Deploy Microsoft store apps (.appx files)

[fbg]

Has anyone been able to create a deployment to install Microsoft store apps?  

[UsernameMissing]

I've done it.

The hardest part is identifying the required files, in particular the dependencies.

I created a deployment to call a powershell file, the contents of which are below...

Below will install the MS store into an LTSC machine.

---

add-AppxProvisionedPackage -online -packagepath "{packageshare}\Microsoft Store\Microsoft.WindowsStore_11809.1001.713.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe.AppxBundle" -licensepath "{packageshare}\Microsoft Store\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe.xml" -dependencypackagepath "{packageshare}\Microsoft Store\Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.6_1.6.24903.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx","{packageshare}\Microsoft Store\Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.6_1.6.24903.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx","{packageshare}\Microsoft Store\Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.6_1.6.24903.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx","{packageshare}\Microsoft Store\Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.6_1.6.24903.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx","{packageshare}\Microsoft Store\Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00_14.0.26706.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx","{packageshare}\Microsoft Store\Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00_14.0.26706.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx"

---

[mhash89]

Yes, but I'm doing this from the msstore and winget repo's and not an actual .appx file if that matters.

This will install the app store along with winget. There's a bit more to this if you're trying to install it on a server or images missing Microsoft VCLibs. There are guides for this if that's what you want to do.

---

-ExecutionPolicy Bypass (Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -LogLevel Warnings | Where-Object -Property DisplayName -EQ Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller).InstallLocation -replace '%SYSTEMDRIVE%', $env:SystemDrive | Add-AppxPackage -Register -DisableDevelopmentMode

Once you have winget installed you can use this script to install apps. Just modify the name, ID, and type to match the winget/msstore info which you can find by opening up powershell/terminal and running "winget search appname":

# Define the apps to install
$apps = @(
    @{Name = "Google Chrome"; Id = "Google.Chrome"; Type = "winget"},
    @{Name = "Mozilla Firefox"; Id = "Mozilla.Firefox"; Type = "winget"},
    @{Name = "Microsoft 365 (Office)"; Id = "Microsoft.365Desktop"; Type = "winget"},
    @{Name = "Microsoft Teams"; Id = "MicrosoftTeams"; Type = "winget"},
    @{Name = "Notepad++"; Id = "Notepad++.Notepad++"; Type = "winget"},
    @{Name = "PowerToys"; Id = "Microsoft.PowerToys"; Type = "winget"},
    @{Name = "Greenshot"; Id = "Greenshot.Greenshot"; Type = "winget"}
    @{Name = "Windows Calc"; Id = "9WZDNCRFHVN5"; Type = "msstore"}
)

# Install the apps silently for all users
foreach ($app in $apps) {
    if ($app.Type -eq "winget") {
        Write-Host "Installing $($app.Name) from winget..."
        winget install $app.Id -e -s winget --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements --force
    } elseif ($app.Type -eq "msstore") {
        Write-Host "Installing $($app.Name) from Microsoft Store..."
        Add-AppxPackage -Register "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.$($app.Id)_*" -DisableDevelopmentMode
    }
}

# Verify the apps were installed
foreach ($app in $apps) {
    if ($app.Type -eq "winget" -and (Get-Command $app.Id -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
        Write-Host "$($app.Name) was installed successfully from winget."
    } elseif ($app.Type -eq "msstore" -and (Get-AppxPackage "Microsoft.$($app.Id)" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
        Write-Host "$($app.Name) was installed successfully from Microsoft Store."
    } else {
        Write-Warning "$($app.Name) was not installed."
    }
}

And last if you want to automatically keep these apps up to date you can use GPO to schedule a task that runs however often you'd like them to update:

powershell.exe winget upgrade --all --silent --include-unknown

[Mgb131968]

I would be interested to see if that's possible. Thanks.

[MCruikshank]

I am currently working on a deployment to install Windows Store on some of our LTSC machines. The Natural follow up after I get this done will be installing actual apps. I will try and keep this thread updated.