Setup app for website without using msix installer (e.g. using .exe installer)

Question

Our application supports apps for websites using app URI handlers. However some older computers or domain computers with certain policies cannot install apps packaged in msix installer.

Is there a way to register your app to handle links (https://myapp.com/..) from the specified host without using an msix installer? for instance packaging the app in a .exe using innosetup (maybe something can be added to the registry to register link handling). Such that our app can be installed also on computers that do not support msix.

Answer 1

Hi @alberto ,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

UWP does not support .exe packaging and installation.

Currently supported packaging for UWP

• App Package (.msix or .appx) A single package that contains your application and its resources, targeted at a single device architecture.
• App Bundle (.msixbundle or .appxbundle) An app bundle is a type of package that can contain multiple app packages, each of which is built to support a specific device architecture.
• App Package Upload File (.msixupload or .appxupload) - for Store Submission only A single file that can contain multiple app packages or an app bundle to support various processor architectures. The app package upload file also contains a symbol file to Analyze app performance after your app has been published in the Microsoft Store.

Thank you.

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