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We normally use the Windows Store application on our Windows 8 computers to updates our Windows Store apps. But there may be times when you may want to update the apps and your system does not have an Internet connection. It is for scenarios like these that Microsoft has rolled out a collection of downloadable updates for the Windows Store Apps and they are now available on the Windows Update Catalog.
The Microsoft Update Catalog is a service from Microsoft that provides a listing of software updates that can be distributed over a corporate network. Using the Microsoft Update Catalog can prove to be a one-stop location for finding Microsoft software updates, drivers, and hotfixes.
Update Windows Store Apps offline without Internet connection
The idea behind making available these downloads is not to bypass the standard route (Windows Store), but offer an alternative for those machines that fail to connect to the Windows Store, while trying to update the Windows Store applications.
This can only help you update apps already installed on the system and not install the apps anew. These updates can be distributed via System Center, WSUS and third-party equivalents, or slipstreamed into the operating system image used by your organization.
Windows Store Apps distributed with Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 editions, by default are available. Third party Windows Store Apps cannot be updated via this process. The developers can however make available the package that can then be side-loaded similar to the line of business apps.
Microsoft recommends users installing the app updates to users as part of their post operating system deployment updates via WSUS. If a users for some reasons, need an automated process, he can extract each of the .cab files to its respective MSI. Then, script the installation or deploy using traditional application deployment technologies.
The packages listed below in the chart will be available to users for installing via WSUS and the Windows Update Catalog and can be downloaded in languages supported by the Windows Store. Some editions such as Windows RT and Windows 8.1 RT would however not support the packages. These packages are not available at Windows Update.
It is important to note that the packages cannot use dism.exe to install the updates offline. They must be installed via the .MSI installer to a running operating system, says KB2971128.
How to download Windows Updates manually in Windows 8 may also interest you. Also see how to update Windows 10 offline.
