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With App-V going EOL in 2026 we'd hope to see more complex Microsoft apps delivered in MSIX format. This provides general confidence its ready to tackle complex requirements for vendors and IT Pros.
In particular looking at the history of Office releases:
- Office 2000 used MSI / Windows Installer shortly after the engine was created in 1999 - providing confidence in Windows Installer / MSI.
- Office 2013 / 2016 were released in two formats, MSI but later a Click-to-Run (embedded App-V derived technology) variant that spawned the ongoing 365 track.
- Office 365 and 2019 / 2021 and upcoming 2024 continue to be Click-to-Run
Whilst appreciating the complex endeavour to rework it, can Microsoft commit that before the App-V EOL date in April 2026 that Microsoft 365 Desktop apps / Microsoft Office LTSC (for on prem) will both be released in MSIX format rather than continuing to leverage Click-to-Run based on an embedded virtualisation technology (App-V) that customers are being instructed to move off?
MicrosoftAs the purpose of this session was also to provide assurance to IT Pros and Software Developers that MSIX is ready for mainstream adoption, there's still a need here in my view for the MSIX team to proactively push the Office / M365 team on a release.
Historically Microsofts commitment to a packaging technology (MSI/ App-V / C2R etc) has been demonstrated via the release of Office in that format.
The Office team first blogged in 2021 about working on an MSIX release of Office but have so far failed to deliver one. Not releasing Office in MSIX creates two issues:
a) Add-ons / apps that need to inteface with Office are difficult to package in MSIX due to the integration.
b) It casts doubt to your customers that MSIX is ready for mainstream adoption for the more complex apps if the Office team are not prepared to back it (most of the MSIX releases from Microsoft are comparatively simple apps) .
This was the article from 2021 but no there has been no update since - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/msix/microsoft-office-add-in-deployment-using-msix/m-p/2112121
"Windows and Office are working hard to enable M365 Apps (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Excel) to be packaged and delivered in MSIX format with the same full extensibility that customer enjoy in Click-to-Run and MSI. When the time comes, we’ll communicate details and timelines as to when you will be able to package MSIX Office add-ins."