msix 3.0.0-dev.5

A command-line tool that create Msix installer from your flutter windows-build files.

MSIX is a Windows app packaging format from Microsoft that combines the best features of MSI, .appx, App-V, and ClickOnce to provide a modern and reliable packaging experience.

This package offers a command line tool for creating MSIX installers from your Flutter app, making it easy to publish your app to the Microsoft Store or host it on a website.

📋 Installation

In your pubspec.yaml, add the msix package as a new dev dependency with the following command:

PS c:\src\flutter_project> flutter pub add --dev msix

📦 Creating an MSIX installer

To create a MSIX installer, run the following command:

PS c:\src\flutter_project> flutter pub run msix:create

Configuring your installer

You will almost certainly want to customize various settings in the MSIX installer, such as the application title, the default icon, and which Windows capabilities your application needs. You can customize the generated MSIX installer by adding declarations to an msix_config: node in your pubspec.yaml file:

msix_config:
  display_name: MyAppName
  publisher_display_name: MyName
  identity_name: MyCompany.MySuite.MyApp
  msix_version: 1.0.0.0
  logo_path: C:\<PathToIcon>\<Logo.png>
  capabilities: "internetClient,location,microphone,webcam"

Full list of available configurations (click to expand)

YAML name	Command-line argument	Description (from Microsoft Package manifest schema reference)	Example
display_name	--display-name -d	A friendly app name that can be displayed to users.	Flutter Gallery
logo_path	--logo-path -l	Path to an image file for use as the app icon (at least 400x400px).	C:\images\gallery.png
msix_version	--version	The version number of the package, in a.b.c.d format.	1.0.0.0
store	--store	Generate a MSIX file for publishing to the Microsoft Store.	false
publisher_display_name	--publisher-display-name -u	A friendly name for the publisher that can be displayed to users.	MyName
identity_name	--identity-name -i	Defines the unique identifier for the app.	dev.flutter.Gallery
publisher	--publisher -b	Describes the publisher.	CN=BF212345-5644-46DF-8668-014044C1B138
output_path	--output-path -o	The directory where the output MSIX file should be stored.	C:\src\myapp\msix
output_name	--output-name -n	The filename that should be given to the created MSIX file.	myApp_dev
languages	--languages	Declares the language resources contained in the package.	en-us, ja-jp
capabilities	--capabilities -e	List of the capabilities the app requires.	internetClient,location,microphone,webcam
architecture	--architecture -h	Describes the architecture of the code in the package.	x64
certificate_path	--certificate-path -c	Path to the certificate content to place in the store.	C:\certs\signcert.pfx
certificate_password	--certificate-password -p	Password for the certificate.	1234
signtool_options	--signtool-options	Options to be provided to the signtool for app signing (see below.)	/v /fd SHA256 /f C:/Users/me/Desktop/my.cer
install_certificate	--install-certificate	If false, don't install the certificate, default is true.	true
build_windows	--build-windows	If false, don't run the build command flutter build windows, default is true.	true
	--with-test-certificate-installer	Copy also a test-certificate installer program (.exe), that can help to quickly install the test-certificate on a new machine.
file_extension	--file-extension -f	File extensions that the app may be registered to open.	.picture, .image
protocol_activation	--protocol-activation	Protocol activation that will open the app.	myapp
add_execution_alias	--add-execution-alias	Add an alias for running the app, using pubspec.yaml name: node	true
debug	--debug or --release	Create MSIX from the debug/release build files (\build\windows\runner\<Debug/Release>), release is the default.	true

Toast Notifications configurations (click to expand)

Toast Notifications configuration example:

msix_config:
  display_name: MyApp
  publisher_display_name: MyApp
  toast_activator: #<-- toast notifications configuration
    clsid: A1232234-1234-1234-1234-123412341234
    arguments: "1,2,3"
    display_name: "TEST"
  msix_version: 1.0.3.0

YAML name	Command-line argument	Description	Example
clsid	--toast-activator-clsid -d	The UUID CLSID.	replaced-with-your-guid-C173E6ADF0C3
arguments	--toast-activator-arguments	Arguments for the toast notifications.	----AppNotificationActivationServer
display_name	--toast-activator-display-name -d	Display name for the toast notifications.	Toast activator

✒️ Signing options

Published MSIX installers should be signed with a certificate, to help ensure that app installs and updates come from trustworthy sources.

• For development purposes, this package is configured by default to automatically sign your app with a test certificate, which makes it easy to test your install prior to release.
• If you publish your app to the Microsoft Store, the installation package will be signed automatically by the store.
• If you need to use your own signing certificate, for example to release the app outside of the Microsoft Store, you can use the configuration fields certificate_path and certificate_password to configure a certificate of your choice.

You can also provide custom options to the signing tool with the --signtool-options command, as shown above. For more information on available options, see the signtool documentation. Note that using this option overrides the certificate_path and certificate_password fields.

Note: By default, the MSIX package will install the certificate on your machine. You can disable this by using the --install-certificate false option, or the YAML option install_certificate: false.

Publishing to the Microsoft Store

To generate an MSIX file for publishing to the Microsoft Store, use the --store flag, or alternatively add store: true to the YAML configuration.

Note: For apps published to the Microsoft Store, the configuration values publisher_display_name, identity_name, msix_version and publisher must all be configured and should match the registered publisher and app name from the Microsoft Store dashboard, as per this screenshot.

🌐 Publishing outside the store

You can use the App Installer file to enable your users to download or update the app from local file share.

To create a App Installer file, first set the publish_folder_path configuration, then run the following command:

PS c:\src\flutter_project> flutter pub run msix:publish

Available configurations for App Installer (click to expand)

App Installer configuration example:

msix_config:
  display_name: MyApp
  publisher_display_name: MyApp
  app_installer: #<-- app installer configuration
    publish_folder_path: c:\path\to\myPublishFolder
    hours_between_update_checks: 0
    automatic_background_task: true
    update_blocks_activation: true
    show_prompt: true
    force_update_from_any_version: false
  msix_version: 1.0.3.0

YAML name	Command-line argument	Description (from Microsoft schema reference)	Example
publish_folder_path	--publish-folder-path	A path to publish folder, where the msix versions and the .appinstaller file will be saved.	c:\path\to\myPublishFolder
hours_between_update_checks	--hours-between-update-checks	Defines the minimal time gap between update checks, when the user open the app. default is 0 (will check for update every time the app opened)	2
automatic_background_task	--automatic-background-task	Checks for updates in the background every 8 hours independently of whether the user launched the app. default is true	true
update_blocks_activation	--update-blocks-activation	Defines the experience when an app update is checked for. default is true	true
show_prompt	--show-prompt	Defines if a window is displayed when updates are being installed, and when updates are being checked for. default is true	true
force_update_from_any_version	--force-update-from-any-version	Allows the app to update from version x to version x++ or to downgrade from version x to version x--. default is false	true

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Tags: msi windows win10 win11 windows10 windows11 windows store windows installer windows packaging appx AppxManifest SignTool MakeAppx