics can observe Store catalog apps on devices, but it is difficult to reliably distinguish applications installed through WinGet-based flows from those installed through Store surfaces.

A lightweight install-time signal from WinGet would provide a more direct attribution mechanism for Microsoft Store catalog installs while minimizing data collection and preserving existing WinGet privacy controls.

Goals

• Emit a telemetry event when WinGet successfully installs a package from the msstore source.
• Enable attribution of Microsoft Store catalog installs.
• Support both packaged and unpackaged Microsoft Store catalog apps.
• Support installs initiated through WinGet CLI and management solutions that rely on WinGet, including Intune.

Non-Goals

The following are explicitly out of scope:

• Tracking installs from Community, REST, private REST, or other non-Store sources.
• Tracking upgrades, repairs, or uninstall operations.
• Collecting application usage, launch activity, or behavioral data.
• Collecting command-line arguments.
• Collecting executable paths.
• Collecting usernames or other personally identifiable information (PII).
• Collecting data unrelated to Store install attribution.

Proposed Event Payload

The emitted event should contain only the minimum information required for attribution.

Suggested Fields

Field	Purpose
Store catalog join key (Product ID and/or PFN)	Attribute install to a Store catalog item
Source	Identifies the install source as msstore
Package type indicator	Distinguish packaged (MSIX/UWP) from unpackaged (Win32/Spark)
Install initiator category	High-level caller classification when available

Privacy Requirements

The event must:

• Respect Windows diagnostic data settings.
• Respect existing WinGet telemetry opt-out controls.
• Avoid recording executable paths.
• Avoid recording usernames.
• Avoid recording command-line arguments.
• Avoid collecting identifiers that are not required for Store install attribution.
• Prefer coarse-grained initiator categories (for example: WingetCLI, Intune, Other, Unknown) instead of raw caller metadata.

Trigger Conditions

Emit When

• Installation succeeds.
• Source is msstore.

Do Not Emit When

• Installing from the Community repository.
• Installing from private REST sources.
• Performing package discovery or search.
• Processing upgrade-only operations.
• Processing uninstall operations.