December 2022 quality update brings functionalities of new Quick Assist app to its original version

Here’s good news for ITs who were infuriated by Microsoft’s May 2022 decision to make Quick Assist an app in its Store: you can now stick to the old built-in version of the app.

Quick Assist is an incredibly helpful Microsoft Windows feature allowing a user to remotely view or control a Windows computer over a network. However, the software giant’s recent move to make it an app for the Microsoft Store and abandon the old built-in version was terrible news to the IT community as it meant inconvenience. IT professionals aired their disappointment with the decision, citing concerns regarding local admin permission requirements during installations and inconvenient per-user installation. In May, Microsoft explained that it was pushed to resort to such actions due to the need for faster security updates push and the “underlying functionality” of Quick Assist. It also stressed that “sometime in mid-May the old version will no longer be usable.” However, these things should no longer be a concern after Microsoft announced the December 2022 quality update.

In its latest blog post on its Tech Community page, Russell Mosier, a program manager at Microsoft, said that the December 2022 quality update will update the original version of Quick Assist for Windows 10, versions 20H2, 21H1, 21H2, and 22H2; and Windows 11, version 21H2.

“Install the Windows 11 or Windows 10 December 2022 quality update for a seamless and improved Quick Assist experience! Whether you use the Microsoft Store app or the original app, you can help your clients, colleagues, family, and friends with their PC problems over a remote connection with Quick Assist,” says Mosier. “In June, we moved Quick Assist to the Microsoft Store to help improve performance and security. Starting with Windows 11, version 22H2, this version of the app is pre-installed in Windows and updated through the Store. However, with this change, some of you couldn’t install Quick Assist from the Store. If that’s you, our December 2022 quality update is here to help!”

The update means users no longer need to replace their old built-in Quick Assist with the Store version of the app. It will bring all the latest features found in the Store version to the old one, and Microsoft said that it will be the same for Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) and Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSC in the January 2023 quality update. Additionally, Microsoft revoked its former announcement and said that the original version of Quick Assist would continue to be supported while the operating systems remain supported.

Moreover, this month’s quality update will help launch the correct version of Quick Assist when users resort to using its keyboard shortcut (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Q). Microsoft noted that if the Store app isn’t installed, the original version of Quick Assist will open.

On a side note, the December 2022 quality update will require Quick Assist the Microsoft Edge WebView2. Windows 11 and Microsoft Edge browser users do not need additional actions for this, while those who still need to install WebView2 just need to open Quick Assist to get it automatically.