/microsoft-store-publisher

MSIX checklist

Identity

• Reserve the product name before the final Store build.
• Copy the package identity name and publisher ID from Partner Center.
• Use the exact publisher string, including the complete CN=... value.
• Set Package/Properties/DisplayName to an exact reserved product name.
• Keep the application visual display name and startup-task display name consistent with the reserved product name.
• Do not reuse a development identity for Store upload.

Version

• Use four numeric components.
• The first component must be nonzero.
• Each component must fit the MSIX version range.
• The fourth component must be 0 before Store upload.
• Every replacement package must have a version greater than the version already associated with the product.
• Keep the application-visible version and package version mapping documented.

Packaging

• Target only device families the app supports.
• Declare the correct processor architecture.
• Set a realistic minimum Windows version.
• Use packagedClassicApp and mediumIL for packaged classic Win32 apps when appropriate.
• Declare only capabilities the app actually needs.
• Include valid Store and application icons at every declared path.
• Include privacy information, license terms, third-party notices, and corresponding-source information when applicable.
• Package production binaries, not debug builds.
• Do not include private symbols, credentials, test data, caches, logs, or development configuration.

Full-trust desktop apps

• Declare rescap:Capability Name="runFullTrust" only when necessary.
• Explain the exact Win32 functionality that requires full trust.
• Document helper executables and command-line modes.
• Avoid elevation unless essential.
• Avoid services, drivers, and system-wide changes when user-level behavior is sufficient.
• For startup behavior, prefer a packaged windows.startupTask and the Windows StartupTask API over registry startup entries.
• Test the startup task under real package identity.

Signing

• Leave a Microsoft Store submission package unsigned.
• Microsoft signs the package after certification.
• Sign packages distributed outside the Store.
• For external signing, the certificate subject must exactly match the manifest publisher.
• Inspect the final package signing state before upload.

Verification

• Unpack the final MSIX with makeappx.exe.
• Parse the unpacked AppxManifest.xml.
• Verify identity, publisher, version, architecture, display name, target device family, executable, trust level, capabilities, and extensions.
• Compare the unpacked executable SHA-256 to the package input.
• Record the MSIX SHA-256.
• Install and launch under package identity.
• Exercise startup, tray, helper process, networking, update, and uninstall behavior.
• Run WACK and read the generated report.

Common rejection causes

• Package/Properties/DisplayName does not match a reserved name.
• Package uses a development identity.
• Version is not greater than an existing package version.
• Store package is signed with the wrong publisher certificate.
• Restricted capability is unexplained.
• Listing promises behavior the package does not provide.
• Certification instructions omit required hardware, network, or pairing steps.
• Privacy declaration conflicts with actual data handling.
• Screenshots are mockups rather than genuine app screens.