Provisioning Package

Provisioning packages can be used to prepare and configure devices in an environment without access to endpoint management. They can also be deployed to a device regardless of identity of the user, enrollment status, during the Out of Box Experience (OOBE), or by applying a provisioning package during setup.

Provisioning Packages considerations

  • Non-Public apps
  • USB side-load only
  • No auto update (requires manual updates via Provisioning Packages [PPKGs])

A certificate in the local machine store signs the apps installed via a provisioning package. Provisioning packages can only install certificates to the device (local machine) store. Therefore an app and a certificate may be installed via the same provisioning package. If you're deploying your certificate from MDM or installing via the Certificate Manager, make sure to deploy the certificate to the local machine store to sign apps installed this way.

To learn the basics of creating a Provisioning Package for HoloLens devices, visit HoloLens Provisioning. To deploy an app, you must start with advanced provisioning.

Note

HoloLens (1st gen) has limited support installing apps (UniversalAppInstall) by using a provisioning package. HoloLens (1st gen) devices only support installing an app via PPKG only during OOBE and only with user context installs.

Setup

Within Windows Configuration Designer, take following four steps.

  1. Set ApplicationManagement/AllowAllTrustedApps To “Yes.” See: ApplicationManagement/AllowAllTrustedApps.

  2. Navigate to UniversalAppInstall > UserContextApp enter the PackageFamilyName. See UniversalAppInstall.

    You can use Device Portal on a device on which you have installed your app. Visit the Apps page, and look at the PackageRelativeID line, all the information before the "!" Is your PackageFamilyName.

  3. You'll then see that you have a new section, ApplicationFile. Use this area to upload your appx bundle.

  4. Depending on whether you've purchased your app or built your own LOB app, you'll need to upload the license file or security certificate.

    • For license file: navigate to UniversalAppInstall > UserContextAppLicence and enter your license product ID. A new section LicenseProductID:yourlicenseproductid will be created, select this new section and browse to the location of your license and upload it.
    • For the security file, navigate to Certificates and select your certificate to install alongside your .appx bundle.

Make sure to save your project to a secure location. Then Export it as a Provisioning Package.

See also: Apply your provisioning package to HoloLens.