Applications in the modern Windows Application ecosystem are attempting to evolve beyond the standard folders that contain only executables and resources. Windows apps are distributed, installed, and updated as packages, providing structure and security through digital signatures and uniquely identifiable assets.

Digital signatures have grown in popularity and acceptance in the industry and are now required in some cases, such as with MSIX packages. This ensures that the software delivered is secure and trustworthy.

In 2018, Microsoft announced MSIX as the next big thing: a single installer that will replace MSI, EXE, and APP-V.

WPF, which stands for Windows Presentation Foundation, is a framework used for building client applications that run on Windows operating systems, was introduced as a part of .NET Framework 3.0.

Updates are an important part of any application. They allow you to deliver fixes, improvements, and security patches.

Your installer just got an extra security layer. Starting with version 23.5, Advanced Installer introduces a new security improvement designed to protect your custom actions from tampering.

Version 23.5 brings a new layer of security and reliability to your installers, protecting custom actions from tampering while ensuring more predictable behavior during setup.

Many vendors, or even some IT infrastructure landscapes, may want the EXE installer icon changed. This is done for many reasons, including branding and marketing purposes, but it may also give users confidence that the downloaded installer is from the vendor.

Digital Signing should be a formality for professionals. It’s been almost 30 years since the first software was digitally signed but we still have many users who don’t know how or why they should use a code signing certificate. We need it to protect their intellectual property and enhance the cybersecurity of their end-users.

There are many tools that are designed to assist you in managing all aspects of it. In the application management area, there is also the free Squirrel project, available on GitHub.

In early 2026, reports disclosed that the update mechanism for Notepad++ had been compromised.

Have you recently noticed unexpected User Account Control (UAC) prompts when launching MSI-installed applications, especially when using advertised shortcuts or opening associated files?

While it might not be a high-demand scenario in the industry, there are many cases where you might want to convert your HTML to an EXE.

Welcome to Advanced Installer 23.4, which introduces a set of new features and improvements designed to strengthen security, automation, UI consistency, and overall stability.

Universal Windows Platform applications, often called UWP, are a Microsoft application model that debuted with Windows 8 and continued to evolve in the Windows 10 era.

Managing printers with PowerShell gives you a scriptable approach to add or remove printers, list installed printers, or set a default printer. This approach is especially useful in environments where automation, consistency across machines, or mass deployment is required – for example, using deployment tools like ConfigMgr (SCCM) or Intune.

This release introduces a new Security Validation Framework that alerts you about the latest security features, helping you stay compliant and avoid manual checks.

In a previous blog article, we discussed what an EXE setup file is, the difference between EXE and MSI installers, and other general details related to Windows’ setup.exe.

In April 2025, version 6.0.0 of WiX Toolset introduced the Open Source Maintenance Fee (OSMF), and since then, IT professionals have been reviewing and reassessing how they build and maintain their installers, as well as how they budget for their infrastructure.

Winget is becoming increasingly popular, and the official repository is growing larger as new applications are added. Many ISVs who place their apps on the repository already have a well-established process to keep them up to date.