AppX / MSIX (Microsoft Store package)

AppX (and its successor MSIX) is Windows' modern app package format - the one the Microsoft Store requires. Unlike a classic .exe installer that runs arbitrary setup code, an AppX is a declarative bundle: the OS itself installs, sandboxes and cleanly uninstalls it.

For distribution, the differences that matter: Store apps update through the Store (not your own updater), install per-user without admin prompts, and carry a publisher identity that must match your Partner Center account - which is also the identity Windows uses for toast notifications.

Most Windows products ship both: a signed .exe (via SmartScreen-trusted signing) for direct downloads, and an AppX for the Store's discovery and enterprise-friendly install story. Deskifier builds both from the same configuration.