C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\<build number>\x86\makeappx.exe (Note: <build number> is something like 10.0.22621.0 depending on your SDK version.) If you already have Visual Studio 2019 or 2022 installed, you likely already have makeappx.exe without knowing it.
For enterprise CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions), makeappx.exe remains the best choice. Once you have makeappx.exe , you typically need to sign the package with a certificate. Use signtool.exe (also part of the Windows SDK): download makeappx.exe
Despite its importance, finding a direct, standalone download link for makeappx.exe can be confusing. It is not typically available as a single-file download from Microsoft’s website. Instead, it is bundled within larger SDKs and Visual Studio workloads. Use signtool
| Tool | Description | Command-line required? | |------|-------------|------------------------| | | Built-in publishing wizard creates .appx / .msix packages. | No | | MSIX Packaging Tool | GUI tool to repackage traditional installers (EXE/MSI) into MSIX. | No | | Windows Application Packaging Project | A Visual Studio project template that automates makeappx.exe calls. | No | | PowerShell (Compress-Archive) | Only for ZIP, not signed MSIX. Not a real alternative. | Yes (but limited) | | Tool | Description | Command-line required
A: Rare, but possible if you downloaded from a non-Microsoft source. The genuine Microsoft version is safe. This article was last updated on [Current Date]. For the latest Windows SDK release information, always refer to Microsoft’s official developer documentation.