APPX is an application packaging format you will likely encounter when dealing with Windows apps. In this article, we take one step further to explain what APPX is and how to create an APPX package with the help of PACE Suite for application packaging.
What Is an .appx FileWhat Is the Difference between APPX and MSIX?
Why Use PACE Suite to Create an APPX Package?
How to Create an APPX Package from Scratch?
What Is an .appx File?
The appx package file format distributes and installs applications in Windows 8 and later versions. This technology is used for Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps and can also be used for Windows desktop applications. As a result of creating the appx file format, applications can now be distributed and installed on Windows more securely and efficiently.
By introducing this technology, Microsoft wanted to simplify discovering, purchasing, and installing applications without using traditional methods like EXE. It also allows packaging apps in a single file containing all the necessary resources and components, simplifying the installation and updating process.
What Is the Difference between APPX and MSIX?
With the release of MSIX, Microsoft Store apps have moved from APPX installer to MSIX. There is why we need to explain the difference between these two formats.
MSIX is supported by all versions of MS starting from Windows 10, while APPX is supported only by the earlier versions of the operating system.
In addition, despite having a similar package structure and design, MSIX is more modern as it comes with new features and functionalities such as the Package Support Framework, shared package containers, packages with external locations, and many others.
The critical difference between MSIX and APPX is that MSIX is the successor to APPX, making MSIX the preferred packaging solution for the Microsoft Store because it’s more advanced and has new features and functionalities. However, MSIX still has some limitations.
What Are the Top MSIX Limitations and How to Troubleshoot Them.
Why Use PACE Suite to Create an APPX Package?
The most convenient way to create an APPX package is to use software that was built for such purposes. One of such tools is PACE Suite.
PACE Suite was developed to simplify application packaging and make creating APPX packages and other packages as easy as possible. The solution enables tech professionals to build APPX packages independently in your standard packaging environment under Windows 10, Windows Server 2016, or newer.
PACE Suite does not use third-party utilities (like MakeAPPX.exe) and SDK that either get updates significantly less often than Windows itself or even do not receive updates. As our approach uses only Windows libraries that get updated alongside the operating system, PACE Suite is always up-to-date when creating APPX packages.
How to Create APPX Package from Scratch
Creating APPX packages with PACE Suite for application packaging is easy. The first thing you need to do is to run Package Generator either from the Start Menu shortcut or from PACE Suite Launcher on your personal computer.
Then, in the MENU tab, choose New Project…
Enter a project name and click Create.
Once the newly created project is opened automatically, you can start adding the necessary resources using MSI Generator. Once the newly created project is opened automatically, you can start adding the necessary resources using MSI Generator. In order to create a folder and import files, go to the Files tab.
In the left pane, select New folder from the context menu of a folder, where you want to create a new empty folder. Note that the left ‘Files Included’ pane displays files and folders, which will be a part of your package, and the right ‘Files Excluded’ pane displays files and folders, which will not be saved to the package.
Enter a folder name and click Create.
For adding files to your project, select Import files from the context menu of a folder, to which you want to import files.
Choose files, which you want to import to the project and click Open.
In order to import registry entries from the REG file, go to the Registry tab and click the Import registry button, located in the bottom part of the window. Note that the left ‘Registry Included’ pane displays registry keys and values, which will be a part of your package, and the right ‘Registry Excluded’ pane displays registry keys and values, which will not be saved to the package.
Choose a REG file, which you want to import to the project, and click Open.
Click Ok to close the information dialog. If you need to add an APPX app (shortcut) and its logos, go to the Shortcuts and FTAs -> APPX apps tab and click New application…
Select the main executable file (EXE) of your application from the tree and click Select.
Using the details pane, you can update the APPX app display name, description, and visual assets such as background color and logos, which will be displayed in the Start menu.
In order to create APPX package from your project, navigate to the Package -> APPX tab, fill-in all the required fields, select the digital signing option and click Build APPX. Find description of the APPX settings below in the table.
Application details
Display name. A friendly name of the package that can be displayed to users.Publisher display name. A friendly name for the publisher of the package that can be displayed to users.
Description. A friendly description that can be displayed to users.
Application root folder. A location of the main application folder. The content of the selected folder will be placed in the package root, instead of VFS.
Logo (50×50). A logo image of the package that can be displayed to users.
Signature
Do not sign the package. Use this option if you are planning to submit the package to Windows Store or sign it manaully.Sign the package with my certificate. Use this option to sign the generated package with the valid certificate that you already have.
Sign the package with an auto-generated self-signed certificate. Use this option to generate the self-signed certificate and sign the package with this certificate. NOTE In order to deploy your package, install the generated certificate before (double-click the auto-generated.pfx file, and in the Certificate Import Wizard, install the certificate onto the Local Machine, and place the certificate in the Trusted People certificate store) and enable the Developer mode in Windows settings, as described in the next step.
Identity information
Name. Describes the contents of the package.Мersion. The version number of the package.
Publisher. Describes the publisher information. The Publisher attribute must match the publisher subject information of the certificate used to sign a package.
Processor architecture. Describes the architecture of the code contained in the package.
If you decide to create APPX package with the Sign the package with the auto-generated self-signed certificate option selected, do not forget to install that generated certificate to the Trusted People certificate store and enable the Developer mode in the Windows settings to install the self-signed package.
Click Go to…, located next to the Project folder field, to open the package containing folder in Windows Explorer.
That is all you need to do to create APPX package using PACE Suite. Download a free PACE Suite trial now to try creating UWP app packages yourself and contact iur support in case you have any questions.