When you create a new account it makes you redownload/reinstall any App that was already on a previous account.
Is it actually doing this, or is it some type of "user friendly consistency" trick? Is it just installing some settings folder?
I assume that new versions require a download, but what about the same version shared across accounts?
It could depend upon how the installation was initially done, whether for all users or only one user. But generally such installations will put the necessary files in the same location on the drive which doesn't duplicate very many. If anticipating additional users it's best to choose All Users.
The App itself is downloaded and installed once, for the current User Account. Obviously things like ownership, account information are added for each user, but that is a much smaller addition to that.
I use two Accounts and once it has been downloaded once that is it. Go to the other Account and it just downloads whatever extra Account info necessary for that User.
Just updated the Mail and Calendar App 38 MB. Change to the other Account and you get very roughly 50KB to 500 KB or something like that.
Easy to observe this by using manual updates in the MS Store. Once for current Account > sign off, Sign on to other Account MS Store update.
Just a side thought.
Is it possible for say a virus to infect the App and thus share it across accounts? Or is the installation stuff only updatable by the MS Store and only the personalization files are updatable by the computer?
Of course that possibility exists. There are obviously links from both accounts via a common application.
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