Simplest way to move system wide Remote Desktop MSI install to new Windows App for all user with shortcut

With MSIX (including the new Windows App), you don't get a traditional system-wide installation folder like you did with MSI, so you can't reliably point a public desktop shortcut at something like C:\Program Files\App\app.exe. MSIX apps are registered per user, even when provisioned system-wide.

First, provision the MSIX for all users so that it installs automatically at first logon. That's done with Add-ProvisionedAppxPackage (online image) so every new user who logs in gets it registered into their profile.

Second, create a desktop shortcut that targets the app through its Application User Model ID (AUMID), not a file path. MSIX apps can be launched via explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder<AUMID>. That target works for any user as long as the app is registered in their profile.

After provisioning the app, get its AUMID on a test machine where it's installed by running:

Get-StartApps | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "*Windows App*"}

That will return something like:

Name AppID Windows App Microsoft.WindowsApp_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

The AppID value is the AUMID. The string will depend on the package.

Then create a shortcut on the Public Desktop pointing to:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.WindowsApp_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

You can generate the shortcut via PowerShell during deployment:

$ShortcutPath = "C:\Users\Public\Desktop\Windows App.lnk"
$TargetPath = "C:\Windows\explorer.exe"
$Arguments = "shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.WindowsApp_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App"

$Shortcut = $WScriptShell.CreateShortcut($ShortcutPath)
$Shortcut.TargetPath = $TargetPath
$Shortcut.Arguments = $Arguments
$Shortcut.IconLocation = "$env:SystemRoot\System32\mstsc.exe"
$Shortcut.Save()

is provisioned and registered at first logon, the shortcut should work for any user and can safely live in C:\Users\Public\Desktop.

If you're using Intune or ConfigMgr, then deploy the MSIX as a line-of-business app or provision it with a system script, then deploy a separate system-context PowerShell script to create the public desktop shortcut using the AUMID method above.

The key point is that with MSIX you don't target the physical install location. You target the AUMID through shell:AppsFolder, which gives you the same “all users see it immediately” behavior you previously had with MSI plus a public desktop shortcut.

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hth

Marcin