MSIX Set Installation Path

[Archana2240]

How to change the MSIX installation path??

Referred this url - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/desktop/desktop-to-uwp-behind-the-scenes

Always installer package is created in default location C:\Program Files\WindowsApps.

Need to set the installer location to different location.

[#2]

@Archana2240 thank you for your question. Someone will respond to your question as soon as possible. Our response times are a bit delayed with the holidays.

[#3 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Archana2240 

The installation path of an MSIX package cannot be changed. All the files you have included in your package are installed inside an app-specific folder under "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps<your app>\".

This is a design decision from Microsoft. Only for MSI/EXE installers you can change the install path.

If you want to add files in other folders too, you need to copy them the first time your application is launched. For that, you have multiple options. You can write your own code inside your application to copy the files in other folders or you can use third-party MSIX packaging tools to help you do it.

To understand more about MSIX and how files outside of the installation path can be managed I recommend this article/presenta... I wrote last month.

[#4]

Hi !

I launched my installed app and I have the exception : 

Could not load file or assembly 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\c91007aa-dd1e-4ca9-8f0f-ed9f6baa689f_0.0.23.0_x64__m3e5crmsxbema\vcinet\x64\vcinet.x64.dll'. The specified module could not be found.

I think it's because of the C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\ rights. It works in local environement with VS2022 with the dll in AppX folder.

Note : the file is in the specified folder. If not I have "Did not find platform specific assembly (vcinet\x64\vcinet.x64.dll) in..."

[#5]

@Bogdan Mitrache is correct in answering what you wanted to know. There is a technical asterisk on that, however.

While you cannot redirect a particular MSIX/AppX package to install to the location of your choice, the "WindowsApps" folder is actually a namespace that looks like a windows folder but underneath is an AppXVolume.  There is a limit of one AppXVolume per disk partition, and you probably shouldn't even think about trying to move the volume exposed on C:.  But you can create a volume (see powershell commands with AppXVolume in the name) on another partition and then direct either a particular package installation to that partition, or make the new partition the default partition.

The only practical use of this appears to be to solve issues with small C: partitions when a second drive is available.