AppxPackage Is Being Unregistered, Can't Re-register for Non Admin User

Brian Benavidez 201 Reputation points
2022-02-10T20:28:07.877+00:00

I have an AppxPackage which is not available through the Windows Store that I am installing with Add-AppxPackage -Path \path\to\app.msix -ForceApplicationShutdown -ForceUpdateFromAnyVersion. Recently, the AppxPackage is becoming unregistered for the user such that when they click the app shortcut, it does nothing. I haven't found why this deregistration occurs but it may be related to a Windows update. Running Get-AppxPackage as the user shows the app is no longer there; however, I noticed that the application folder still exists in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps, which is why I concluded this was a UWP registration problem.

I tried reregistering the app using it's manifest file with Add-AppxPackage -Path "<install location>\AppXManifest.xml" -Register -DisableDevelopmentMode but this requires admin privileges. Running PowerShell as admin then causes this app to become registered just for the admin user, but it does at least allow the app to run. I found I am able to recreate this unregistered state by going into the app's settings and clicking Reset. This results in the same situation where the app's shortcut no longer works and it no longer appears under Get-AppxPackage.

All that being said, I am trying to figure out the following:

  • Any ideas why an AppxPackage would become unregistered?
  • How can I re-register an installed UWP app for a standard user?
  • Is it normal for UWP apps to become unregistered after doing a Reset? If not, is there a way to build/install it such that it won't disappear for a user after an app Reset?
Windows 10
Windows 10
A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.
11,195 questions
{count} votes