Microsoft recently announced that they are retiring the current Microsoft Store version of the Remote Desktop app on May 27, 2025, transitioning users to a new Windows App. This change previously did not include the standalone MSI installer, but a new update revealed that this version will also be replaced by the Windows App on March 27, 2026. For my organization, disabling the Microsoft Store on client devices is standard practice, and we have faced significant issues deploying store apps via Intune. Without a standalone MSI installer option for the new Windows App, I'm curious if others have managed to roll it out while blocking the Microsoft Store. Any insights on how to address this challenge or whether Microsoft plans to provide a standalone installer for the new app?
2 Answers
Yes, Microsoft actually does offer standalone installers for the new Windows App. You can check their website for more info. It’s great that they’ve kept this option available! I recommend giving the .msix installer a try, even though we’ve had our own struggles with Intune and Windows Store apps in the past. It might just work this time!
I saw that the MSI was supposed to remain available based on their announcements. The first one stated that MS Store app would no longer be supported after the date mentioned but didn’t say anything about the MSI version getting replaced. So I’m really curious where the info about the MSI going away came from!
There were two separate announcements from Microsoft, one for each version of the remote desktop. The first indicated the MS Store was being replaced, but the follow-up said the standalone MSI would also transition to the new app about a year later, likely in response to user feedback about the stability of both versions.
Thanks for confirming! I had similar deployment issues with Windows Store apps previously, but I’ll definitely test the .msix option.