App Installer Tab for MSIX Release

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Project: The App Installer tab is available in the MSIX projects.

Windows app package creation is enabled in the per-release tab titled App Installer tab. Here, some core settings can be specified that impact the Windows app package build process.

App Installer Tab Settings for MSIX Release

Setting	Project Type	Description
App Installer Settings	MSIX	Use the App Installer Settings area on the App Installer tab to generate App Installer file and configure package update capabilities. An App Installer file is an XML document (*.appinstaller) that contains set of attributes for defining the package properties and the location where it has been deployed. The App Installer file is introduced as of Windows 10 Version 1709. It specifies where your app package is located and how to update it. If you choose to use this method of app distribution, you must share with your users the App Installer file, instead of the actual app package. The user must then click on the App Installer file. At this point the familiar App Installer UI will appear and guide the user through the installation. Once the user has installed the application using these steps, the application is associated with the App Installer file. Later, when you have an update to the application, you only update the App Installer (.appinstaller) file. When you update the file, the new version of the application is pushed to the user automatically based on settings configured 'Update Settings' section below. Refer App Installer File Schema for more information.
AppInstaller File URL	MSIX	Specify App Installer file location. The App Installer file can be hosted in a shared location like a HTTP endpoint or a UNC shared folder or a local file share, and includes the path to find the MSIX packages to be installed. Users install the app from the shared location or from the web and enable periodic checks for new updates.
AppInstaller Version	MSIX	Specify the version of App Installer file. A version string in quad notation, 'Major.Minor.Build.Revision', such as 1.0.0.60325.
Main Package URL	MSIX	Specify the Uri to the app package location. The Uri specified for AppInstaller File URL will be considered if this option is empty. Other information of the MainPackage element, which includes name, publisher, and version can be changed using Package Identity Overrides section mentioned in this page. Information provided in Package Identity Overrides will be considered during build time for both MSIX package and App Installer file as all these information must match with the information included in the manifest of the MSIX application package.
Update Settings	MSIX	Use the Update Settings category to configure the auto update capabilities of MSIX package using App Installer file.
Update Settings on App Launch	MSIX	Specify whether you want to configure update settings for this package during app launch. This behavior during OnLaunch shows the UI and is further configurable with the support of HoursBetweenUpdateChecks, ShowPrompt, and UpdateBlocksActivation child attributes as explained below.
Hours Between Update Checks	MSIX	The HoursBetweenUpdateChecks option specifies the frequency with which the deployment service will check for an update to the App Installer file. When HoursBetweenUpdateChecks is set to 0, the deployment service will check for updates every time the application is launched. For other values, the deployment service will check for updates when the application is launched only if it hasn't previously checked within the last number of hours specified by HoursBetweenUpdateChecks. For example, if HoursBetweenUpdateChecks is set to 10, the deployments service will check for updates when the application is launched only if it hasn't already checked for updates in the previous 10 hours. The Windows deployment service will automatically download it If there is a new update available and install the update once the application is closed.
Show Prompt	MSIX	Specify whether deployment will show a prompt or not, informing the user about the update. Available in Windows 10, version 1903 and later. For latest updates, refer to Microsoft documentation.
Update Blocks Activation	MSIX	Choosing Yes will stop the user from launching the application until the update has been applied. This option allows the user to only take the update or close the app. Should only be used if ShowPrompt option is chosen as it needs the UI to show the options. This option will help to deliver critical updates where app must be launched with some important fixes.
Automatic Background Task	MSIX	Specify whether or not to check for updates in the background regardless the app is lunched or not. A check is made every 8 hours independently of whether the user launched the app. This type of update cannot show UI. Choose 'Update Settings on App Launch' for displaying the interactive UI before update process gets triggered. Available in Windows 10, version 1803 and later.
Force Update From Any Version	MSIX	Specify whether the app's version to be incremented or decremented based on the requirement. Without this element, the app can only be updated to a higher version and Windows deployment service will not allow downgrade to older version. This option is useful to perform rollbacks to older app package versions. Available starting in Windows 10, version 1809 and later.