One of the striking features of Windows 10 is that it gives users the freedom to install apps manually or in other words sideload an app using a .appx or .appxbundle package. With Anniversary Update for PC, Microsoft made installing appx packages easier by implementing an inbuilt appx package installer however, there are times it just doesn’t work even if the .appx package is up to date.
For normal users, they would visit the Windows Store where from they download and install the app. It is the same appx package that developers use to sideload on to their machines while debugging and testing on different devices.
These application packages include the name, description, and permissions of an app along with the application binaries. These are useful in some cases supposedly if your company or organization may provide an application you need in .appx format for you to consume.
Reddit user by the name of colinkiama wants to take this experience a step further and so has developed an app that will make it easier to choose and install the package with minimum effort on both Windows 10 PC as well as Mobile.
Here’s a preview of the app in action:
https://i.imgur.com/ZkL3YGz.gif
This is an open-source project and is hosted on GitHub. This is the full release of the installer with progress bar notification support for PC and (partially) Mobile and the ability to install the package with its dependencies.
Convinced enough? Download it here: https://github.com/colinkiama/UWP-Package-Installer/releases/download/v1.6.1.0/packageInstaller_1.6.1.0.zip
To install the .appx file from the downloaded .zip package, Go to PC settings >> Update & security >> For developers. Select sideload apps otpion.
Head back to .zip file and extract it to a friendly location, say desktop. Double click on the file ending in .appxbundle, click Install button and wait for it to install.
