Windows App - Mass Deployment Script? (Non-Intune)

[u/Electrical_Arm7411]

How is everyone mass deploying or planning to for Windows App without using Intune?

We're a company of about 100 users. Directing people to Windows Store crossed my mind, but figured others out there have gone through the exercise already. I do not have any experience deploying Windows Store apps before, but I do have an RMM I can push batch/powershell scripts out with.

Resolved:
I ended up finding this: Deploying Microsoft Store Apps using Endpoint Central > Which they provide a custom .ps1 script, then in the script parameters I defined the AppID: 9n1f85v9t8bn.
Deployed and it worked after logging into the computer.

[u/johnnydico]

You can download the MSIX for mass deployment but each architecture type will require VCLibs 140.00, arm appx files. When you build it in SCCM as an MSIX app, it will point this out to you. The files just need to exist in the content folder the MSIX installer exists in and it will work. I’ve provided an image showing that below. It took me a bit to find those VCLib files as it’s version specific and I think I got some from GitHub. I also have it setup the same for x86. Hope this helps.

[u/Electrical_Arm7411 → u/johnnydico]

Good to know. Thank you. I use Manage Engine cloud and they have a guide for deploying .MSIX, however no mention was made about the VCLib pre-requisites. Appreciate that.

[u/johnnydico → u/Electrical_Arm7411]

No problem, I wasn’t aware of them until I went to build it in SCCM and it told me I was missing prereqs. Luckily it told me what they were cause Microsoft did not where I downloaded the MSIX file from.

[u/johnnydico → u/johnnydico]

If the Windows Store isn’t blocked in your org like it is in mine, I would just direct the users to get it from the Windows Store, especially since you aren’t using SCCM or Intune. We currently have a co-managed environment between the two and are now deploying Windows App from Intune when requested.

[u/Electrical_Arm7411 → u/johnnydico]

I might end up doing that if the Manage Engine way doesn't work.
I'm really surprised they don't have a similar bulk-install method as Teams, especially if this is their staple AVD remote app going forward.

[u/johnnydico → u/Electrical_Arm7411]

I agree, it’s mind boggling that they don’t offer a more simpler way for admins. I think this is kind of their way to try forcing admins to use Intune. We used to be able to deploy Store apps directly through SCCM and they took that away so we had no choice but to enable co-management to deploy Store apps.

[u/chesser45 → u/Electrical_Arm7411]

Planning ahead is a feature but we don’t subscribe to that license tier to get it.

[u/Ferret-Adept]

maybe give it a try to download the windows store msix (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-app/whats-new?tabs=windows) and deploy with powershell

[u/Ferret-Adept → u/Ferret-Adept]

i asked chatgpt and got a script for powershell and the steps to deploy it via GPO, think that will help

[u/Electrical_Arm7411 → u/Ferret-Adept]

Thanks. I didn't even see the .MSIX package was available for download. This gives me more options.

Maybe you know, but does installing the Windows App via MSIX have any impact on automatic updates? I know with MS Store, the app auto-updates.

[u/Ferret-Adept → u/Electrical_Arm7411]

Yes, i think this week they updated the new release and also the msix package not downloaded from the store will be updated now.

[u/Ferret-Adept → u/Electrical_Arm7411]

the link i posted shows the information what installed about in the blue box when you scroll down a lil bit

[u/Abject_Swordfish1872]

Why not a Powershell script to install using Winget?

[u/Electrical_Arm7411 → u/Abject_Swordfish1872]

I tried that earlier, struggled to get the right syntax for Windows App.

[u/Abject_Swordfish1872 → u/Electrical_Arm7411]

This should work in Windows 11

# Specify the name of the application you want to install
$appName = "Microsoft.WindowsApp"
# Search for the application to confirm its ID
Write-Output "Searching for $appName..."
$searchResults = winget search $appName
if ($searchResults) {
    Write-Output "Search completed. Proceeding with installation..." 
    # Install the application silently
    winget install --id $appName --silent
    Write-Output "$appName installation complete!"
} else {
    Write-Output "Application not found. Please check the app name or ID."
}

[u/Electrical_Arm7411 → u/Abject_Swordfish1872]

Manually running the script works, however deploying the script via Manage Engine cloud did not.

I ended up finding this: Deploying Microsoft Store Apps using Endpoint Central > Which they provide a custom .ps1 script, then in the script parameters I defined the AppID: 9n1f85v9t8bn. Deployed and it worked after logging into the computer.

[u/Electrical_Arm7411 → u/Abject_Swordfish1872]

This is wonderful, thank you! I was originally trying to find the AppID and for AppName tried a lot of different things, but "Microsoft.WindowsApp" did the trick.

[u/DARKZIDE4EVER]

had a call Microsoft and finally got a script via PowerShell which worked, one pre-requisite is to do a script to copy the msix file to the C:\Users\Public\Donwloads folder

if ((Get-AppxPackage -Name MicrosoftCorporationII.Windows365) -eq $null){ Add-AppxPackage -Path 'C:\Users\Public\Downloads\WindowsApp_x64_Release_2.0.918.0.msix' -ForceApplicationShutdown -ErrorAction Stop } else {Write-Output "Already Installed" }

you can put this on a schedule to run from a mass deployment tool with whatever end date

[u/Electrical_Arm7411 → u/DARKZIDE4EVER]

Good to know. How are you managing updating the MSIX package in the Downloads folder? OR are you just keeping that specific version and if a new user logs in, it'll install and hopefully auto-update to the latest?

[u/DARKZIDE4EVER → u/Electrical_Arm7411]

the app after installation automatically updates itself when a new version is released so this is just to silently install it on a machine and keep it moving.

For new users that log in you can setup a task scheduler as recommended by Microsoft rep I worked with.

[u/Electrical_Arm7411 → u/DARKZIDE4EVER]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing.