How to Get Windows 10 AppX Application Details

[Jon]

I'm writing some build scripts for a Windows 10 build. One thing I want to do is optimise the build for a business desktop. And that means removing all the "toy" Windows Store apps that are reinstalled every time a new user is logged on. Zune Music - I'm looking at you. AppX packages are staged or provisioned in the Windows 10 image, and also installed per user as required. The PowerShell CmdLets are named Get-AppXProvisionedPackage and Get-AppXPackage respectively.

To get a list of packages installed for the current user we run:

Get-AppxPackage | Format-Wide -Property Name

Here is the list returned by Windows 10 Enterprise:

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Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00
Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00
Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.0
Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.0
Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.0
Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.0
Microsoft.Windows.CloudExperienceHost
Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin
Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost
windows.immersivecontrolpanel
Microsoft.Windows.Cortana
Microsoft.AccountsControl
Microsoft.BioEnrollment
Microsoft.LockApp
Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge
Microsoft.Windows.AssignedAccessLockApp
Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager
Microsoft.Windows.ParentalControls
Microsoft.WindowsFeedback
Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI
Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider
Windows.ContactSupport
Windows.MiracastView
Windows.PrintDialog
Windows.PurchaseDialog
microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps
Microsoft.BingFinance
Microsoft.BingWeather
Microsoft.BingNews
Microsoft.Getstarted
Microsoft.Windows.Photos
Microsoft.WindowsStore
Microsoft.XboxApp
Microsoft.WindowsCamera
Microsoft.ZuneMusic
windows.devicesflow
Microsoft.WindowsAlarms
Microsoft.SkypeApp
Microsoft.ZuneVideo
Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder
Microsoft.WindowsPhone
Microsoft.WindowsMaps
Microsoft.WindowsCalculator
Microsoft.People
Microsoft.Office.OneNote
Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection
Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub
Microsoft.BingSports
Microsoft.Appconnector
Microsoft.3DBuilder

It's interesting that some of the old desktop applications have been replaced by Universal AppX packages. For example, Windows Calculator. 

The list above just includes the AppX package name, there are more properties available:

Get-AppXPackage Microsoft.WindowsCalculator

Name              : Microsoft.WindowsCalculator
Publisher         : CN=Microsoft Corporation, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US
Architecture      : X64
ResourceId        : 
Version           : 10.1507.15010.0
PackageFullName   : Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1507.15010.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
InstallLocation   : C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1507.15010.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
IsFramework       : False
PackageFamilyName : Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe
PublisherId       : 8wekyb3d8bbwe
IsResourcePackage : False
IsBundle          : False
IsDevelopmentMode : False
Dependencies      : {Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00_14.0.22929.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe}

 

Once you have package names you can use Remove-AppXPackage to uninstall for the user, and Remove-AppXProvisionedPackage to remove from the image, then you run SysPrep and the applications will not be installed for new users of that image.

Most of the package names are fairly self explanatory, but each package can contain multiple applications. It's not obvious that the "toy" Windows Mail application is included in the microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps package. Here is a PowerShell script that cycles through all the packages and shows the applications inside:

$packages = Get-AppxPackage

foreach ( $package in $packages )
{
    Write-host "Package: $($package.Name)"
    
    $manifests = Get-AppxPackageManifest -Package $package
    foreach ($manifest in $manifests)
    {
        foreach($app in $manifest.Package.Applications.Application)
        {
            Write-Host "  Id: $($app.Id)"
            Write-Host "  Executable: $($app.Executable)"           
        }
    }

    Write-Host
}

Example output for microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps:

Package: microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps
  
  Id: microsoft.windowslive.mail
  Executable: HxMail.exe
  
  Id: microsoft.windowslive.calendar
  Executable: HxCalendarAppImm.exe

 

The Id gives you a good idea of the individual applications, but I imagine there is a way to get the proper Start Menu display name. Need to do a little more digging though.