This detailed view of how to register for a Windows Store developer account will help you make the right choices as you set up your account.
Before you begin—a word about character sets
Due to international commerce and developer authentication requirements, certain fields in the developer account sign-up forms might not support characters in your native language character set. Some of the values in these forms can only be entered in alphanumeric characters included in the Western European alphabet.
The following values in the developer account signup forms need to be inputted as Western European alphanumeric characters:
- Developer Account Info: postal code, phone number, email address
- Payment: credit card number, name on card, card verification code, postal code (billing address), phone number (billing address)
- Payout Account: All values entered into this form need to be entered into Western alphanumeric characters only
- Tax Profile: All values entered into this form need to be entered into Western alphanumeric characters only.
Account type
There are two types of Windows Store accounts: company accounts and individual accounts. See Choosing the right account type to learn more about selecting the right type of developer account for you.
Note Whether you create an account for a company or an individual, you can associate only one Microsoft account with the developer account. To learn more about which Microsoft account to use when you create the account, see Picking a Microsoft account for the Windows Store.
Account info
When you enter and review your account info, you have two sets of options. These are determined by whether you already have a Windows Store developer account connected to the Microsoft account that you used to sign in.
If you already have a Microsoft Developer Services account
If you signed in with a Microsoft account that is already associated with another Microsoft Developer Services account, you will see your account info from that account.
From this page you have two options:
Link the accounts
If you select this option, your Windows Store developer account will be linked to your other developer account and both accounts will use the same publisher display name. This means that changes you make to the account info in one account will be copied to the other.
To learn more about which Microsoft account to use when you create the account, see Picking a Microsoft account for the Windows Store.
Start over
If you change your mind and want to keep your Windows Store developer account separate from the other account that uses this Microsoft account, you must sign out and start the registration process again. When you start over, sign in with the Microsoft account that you want to associate with your Windows Store developer account.
To learn more about which Microsoft account to use when you create the account, see Picking a Microsoft account for the Windows Store.
If you are creating a new Windows Store developer account
If you are creating a new Windows Store developer account, enter your contact info so we can send you messages about your account. We use this info only to contact you about account-related matters. For example, the first message you will receive is the confirmation message after you complete your registration. After that, we'll send messages when we pay you or if you need to fix something with your account.
Most of the info you enter on this form is self-explanatory, but there are some fields that might not be clear.
Website
Enter the website that you want to associate with your developer account. Customers won't see what you enter in this field unless you enter the same info on the description page of an app.
Publisher display name
The publisher display name is the name under which your apps will be listed in the Store. Customers will see this name when they are shopping for apps.
The publisher display name must be unique and if your account is being verified, you can't change it until your account verification is complete.
Note If you can't reserve the publisher display name that you used in another Microsoft Developer Services account, read about what to do in Picking a Microsoft account for the Windows Store. You might need to restart your registration.
Tip Pick your publisher display name carefully because it will become your brand in the store. Your customers will come to know your apps by this name, so pick a name that represents your identity and your products.
Warning
Make sure that the publisher display name you pick doesn't belong to someone else. If someone else has trademarked or copyrighted the name you picked, your account could be closed.
See your App Developer Agreement for more info.
Developer account info
The developer account info describes the developer contact for the account. Enter the info of the individual who will receive notifications about the account, whether the account is for an individual or a company.
Company account info
For company accounts, you need to provide additional info that we don't need for individual accounts.
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VAT ID
If your company has a Value Added Tax (VAT) ID, enter it in this field.
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Approver
Microsoft verifies company accounts by contacting the company official named in the Approver info section of the Account info page.
Accurate and valid Approver info helps eliminate delays in the approval process.
Agreement
Accept the App Developer Agreement to continue with your registration.
Purchase
If you have a registration code, you enter it here.
Payment
Enter the info about your payment account. We need you provide this info even if you are part of a program that waives your developer account sign up fee.
Note You cannot use prepaid credit cards to pay for your developer account, because we use your payment method to help confirm your identity.
Confirmation
Review your order and click Purchase to confirm your account registration and charge the purchase to your payment account.
Verifying your payment instrument
After you click Purchase, we still need to verify your account. During this process, you'll still be able to reserve names, access your dashboard, and build your app. You won't, however, be able to submit your app until the verification process is complete.
Thank you
When you click Continue, you go to your Dashboard. From the Dashboard, you can begin to add your first app to the store.
Build date: 3/19/2013
