Get apps from Marketplace
You'll find apps and games by the thousands in Marketplace, Microsoft's virtual entertainment store for your phone. Many apps are totally free, others let you try before you buy.
You can shop Marketplace from your phone or via the Windows Phone Store on the web—even from your Mac or iPad. Want more than apps? See Get music, videos, and podcasts from Marketplace.
Apps on the phone
To shop from your phone
This is the most convenient way to shop Marketplace—right on your phone (where you'll also find music and podcasts). But if you get tired of flicking and want to see more apps at a glance, try the web Store instead.
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On Start, tap Marketplace
. If prompted, sign in with a Windows Live ID. -
Tap Apps or Games.
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Flick left or right to see top, new, or featured items, or browse categories. When you find an app or game you want, tap it.
Tip
After tapping on a specific app, flick left or right to see customer reviews, screenshots, and related apps. Tap More
> Share to send someone a link to the app. -
If an app or game is free, tap Install (you might be prompted twice) to download it.
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Otherwise:
- Tap Buy to pay for the app (you'll be prompted twice).
- Tap Try to download a free trial version (if available).
Note
By default, apps are added to your phone bill (when available). To pay with a credit card instead, tap Change payment method on the purchase confirmation screen.
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It might take several minutes for an app to finish downloading. Look for new apps in the App list (on Start, flick left). New games show up in the Games Hub (on Start, tap Games).
Tips
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Looking for a specific app or game? On Start,
tap Marketplace , then tap Search
.
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If you see a number on the Marketplace Tile on Start, it means
there are updates available for some of your apps. On Start, tap
Marketplace , then tap Updates at the bottom of
the screen.
- Don't be surprised if you start seeing apps show up in more places than just the App list and Games Hub. In Windows Phone 7.5, apps might also appear in the Pictures Hub, Music+Videos Hub, and in Bing search results—thanks to the handy App Connect feature.
To shop using your web browser
Don't have your phone handy? You can shop for apps from just about any web browser—including Safari on your Mac or iPad. One plus of this option is that a browser can show you more apps at a glance than your phone's smaller screen. Any apps or games you buy from the web Store can be installed right away, without connecting your phone to your computer.
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Open a web browser and go to www.windowsphone.com.
Navigate to the My Phone dropdown menu, located in the upper-right corner of the screen, then sign in with the same Windows Live ID you've used on your phone.
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Click Apps+Games.
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Browse spotlighted, top free, new+rising, or top paid apps and games, or click Apps or Games and browse a category, or browse by featured, top free, new+rising, or top paid. You can also search for an app or game by name or keyword. When you find an app or game you want, click it.
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If an app or game is free, click Install.
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Otherwise:
- Click Buy to purchase the app.
- Click Try to download a free trial version (if available).
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If prompted, choose an app delivery method, then follow the steps to complete your purchase. You'll find new apps in the App list (on Start, flick left) and new games in the Games Hub (on Start, tap Games).
Tip
To have apps or games you buy in the web Store automatically installed on your phone, on Start, flick to the App list, tap Settings, tap Find My Phone, and select Connect to these features faster (may use more battery). See Download apps and games FAQ to learn more.
Notes
- To download apps, you'll need Windows Phone 7.5. If you're not sure which software version is currently installed on your phone or how to install an update, visit Update central.
- Some apps won't work if your phone has 256 MB of RAM. To find out how much memory your phone has, on Start, flick left, tap Settings, and then tap About.
- Marketplace may not be available in your country or region.
