Is it possible to change the WinUI3 msix display name after its installed..

Vishy 0 Reputation points
2025-04-11T09:40:53.8266667+00:00

I have requirement.

Based on criteria, I want to change the display name in the start menu and all places like notifications of my WinUI3 msix after its installed.

I went to through macro link below

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/schemas/appxpackage/uapmanifestschema/macros

Is it possible to change that,

Lets say By default App Display Name is My Support.

Above will be used to show in start menu and Toast Notifications.

But with same MSIX after I installed it on some conditions, I want to rename that to My New Support

So in the same start menu and Notifications new name should reflect.

Can it be done if I uninstall or re-install and change the name ??

Windows App SDK
Windows App SDK
A set of Microsoft open-source libraries, frameworks, components, and tools to be used in apps to access Windows platform functionality on many versions of Windows. Previously known as Project Reunion.
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  1. Darran Rowe 1,711 Reputation points
    2025-04-11T15:00:50.94+00:00

    This can be done. You also can do it if you just provide an update to the package. The only important thing is that the package identity stays the same, this means that the package name itself cannot change.

    To give an example. Here is an example Package.appxmanifest file. This is not from a WinUI 3 project, but this is from a packaged desktop application. There is no difference since WinUI 3 applications desktop applications.

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    
    <Package
      xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10"
      xmlns:mp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/2014/phone/manifest"
      xmlns:uap="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10"
      xmlns:rescap="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10/restrictedcapabilities"
      IgnorableNamespaces="mp uap rescap">
    
      <Identity Name="Untrusted.ConsoleTest" Publisher="CN=Darran" Version="1.0.1.0" />
    
      <mp:PhoneIdentity PhoneProductId="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" PhonePublisherId="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"/>
    
      <Properties>
        <DisplayName>ConsoleTest</DisplayName>
        <PublisherDisplayName>Darran</PublisherDisplayName>
        <Logo>Images\StoreLogo.png</Logo>
      </Properties>
    
      <Dependencies>
        <TargetDeviceFamily Name="Windows.Universal" MinVersion="10.0.0.0" MaxVersionTested="10.0.0.0" />
        <TargetDeviceFamily Name="Windows.Desktop" MinVersion="10.0.14393.0" MaxVersionTested="10.0.14393.0" />
      </Dependencies>
    
      <Resources>
        <Resource Language="x-generate"/>
      </Resources>
    
      <Applications>
        <Application Id="App"
          Executable="$targetnametoken$.exe"
          EntryPoint="$targetentrypoint$">
          <uap:VisualElements
            DisplayName="ConsoleTest"
            Description="ConsoleTest"
            BackgroundColor="transparent"
            Square150x150Logo="Images\Square150x150Logo.png"
            Square44x44Logo="Images\Square44x44Logo.png">
            <uap:DefaultTile Wide310x150Logo="Images\Wide310x150Logo.png" />
            <uap:SplashScreen Image="Images\SplashScreen.png" />
          </uap:VisualElements>
        </Application>
      </Applications>
    
      <Capabilities>
        <Capability Name="internetClient" />
        <rescap:Capability Name="runFullTrust" />
      </Capabilities>
    </Package>
    

    In particular, notice the DisplayName element for the Properties element, the DisplayName element for the VisualElements element and the Description element for the VisualElements.

    The installer UI will show:

    ConsoleTest installer

    Start will show:

    ConsoleTest on start

    Now, if I update things so that the Package.appxmanifest is as follows:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    
    <Package
      xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10"
      xmlns:mp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/2014/phone/manifest"
      xmlns:uap="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/uap/windows10"
      xmlns:rescap="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10/restrictedcapabilities"
      IgnorableNamespaces="mp uap rescap">
    
      <Identity Name="Untrusted.ConsoleTest" Publisher="CN=Darran" Version="1.0.2.0" />
    
      <mp:PhoneIdentity PhoneProductId="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" PhonePublisherId="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"/>
    
      <Properties>
        <DisplayName>New ConsoleTest</DisplayName>
        <PublisherDisplayName>Darran</PublisherDisplayName>
        <Logo>Images\StoreLogo.png</Logo>
      </Properties>
    
      <Dependencies>
        <TargetDeviceFamily Name="Windows.Universal" MinVersion="10.0.0.0" MaxVersionTested="10.0.0.0" />
        <TargetDeviceFamily Name="Windows.Desktop" MinVersion="10.0.14393.0" MaxVersionTested="10.0.14393.0" />
      </Dependencies>
    
      <Resources>
        <Resource Language="x-generate"/>
      </Resources>
    
      <Applications>
        <Application Id="App"
          Executable="$targetnametoken$.exe"
          EntryPoint="$targetentrypoint$">
          <uap:VisualElements
            DisplayName="New ConsoleTest"
            Description="New ConsoleTest"
            BackgroundColor="transparent"
            Square150x150Logo="Images\Square150x150Logo.png"
            Square44x44Logo="Images\Square44x44Logo.png">
            <uap:DefaultTile Wide310x150Logo="Images\Wide310x150Logo.png" />
            <uap:SplashScreen Image="Images\SplashScreen.png" />
          </uap:VisualElements>
        </Application>
      </Applications>
    
      <Capabilities>
        <Capability Name="internetClient" />
        <rescap:Capability Name="runFullTrust" />
      </Capabilities>
    </Package>
    
    

    Note that the previously mentioned elements have been updated, but the Name attribute for the Identity element has not changed. If you also note the Version attribute of the Identity element, you will notice that this has change. It must change to provide a nice smooth upgrade.

    Anyway, the installer UI will show:

    New ConsoleTest installer

    Start will show:

    New ConsoleTest on start

    So it is possible to change things like the name and description, but it is important to keep the identity the same if you want a smooth upgrade experience.


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