Windows 10: Microsoft Store has a third-party Google Photos app that reportedly shows ad

A developer has published an app in the Microsoft Store that disguises itself on devices as an official Google Photos app solution. An app titled Album By Google landed in the Microsoft Store and the publisher is listed as Google LLC.

It’s most likely to be a fake app because Google’s official Microsoft Store account is Google Inc and not Google LLC. When we checked the Microsoft Store, we noticed the apps that Google released over the years has Google Inc. account name and not Google LLC which confirms our speculation.

It’s also worth noting that the app was published in the Store in May and Google has not announced the application on any official social media channel.

How did it even get passed? Is the app certification process dead? "LLC Google" isn't an official publisher. Please @MicrosoftStore, remove this stupid thing now! https://t.co/1yLaONTXN9 pic.twitter.com/WaBxvOZNcy

— Aggiornamenti Lumia (@ALumia_Italia) October 12, 2018
​

After installing the app, you will be greeted with a Google login screen. The users are claiming that the app shows ad but you can click on the X in the upper right corner to disable ads.

The review section of the app has revealed that many users have come across malicious advertisements.



“This is a FAKE application and not by Google. As many have pointed out, it presents a suspicious message and is likely malware. This should be immediately removed from the market place,” a user writes in the review section of the app. “My paid Anti-malware solution detected several attempts to download malware by this app. Watch out,” another user explains.



We installed the app on a test machine and dug into the folder of the app and found a program called Block Craft 3D which has nothing to do with Google Photos. Interestingly, we also found a photo named thankyou.jpg inside the folder that encourages users to click on advertisements.

Fake apps in the Play Store are a big problem as there many developers that create listings designed to look exactly like popular apps and somehow they always trick Google’s certification system and start bombarding users with ads and malware.

Microsoft Store, on the other hand, has a better certification system to ensure fake apps are away from the marketplace but there are few cases where third-party developer managed to sneak in with fake apps.

The post Microsoft Store has a third-party Google Photos app that reportedly shows ad appeared first on Windows Latest

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microsoft app store

How to run apps that are downloaded from Microsoft app store on multiple PCs without downloading multiple times.

 

store and photos app isnt showing proper icons

Hello Aditya,

As you are facing issues with accessing Photos app on your device with icons not displayed properly, we will help you with this issue.

Try the below troubleshooting steps and check if it helps.

Step 1: I suggest you to check if there is any update for Photos app from Windows Store. If found, try to update the app and check if it helps.

Open Windows Store, search for Photos app, check if you are able to find Update option.

Step 2: I suggest you to run the
Windows Store Apps troubleshooter as it troubleshoots problems that may prevent Windows Store Apps from working correctly.

Run the troubleshooter for Windows apps

Step 3: I recommend you to install all the pending updates on your device and check if it helps.

Steps:

• Connect to the internet.
• Press Windows key and type updates.
• Click on Check for updates.
• Under Windows Updates, click on Check for updates.
• Try to install the updates being shown.

Hope it helps. Try the above and update us the status of this issue. We will be happy to help you further.

Thank you.

 

WINDOWS 10 MICROSOFT PHOTO APP

Hello,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

The Photos app brings together pictures from all your devices using OneDrive, so that you can browse them by date, album or folder. It also automatically enhances photos, and creates albums for you, to showcase your best shots.

I suggest you to follow the methods below and check if it helps:

Method 1:

I suggest you to change the Default apps in the setting app and verify the result. You may follow the steps in the below:

• Go to settings and system.
  
• Click on Default Apps and select the appropriately.
  

Method 2:

I suggest you to reinstall Photo app using the PowerShell command
and reinstall using the Windows store. Follow the below steps.

• Open the　Start　menu, type　Windows PowerShell　in the search bar.
  
• Right click on the　Windows　PowerShell　and select　Run as　administrator.
  
• Enter the below command to uninstall the Photo app.
  

• 　　get-appxpackage　　*Microsoft.Windows.Photos* | remove-appxpackage
  

More reference:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-10/photos

Hope this helps. If the issue remains unresolved, please get back to us and we would be happy to help.

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