How do I transfer a published Microsoft Store app to my own individual developer account when the LLC that owns the current account is being dissolved?

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Context:

I have a single application published in the Microsoft Store. It is currently published under a developer account associated with my LLC, which is in the process of being formally dissolved. I want to continue owning, publishing, and updating this app under my own name going forward, on a personal/individual developer account.

My understanding is that a developer account's type cannot be changed (a company account cannot be converted into an individual account), so I believe I need to transfer the app itself to a separate individual developer account rather than convert the existing one. I would like to confirm the correct, supported process for doing this.

My questions:

  1. What is the correct, supported way to transfer ownership of a published app from the current (company/LLC) developer account to a separate individual developer account?
  2. Will the app's package identity / publisher ID be preserved through the transfer, so that existing users continue to receive updates seamlessly rather than seeing it as a brand-new listing? If not, what should I expect?
  3. Will the app's existing ratings, reviews, and acquisition/usage history carry over to the new account?
  4. Timing and sequence: since the LLC is being dissolved, what needs to be completed before the company legally ceases to exist? I want to be sure I don't lose access to or ownership of the app once the entity is gone.
  5. What verification or documentation will Microsoft need from me, as the account owner, to authorize this transfer?

Additional context: I have tried to open a support ticket through the Partner Center Copilot/support flow, but have repeatedly hit sign-in and tenant-context errors that prevent me from completing it, which is why I'm asking here. I'm happy to provide my specific account details, Store ID, and publisher information privately to anyone from Microsoft who can assist.

Thank you for any guidance.

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1 answer

  1. AI answer

    1. The only supported path is through Microsoft Partner Center support. App ownership and publisher transfers between developer accounts are not self-service operations. The current Company/LLC developer account owner must:
      • Sign in to Partner Center with the existing publisher account.
      • Use the Help icon (?) → Contact Support → submit a ticket, clearly requesting a transfer of the app to a different developer account (the new Individual account).
      • Provide the target developer account details and app identifier in that ticket.
      If the Partner Center UI or Copilot flow is failing, the escalation path is still to contact Microsoft via Partner Center support (Help → Contact Support) from a working browser/tenant context, or to use the general “Help + support” area in Partner Center as documented. There is no documented alternative self-service mechanism to move an app from one publisher account to another.
    2. The provided documentation does not describe a supported process that preserves package identity/publisher ID across a transfer between different developer accounts. The only guaranteed behavior in the documentation is that:
      • Apps submitted under a given developer account are signed and distributed under that account’s publisher identity.
      • Publisher display name and account type cannot be changed after registration.
      Because the publisher identity is tied to the developer account and cannot be changed, moving an app to a different account typically implies a different publisher identity. The documentation does not state that existing users will receive seamless updates after such a move, nor that the original package identity can be preserved across accounts.
    3. The documentation does not state that ratings, reviews, or acquisition/usage history can be migrated between developer accounts. Store analytics and customer feedback are tied to the app as published under a specific publisher account. There is no documented, supported way in the provided material to carry over ratings/reviews or usage history when changing publisher accounts.
    4. From the documentation:
      • Account type (Individual vs Company) and publisher display name cannot be changed after registration.
      • For major changes like a rebrand or publisher name update, the guidance is to contact Microsoft support and, in many cases, create a new account.
      Given that the LLC is being dissolved and the Company account cannot be converted to an Individual account, all coordination with Microsoft (including any transfer request) must be initiated while the Company account is still valid and accessible. The Company account must remain able to:
      • Sign in to Partner Center.
      • Open and respond to support tickets.
      • Receive and respond to verification emails.
      If the LLC is dissolved before this is completed and access to the Company account or its approver/contacts is lost, there is no documented process in the provided material to recover or reassign the app afterward.
    5. The documentation lists the kinds of information Microsoft requires for developer account creation and management, which are also typically used in verification and account-related changes:
      • Legal business name and address (for the Company account).
      • Contact details (email, phone, website).
      • Company approver information for the Company account.
      For significant account or publisher changes (such as rebrand or new account), the guidance is to contact Microsoft support. In practice, support may request:
      • Confirmation that the requester is an authorized representative of the current Company account (using the registered work email and account details).
      • Legal business information that matches what is on file in Partner Center.
      The exact documentation required for an app transfer is not specified in the provided material and is determined by Microsoft support on a case-by-case basis via the Partner Center “Contact Support” flow.

    Given the constraints in the documentation:

    • Create and fully set up the new Individual developer account (including payout/tax profile if needed).
    • While the LLC and its Company account are still active, sign in to Partner Center with the Company account and open a support ticket (Help → Contact Support) requesting an app transfer to the new Individual account, providing app ID and both account identifiers.
    • Complete any verification steps requested by Microsoft support before the LLC is dissolved.

    References:

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