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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?
- Naveen_Nooka
Microsoft
Office MSIX timeline conversation is beyond the scope of this session. Teams 2.0, by the way is a MSIX application - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams-blog/microsoft-teams-advantages-of-the-new-architecture/ba-p/3775704As 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."
- If MSIX is the direction of travel, what was the reason Microsoft relaxed the requirements on vendors when uploading apps to the new Microsoft Store? The previous incarnation mandated the use of MSIX but the new store has lifted that and now accepts EXE, traditional MSI's, etc - all of which reduce the impetus on vendors to provide MSIX versions.
- Naveen_NookaWe believe in an open ecosystem. MSIX provides benefits over the other formats and we encourage it's use but don't think a mandate fits the open ecosystem spirit
What support is envisaged for MSIX App Attach in on premise scenarios? Whilst the underlying API's exist, to avoid reliance on custom scripts or 3rd party products (VMware / Citrix) to manage delivery, will AppAttach support be added natively by Microsoft. e.g. currently Configuration Manager only supports standard MSIX delivery and not AppAttach.
- JimMoyle
MSIX App Attach is only supported on-premises via Azure Stack HCI today. We are always looking at customer feedback and due to the deprecation of App-V this is a customer ask we are currently tracking.
- Shameless plug as I know this is referring to the app attach AVD integration, but maybe good to add that AppVentiX supports both native MSIX and MSIX delivered through virtual disks, both cloud and on-prem 🙂 Great to see all of the improvements driving the adoption to MSIX!
- Will this touch on Intune deployment of MSIX app packages?
abandurianDeploying MSIX with Intune is quite easy, especially if they are hosted on a WinGet repo (and you trust it). There are countless blogs, videos, and official docs nonetheless: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/desktop/managing-your-msix-deployment-enterprise#microsoft-intune Generally, it all boils down to choosing whether you deploy an MSIX via Intune "as is" or you want some kind of PowerShell wrapper for fancier features, that would call Add-/Remove-AppxPackage CMDlet. Cheers- JimMoyle
Apologies, but this is outside the scope of the session. This session concerns App Attach deployment of MSIX packages to Azure Virtual Desktop, Intune doesn't integrate with App Attach currently.
