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We have developed a desktop application, it should run in both PC's and table's, that's the reason we have chosen UWP. Now I have to Packaging UWP application as .exe or .msi to provide it to my clients. I did some research on the internet but didn't found any information. Any one help me like, To create setup project like traditional windows forms with out visual studio using wizard.

Stefan Wick MSFT
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kpam1234
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  • As far as I can tell, UWP apps are packaged as .appx, .msix, .appxbundle, .msixbundle, .appxupload, or .msixupload and are distributed via the Microsoft Store. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/packaging/packaging-uwp-apps – Ouroborus Jun 09 '19 at 07:49
  • Thanks for your reply Ouroborus...I want to shorten the steps of installing to my clients in one installer .. Which one is the best? And I don't want to distribute my application to Microsoft Store. – kpam1234 Jun 09 '19 at 08:07
  • I have seen the article, to create app package in Visual Studio by using wizard. But I don't want to use visual studio wizard, Is there any way to create like a setup project, by building the project it should generate packaging files. – kpam1234 Jun 09 '19 at 08:11

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You cannot create a standalone EXE or an MSI for a UWP app. The UWP app package itself is the installer. As long as it's signed with a trusted certificate, the user can double-click the package file to install the app.

Two options to automate the creation of the installation package for your UWP app:

1) use the commandline tools that come with the Windows SDK (MakeAppx, SignTool): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/packaging/manual-packaging-root

2) set up a build pipeline in Azure DevOps https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/apps/windows/universal

Stefan Wick MSFT
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  • Thanks for your reply stefan.. Can you please explain "The UWP app package itself is the installer. As long as it's signed with a trusted certificate". Where I can see this installer and how to sign in with trusted certificate. Sorry, I am new to uwp development. – kpam1234 Jun 09 '19 at 14:10
  • The output of the MakeAppx command line tool is an .appx or .msix file (depending on which version of Windows 10 you are targeting). This is basically a .zip file that contains your app. The user can double-click that file to install it, as long as it has been signed. Use the SignTool from the SDK to do the signing, as explained in the doc link I shared. – Stefan Wick MSFT Jun 09 '19 at 14:15
  • Can we add shortcut icon to the start menu as well as desktop. I need to create short cut menu on both...while installing. – kpam1234 Jun 10 '19 at 08:14
  • " Use the SignTool from the SDK to do the signing" I am not deploying my app in windows store. So why do I need to create certificate and signing. – kpam1234 Jun 10 '19 at 12:19
  • @StefanWickMSFT, thanks for the explanation. Does the Graphical UI installer require powershell to run the command? I work in an environment with disabled PowerShell and admin access for security reasons. They can whitelist .exe apps but not appxbundles. – Ali123 Dec 09 '20 at 08:17
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    @Ali123 it doesn't require powershell, but the environment needs to be able to run the "App Installer" app. That's the app that .appxbundle is associated with (check in Settings under Default apps). – Stefan Wick MSFT Dec 11 '20 at 00:26