AppInstaller crashes on Windows10 operation system when searching for updates automatically.

Hello Tam Bi,

I looked into this issue a bit deeper, and it seems the crash on Windows 10 isn’t coming from your hosting or your .appinstaller structure, it’s happening because the newer platform and dependency versions you upgraded to are using API contracts that Windows 10’s AppInstaller.exe simply can’t load. Windows 11 handles these fine, but the Windows 10 App Installer component is much more fragile and hasn’t been updated in a long time.

There are several cases online showing the same pattern:

• Microsoft.UI.Xaml 2.8.x causing dependency resolution crashes on Windows 10 systems during AppInstaller update checks: https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/issues/3918
• Windows 10 AppInstaller not handling modern TargetPlatformVersions (like 26100) and failing during the update scan: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/discussions/msix-discussions/application-crash-on-windows-10-enterprise-ltsc-when-using-appinstaller/3004853
• Microsoft’s own documentation noting limited and inconsistent support for .appinstaller behaviors on older Win10 builds: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/app-installer/troubleshoot-appinstaller-issues

Because the crash happens before installation and exactly when AppInstaller checks for updates, it matches the known Windows 10 parsing crash where it can’t load newer framework metadata.

The most reliable fixes reported by developers with the same symptoms are:

1. Lowering the TargetPlatformVersion from 10.0.26100.0 down to 10.0.19041.0 (or even 18362 if you need wider Win10 coverage).
2. Downgrading Microsoft.UI.Xaml from the 2.8 series to 2.7.3, since 2.8 depends on OS features that don’t exist on many Windows 10 builds.
3. Optionally removing the “Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00.UWPDesktop” dependency, as several Win10 systems have trouble resolving it through AppInstaller.

These changes avoid the API contracts and dependency metadata that cause AppInstaller.exe to crash on Windows 10 during the automatic update scan.

(Disclaimer: Some links are non-Microsoft website. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classifies as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it. )

Hope this helps!

It seems that the issue you're experiencing with the AppInstaller crashing when searching for updates on Windows 10 could be related to several factors. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

1. Windows Version Compatibility: Ensure that the Windows version on the devices where the crash occurs supports the .appinstaller file schema. The use of the embedded App Installer file is available in Windows version 10.0.21300.0 and newer. If the devices are running an older version, it may lead to compatibility issues.
2. Check Dependencies: Verify that all dependencies listed in your .appinstaller file are correctly referenced and compatible with the updated target platform version. Sometimes, version mismatches can cause crashes.
3. Trusted Certificates: Make sure that the certificates used to sign your app package are trusted by the device. If the certificate is self-signed or not recognized, the AppInstaller may fail to install or update the app.
4. Event Viewer Logs: Check the Event Viewer for logs related to AppInstaller. You can find logs under Application and Services Logs -> Microsoft -> Windows -> AppxDeployment-Server. These logs can provide more insight into what might be causing the crashes.
5. Developer Mode: Ensure that the device is enabled for Developer Mode or Sideloading apps, as this is required for sideloading applications in Windows 10.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider rolling back to a previous version of the target platform or dependencies to see if that alleviates the problem.

References:

• Using an embedded App Installer file to update your app
• Troubleshoot installation issues with the App Installer file