MSIX Packaging Tool Guide

Unveiling the Advantages of MSIX Packaging: A Comprehensive Overview

The MSIX Packaging Tool is now available from the Microsoft Store. MSIX is Microsoft’s planned replacement for the MSI and AppX format. Starting with Windows 10 1809, MSIX will replace AppX as a Package-Format completely. MSI + AppX = MSIX

Benefits of MSIX Packaging

  • Enables us to update existing win32 application packages to the MSIX format
  • We can run desktop installers through this tool and obtain in MSIX package that can be installed on the machine and also can be uploaded to the Microsoft Store
  • It is aimed as a common packaging for both Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps and Win32 apps
  • Supported on Windows, iOS, Android, MacOS, and Linux
  • Desktop Bridge apps will have 100 percent compatibility with MSIX
  • Migrate MSI/App-V/Setup.exe/Script.vbs/ClickOnce apps into MSIX without compromise with functionality or application behavior
  • Customize packages, add additional code to make it compatible with Modern look and feel
  • Clean uninstallation
  • All the apps are installed on per-user bases. However, for enterprises that use shared PC’s, Microsoft is working on a mechanism where every user can get the update
  • Microsoft has taken the best features of Setup.exe, MIS, Windows ClickOne, App-V & Script.vbs and put them into MSIX

Pre-Requisites for MSIX Packaging

Enable “Developer Mode”

Signed Certificate Use below PowerShell cmdlet to create a new certificate. New-SelfSignedCertificate -Type Custom -Subject “CN=Contoso Software, O=Contoso Corporation, C=US” -KeyUsage DigitalSignature -FriendlyName <Your Friendly Name> -CertStoreLocation “Cert:\LocalMachine\My” Example: New-SelfSignedCertificate -Type Custom -Subject “CN=Netrix, O=Netrix, C=US” -KeyUsage DigitalSignature -FriendlyName Netrix-MSIX -CertStoreLocation “Cert:\LocalMachine\My” 

Export the certificate that we register for the users to whom the application would be deployed. $pwd = ConvertTo-SecureString – String Netrix 123 – Force – AsPlainText

Export-PfxCertificate -cert “Cert:\LocalMachine\My\<Certificate Thumbprint>” -FilePath Netrix_WSP.pfx -Password $pwd

Installation of MSIX Packaging Tool

Go to > Microsoft Store

nstallation of MSIX Packaging Tool, REBOOT the machine before launching it. Create A Sample Package Create sample package 7-zip, below are the steps: Launch MSIX Packaging Tool from Start Menu

certificate path, and click “Next”

Choose “create package on this computer,” then “Next”

Next Installer will start installation, choose the installation option and finish it

Once installation is complete, click Next installation configuration, right click on shortcut and click “Run”

Once configuration is complete, click “Yes,

move on Specify the package

location and click “Create” The screen below will appear, which shows a successfully created MSIX Package

For additional help and support with Microsoft integrations, please contact us today!