Feedback Hub in Windows 10 allows users to openly and effectively share their ideas and report issues. Now Microsoft is adding third party apps into the Feedback Hub and developers can hence receive feedback from users directly. How can you give the users a quick link to the Feedback Hub for your app? It's simple! Use the new, rather mouthful, Microsoft Store Engagement and Monetization SDK.

Integrating the Store Engagement SDK

Microsoft Store Engagement and Monetization SDK is a new Visual Studio extension that encompasses both, previously separate, Microsoft Advertising SDKs (Advertising SDK and Advertising Universal SDK) and a new Store Engagement SDK. To install the SDK in Visual Studio, navigate to Tools menu and select Extensions and Updates. In the left pane of the opened dialog select Online section and then enter the name of the SDK in the search box in the upper right corner of the window. The search should offer you the SDK with an Install button. The installation might require you to restart Visual Studio afterwards.

MSAM SDK

Now you have the prerequisite ready and you can add the Store Engagement SDK to your UWP project. Open your solution and right click the References item under your UWP project node in Solution Explorer. The select Add Reference in the menu. The Reference Manager will open. Select Universal Windows > Extensions section and you will see the Microsoft Store Engagement SDK in the list of installed extensions. Check the checkbox on the left to include the SDK in your app.

Adding the Store Engagement SDK reference

Now we are ready to get feedback! The code to open the Feedback Hub is extremely simple and straightforward:

await Microsoft.Services.Store.Engagement.Feedback.LaunchFeedbackAsync();

This line of code will launch the appropriate URI registered with Feedback Hub with deep link to the section related to your app. Please note, that this actually works only after you publish the app in the Windows Store (as only then the app ID is valid).

Word of caution

Because this functionality is very new, it does not always work as expected (or not at all - for example on the current Windows Mobile preview build) I always recommend providing a secondary way for users to send feedback - such as via e-mail. This will ensure that you will not miss out on important information you need to improve your apps and will keep all users happy.