I developed a Windows Form application and I used "Windows Application Packaging Project" in Visual Studio 2022 (17.9.4) to generate the appxbundle and the appinstaller file to sideload the app, published on my website (accessible using HTTPS). Appxbundle is generated correctly and I'm able to install the app by double-clicking it.
However, double-clicking the appinstaller file fails with error "Error in parsing the app package". No errors are logged in Event viewer, in the registries Microsoft/Windows/AppxDeployment* and Microsoft/Windows/AppxPackagingOM. App is signed with a certificate (not self-signed) and the certificate is installed onto the PCs on which I'm trying to install the app; I tried both on Windows 11 and Windows 10 with the latest updates.
Using Add-AppxPackage -Appinstaller command in PowerShell works, but I need to install the app by double-clicking appinstaller file.
I already read many similar posts on SO ("Error in parsing the app package." when opening Windows 10 .appinstaller file from web (MSIX), MSIX Web Installer not working - Error in parsing the app package, UWP .appinstaller - "Error in parsing the app package." and others) but none of them solve my problem.
Checks I've done so far:
- following the guide Troubleshoot installation issues with the App Installer file
- setting MIME type (both these and these)
- checking that my webserver supports byte range requests
- checking the accessibility of appinstaller URI and appxbundle URI set in appinstaller file
What else could I check? Thank you in advance.