Monday, November 23, 2020

Install sticky notes or any Microsoft Store Apps in windows 10 for all users PowerShell

Problem:

Unable to install "Sticky Notes" application in Windows 10 for all users or machine level. Whenever we install Sticky Notes from "Microsoft Store" or by "Add-AppxPackage" PowerShell command, Application is getting installed for specific User.

Reason:

Installation of Apps from "Microsoft Store" or via "Add-AppxPackage" will get installed in user level.

To install for all users, we need to install with command "Add-AppxProvisionedPackage".

Solution:

Pre-Requisites:

We should have Microsoft Volume Licensing portal access to download "Windows 10 Inbox Apps" iso image. We have to install the application using PowerShell Command "Add-AppxProvisionedPackage" with appxbuldle files but this bundle we cannot download from public Microsoft Download portal. 

Steps:

1. Login to Microsoft Volume Licensing portal and search for "Windows 10 Inbox Apps"

2. Download the ISO image depends up of the Windows 10 build and Architecture you using.

The ISO file name will be similar to "SW_DVD9_NTRL_Win_10_1903_32_64_ARM64_MultiLang_App_Update_X22-01657.iso"

3. Mount the ISO image and copy the application files we want to install. We have to copy .Appxbundle and .xml file. In my example, I have to copy below highlighted 2 files.



4. Execute Command "Add-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackagePath "C:\Build\amd64fre\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appxbundle" –LicensePath "C:\Build\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe.xml"


Note: Change the path of .appxbundle and .xml files depends up on where you kept this files.

5. We will get the command output similar as shown in the screenshot. Now the Windows app is installed in machine level and application will be available for all users.