What is a .APPX file?
APPX is a modern Windows app package from the Microsoft Store.
- Did you know
- APPX arrived with Windows 8 in 2012 as the package format for Store apps.
- An APPX package is built around an AppxManifest.xml that declares the app’s capabilities, dependencies and entry points up front.
- Microsoft introduced MSIX in 2018 as APPX’s successor, extending the same sandboxed model to traditional Win32 desktop applications.
- Under the hood a .APPX file is really a ZIP archive - rename it to .zip and you can browse the files inside.
- What Analyser reads
- Read software packages and Unix archive streams: Python wheels, NuGet, Chrome/Firefox/VS Code extensions, Electron ASAR, Windows APPX/MSIX, Debian (DEB), RPM, RubyGems, conda, Anki, Microsoft CAB, cpio and ar - showing name, version, dependencies and the file tree.
- Depth of analysis
- .APPX is an identification-grade format: Analyser recognises it from its bytes and decodes the header metadata it carries, rather than opening it in a full viewer. Formats that do get a full viewer are marked "Full" on the formats page.
- Open a .APPX file
- Drag a .APPX file onto the Analyser home page (or tap to pick one). It is identified entirely in your browser - nothing is uploaded, there is no account, and it works offline once installed.