How to Deploy Win32 Apps Using Intune
- Gareth Oxendine
- Dec 31
- 7 min read
Updated: May 11
Introduction
Need to deploy an EXE application to your devices? You've come to the right place! Intune allows us to upload and deploy Win32 apps, but they must have the .intunewin file extension. To convert an .exe or .msi installer file so they have the .intunwin file extension, you can use the Win32 Content Prep Tool. In this article, we'll learn what a Win32 app is, how to create them, and how to deploy them using Intune. Let's dive in!
IMPORTANT: |
If you use Autopilot to enroll computers into Intune, see Microsoft's warning below: "If you mix the installation of Win32 apps and line-of-business apps during Autopilot enrollment, the app installation might fail as they both may attempt to use the Trusted Installer service at the same time which causes a failure due to this conflict." Remember that apps will continue to try to install if they fail. At some point, the app will install; it just may take some time and some reboots. |
Table of Contents
What is a Win32 App?
Win32 desktop apps (also sometimes called classic desktop apps) are the original app type for native Windows applications that require direct access to Windows and hardware. This makes Win32 the app type of choice for applications that need the highest level of performance and direct access to system hardware. -- Microsoft
You use the Win32 Content Prep Tool to convert .exe or .msi files into .intunewin files. Once converted, you upload and deploy the .intunewin file as a Win32 application.
How to Use the Win32 Content Prep Tool to Convert Files
Below are the steps to download and use the Win32 Content Prep Tool to convert installer files to have the .intunewin file extension.
Step 1: Download the Tool
Click here to download the tool from Microsoft's GitHub repository
Once downloaded, double-click the folder to unzip and extract the contents.
The tool is labeled IntuneWinAppUtil.exe.
Step 2: Use the Tool
To launch the tool, double-click the IntuneWinAppUtil.exe file.
Once you double-click the IntuneWinAppUtil.exe file, a new window appears with a few prompts (see example image below). You must specify the following:
Source Folder: the path to the folder that contains the installer .exe or .msi file. If you need to include additional files with the installer file like a configuration file, ensure they are in the source folder along with the installer file. Ensure that the source folder does NOT contain the IntuneWinAppUtil.exe file. Keep the tool in a separate location from your installation file(s).
Setup File: the name of the installer file (make sure to include the extension).
Output Folder: the destination path for the final .intunewin file.
"Do you want to specify catalog folder (Y/N)": only select yes if the installer file has a catalog file. If you are unsure, catalog files have the ".cat" extension. Most likely, you will type in N and hit enter/return on your keyboard.
In the example above, I chose the same destination file path for my output and source folders so the new .intunewin file would be created in the same folder as the original .exe file. This is not necessary, however.
TIP: |
If the Win32 Content Prep tool window keeps closing, then right-click on IntuneWinAppUtil.exe and run it as Administrator. If the Win32 Content Prep tool seems to be taking a long time, check that the listed source folder contains only the installer files. Remember, the tool packages everything located in the source folder into the .intunewin file and not just the setup file. For example, if you use the Downloads folder as the source folder and it contains several other random files, the tool will try to package everything in that folder into the .intunewin file. |
How to Upload & Deploy the .intunewin File using Intune
Now that you have converted the installer to an .intunewin file, you can upload and deploy it as a Win32 application using Intune. See the steps below:
Step 1: Create a Windows app (Win32) in Intune
Open the Intune portal.
Select Apps in the left-hand menu blade.
Select Windows.
Select + Add and choose Windows app (Win32).
Click Select.
Step 2: Upload the Intunewin File
Click Select app package file.
Select the folder icon, browse to the .intunewin file you created earlier, and select it.
Select Ok.
Step 3: Configure the App Information Tab
Add a Name, Description, and Publisher for the application.
Although optional, I would recommend adding the App Version. This will help when you need to update the app in the future.
Optionally configure the rest of the settings.
Step 4: Configure the Program Tab
Install Command: Enter the same command you would use if executing the .exe installer using CMD (e.g. setup.exe /quiet).
If you included additional files in the source folder when using the IntuneWinAppUtil.exe tool, then you can reference them in your install command as if you were executing the command in the source folder's directory.
If unsure what the install parameters are, consult the application vendor's documentation. You can also use CMD to run the installer .exe file with the /? or /help switch to see if the installer file provided a command line argument/switch menu.
Alternatively, you can also use a program like WinRar to extract the original .exe file. From the extracted contents, you can try running the /? or /help switch against any nested installer files, or you can view the contents of the text files to see if the command line arguments/switches are listed inside (see example below). Because not all .exe files are archived files, there may not be anything to extract.
Uninstall Command: Enter the same command you would use if uninstalling the application using CMD. If you are unsure of the uninstall command for the application, try consulting the application vendor's documentation. Another option is to view the UninstallString provided in the Registry after you install the application. See the steps below:
Install the application on your machine or a test machine.
Run the PowerShell script below, replacing "app_name" with the appropriate name.
As an example, view the UninstallString property below:
Install Behavior: You have the choice to install the application using the user context or the system context. If user is chosen, then the application is installed under the user context; if system is chosen, then the application is installed under the context of all the users on the machine.
Microsoft recommends that if you are targeting Entra ID registered devices, you use the system context.
If the application needs to be installed with administrative privileges, then the app will only install successfully if you choose the user context and the user is a local admin on the machine. If it is still not installing successfully, try targeting a user-based group. Click here to learn more.
Optionally, configure the rest of the settings.
Select Next.
Step 5: Configure the Requirements Tab
Choose the Operating system architecture of the targeted machines.
Choose the Minimum operating system required for the targeted machines.
Optionally configure the rest of the settings.
Select Next.
Step 6: Configure the Detection Rules Tab
Detection Rule: with Win32 apps, you must instruct Intune on how to detect whether the Win32 application installed successfully or not. For a list of all the detection methods and their explanations, click here.
Select Next.
NOTE: |
When using the registry as the detection method, the value name field is not for the names of keys or subkeys but for the names of value entries (e.g., a DWORD entry). If you want to set the rule to detect if a key or subkey exists, then leave the value name field blank. Also, when defining a path for the registry, use the following syntax: - HKLM\ - HKCU\ |
TIP: |
Ensure your detection rule is resilient to app updates; it should be configured so that if an application update occurs, Intune still detects the app and doesn’t attempt to reinstall (unless you want it to). After adding the detection rule, ask yourself if the rule would still apply if the app updates in the future. For example, if you chose the MSI detection method, ask yourself if the MSI value will stay the same if the app updates. |
Step 7: Configure the Dependencies Tab
When configuring an application and choosing a dependent app, the app you are currently configuring will be dependent on the app chosen. Any application in the dependent list must be installed first and can be considered as the "parent" application. You don't have to create an assignment for dependent apps, as they will be targeted to the same assignment option as the app that is dependent on them. All apps in a dependency relationship must be Win32 apps.
Simply put, creating a dependency says, “I am dependent on the app I am about to choose.”
Step 8: Configure the Supersedence Tab
Supersedence works by creating a new Win32 application and then selecting which app(s) it supersedes. Once you do this, you receive the choice to update or uninstall the original application(s). I believe the main benefits of using supersedence are keeping a historical record of deployed applications and helping manage the uninstallation or updating of old app versions. If an app is superseded by another app in Intune, you cannot delete the app from Intune. To delete the app, remove the supersedence.
IMPORTANT: |
Even if you choose to Update the original/old app, the new installer file for the updated app may uninstall the old version regardless. Ensure to always test before deploying an update company-wide. |
Step 9: Configure the Assignment & Review + Create Tabs
Add the appropriate assignment method, review, and create the application!
Cover Picture provided by Freepik
