Alternatives to Windows APIs in Windows Store apps

Learn which features of the Windows API can be used in a Windows Store app and which APIs to use as alternatives for those that cannot.

App installation

None of the existing app installation APIs are supported in a Windows Store app. Here's some alternatives to the app installation APIs:

• App packages
• Packaging and deployment API
• Windows.ApplicationModel.Package class
• Windows.Management.Deployment namespace

Devices

A subset of the device APIs is supported in a Windows Store app. For more info, see Win32 and COM for Windows Store apps (devices).

Here's some alternatives to device APIs that can't be used in a Windows Store app.

Graphics

Subsets of these graphics APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Store app:

• Direct2D
• Direct3D 11
• DirectWrite
• DirectXMath
• DXGI
• WIC

For more info, see Win32 and COM for Windows Store apps (graphics).

When designing a Windows Store app, you'll likely want to use HTML5 or XAML to display graphics. For more info, see:

• Displaying graphics (XAML)
• Using graphics with canvas, SVG, and CSS3 (HTML)

Multimedia

Subsets of these multimedia APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Store app:

• Core audio
• Media Playback
• Media Foundation
• Windows Audio Session API (WASAPI)

For more info, see Win32 and COM for Windows Store apps (multimedia).

When designing a Windows Store app, you'll likely use HTML5 or XAML to integrate media. For more info, see:

• How to play a local media file using HTML5
• Quickstart: video and audio (XAML)

Networking

Subsets of these networking APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Store app:

• DHCP app
• Mobile Broadband
• RPC
• Windows Web Services

For more info, see Win32 and COM for Windows Store apps (networking).

Here's some alternatives to networking APIs that can't be used in a Windows Store app.

Printing and documents

A subset of the printing and documents APIs is supported in a Windows Store app. For more info, see Win32 and COM for Windows Store apps (printing and documents).

When designing a Windows Store app, you'll want to provide the best printing experience:

• Printing (JavaScript)
• Printing (XAML)

Security

None of the existing security APIs are supported in a Windows Store app. Here's some alternatives to the security APIs:

Windows.Security.Credentials

Windows.Security.Credentials.UI

Windows.Security.Cryptography

Windows.Security.Cryptography.Certificates

Windows.Security.Cryptography.Core

Windows.Security.Cryptography.DataProtection

Storage

Subsets of these storage APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Store app:

• Directory create, delete, and enumerate
• File mapping

For more info, see Win32 and COM for Windows Store apps (data).

Here's some alternatives to storage APIs that can't be used in a Windows Store app.

System

Subsets of these system APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Store app:

• Heap API, thread local storage (TLS)
• Last error
• Synchronization

For more info, see Win32 and COM for Windows Store apps (system).

Here's some alternatives to system APIs that can't be used in a Windows Store app.

User interface

Subsets of these user interface APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Store app:

• National Language Support (NLS)
• Strsafe functions
• Text Services Framework (TSF)
• UI automation
• Windows Animation Manager

For more info, see Win32 and COM for Windows Store apps (user interface).

Here's some alternatives to user interface APIs that can't be used in a Windows Store app.

Related topics

API reference for Windows Store apps

Build date: 11/22/2012