Add guidance for replacing installer-based apps with MSIX - #484
Add guidance for replacing installer-based apps with MSIX#484Roy (RDMacLachlan) wants to merge 1 commit into
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Adds a new article, "Replace an existing installer-based app with MSIX," under Manage your MSIX deployment. It explains that the MSIX version installs side by side with an existing unpackaged .exe/.msi/ClickOnce app (separate package identity, no in-place upgrade), documents the two recommended ways to remove the previous version (app-driven uninstall and management-tool uninstall), and points to the deployment-technology options. Wires the article into toc.yml and links it from the deployment overview and Know your installer pages. Resolves AB#25952048 Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
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Learn Build status updates of commit 734c0da: ✅ Validation status: passed
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| title: Replace an existing installer-based app with MSIX | ||
| ms.date: 07/03/2026 | ||
| ms.topic: concept-article | ||
| keywords: windows 10, deployment, msix, migrate, replace, installer, msi, clickonce |
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also add "setup" or "setup.exe"
| Because of this, keep the following in mind: | ||
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| * Installing the MSIX package does **not** upgrade or remove the existing unpackaged installation. There is no in-place upgrade from a classic installer to MSIX — it is a *replace*, not an upgrade. | ||
| * Both versions can be present on the machine at the same time, which can result in duplicate Start menu entries and file-type associations. |
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...which can result in duplicate system integration and user experiences (Start menu entries, file-type associations, etc).
It's not just Start+FTA, could be lots more too. Above is a suggestion more open ended statement
| | Deployment technology | Best for | Learn more | | ||
| |---|---|---| | ||
| | Microsoft Store | Consumer apps and broad distribution | [Distribute your MSIX in a retail environment](managing-your-msix-deployment-retail.md) | | ||
| | App Installer (web install) | Distributing and auto-updating apps from your own website | [Install MSIX with App Installer](../app-installer/app-installer-root.md) | |
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App Installer can also be used for media distribution
e.g. USB flash keys (used to be a thing handed out at conferences), file servers, CDs and other filesystem accessed media
| | App Installer (web install) | Distributing and auto-updating apps from your own website | [Install MSIX with App Installer](../app-installer/app-installer-root.md) | | ||
| | Microsoft Intune | Cloud-managed enterprise devices | [Microsoft Intune](managing-your-msix-deployment-intune.md) | | ||
| | Microsoft Configuration Manager | On-premises managed enterprise devices | [Microsoft Configuration Manager](managing-your-msix-deployment-configmgr.md) | | ||
| | MSIX Core | Bringing MSIX (including from a ClickOnce setup.exe) to earlier versions of Windows | [MSIX Core](../msix-core/msixcore.md) | |
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https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/msix-core/msixcore#what-is-msix-core
MSIX Core is built for the following Windows versions that don't currently natively support MSIX:
- Windows 7 SP1
- Windows 8.1
- Currently supported Windows Server (with Desktop Experience)
- Windows 10 versions prior to 1709
IOW "Server, and old out of support Win7, Win8, Win10 <= RS3", but the "Best for" only says the latter and nothing about the former.
RECOMMEND: Replace the 'Best for' column with "Windows Server (with Desktop Experience)"
Otherwise it's obsolete and exists, but nothing we should be pointing folks towards.
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Adds a new article, Replace an existing installer-based app with MSIX, under Manage your MSIX deployment.
Addresses a partner (Lenovo/AppConsult) request for guidance on the best way to replace an existing .exe/.msi/ClickOnce install with the MSIX version across deployment technologies. The article explains that MSIX installs side by side with the unpackaged app (separate package identity, no in-place upgrade), documents the two recommended ways to remove the previous version (app-driven uninstall and management-tool uninstall), and points to the deployment-technology options. Wired into
toc.ymland linked from the deployment overview and Know your installer pages.Resolves AB#25952048