[Untertaker555]

Yet another Windows 11 related question, and again about offline-install.
Yes, as we all know, Windows 11 is not at all designed to be used on an completely offline PC, but that's exactly what I want to be able to achieve.
I got already most things running perfectly.

But I just found out, that when I install Windows 11 offline, it will not install any Inbox Apps like Notepad, Paint, Maps, etc.
There are just placeholders that say something like "Here will be a super cool new App", or something like that, because it tries to download it, but can't obviously.

This is my main question:

So, how would I get the Inbox Apps without internet?
What is the best way and best source to get all Inbox Apps offline at once (like, are they hidden somewhere on the Windows 11 install medium)?



Now follows a pretty long text, that explains what I already did.
You can skip reading that, if you already have a better idea on how to install the Apps.

I found that all of the Apps are in Microsoft Store, and there are some sketchy websites that allow downloading these from the Microsoft Store as .appx installs.
Well, I didn't like that idea of downloading all single Apps one by one, because it would take much too long.

Then I learned about the "Language and Optional Features ISO", that apparently only Insiders get, but I really don't know but I managed to get it from the official Microsoft server without being an Insider, by following some guide on the Microsoft website itself. I really wish to share it, but I literally lost the link to it. I am surprised that Microsoft would do that, but here I am, having the official Language and Optional Features ISO..

But that is beside the point, because the point is, that I am having now the Language and Optional Features ISO, which contains literally every single Inbox App from Windows 11.
Sadly, again I came to a problem there: I can't install them, because not even the App Installer is installed. Which means I need to install the App Installer by using this PowerShell command:
Add-AppxPackage c:\path\to\app.appx

I used that command to install the App Installer, and installed some Apps from the Language and Optional Features ISO.
Most of them work now, all is fine, but some give me some warning that App Installer has no rights to install it.

So my questions about that are:
1. Is the Language and Optional Features ISO the best source of the Apps, or are they somewhere hidden on the Windows 11 install medium?
2. Can the PowerShell command install it? Has PowerShell the rights to install any App that the App Installer can't?
3. And do I really have to install each App one by one? Or is there a command on how to install all .appx files at once?

 

[Stancestans]

Where did you get your Windows 11 image from? The Windows 11 media available on Microsoft's site has those apps included and they do get installed/provisioned while running setup offline.

 

[MPR]

Might work?

How to install Notepad without internet connection? - Microsoft Q&A

Microsoft Q&A is the best place to get answers to all your technical questions on Microsoft products and services. Community. Forum.

learn.microsoft.com

 

[Untertaker555]

Where did you get your Windows 11 image from? The Windows 11 media available on Microsoft's site has those apps included and they do get installed/provisioned while running setup offline.

I had to get it from UUP dump, because sadly Microsoft doesn't offer Windows 11 media for ARM64 to be downloaded, except for Insiders.

Might work?

How to install Notepad without internet connection? - Microsoft Q&A

Microsoft Q&A is the best place to get answers to all your technical questions on Microsoft products and services. Community. Forum.

learn.microsoft.com

I will have to try that, sadly right now I am not with that device. I will try it then.


If there would exist something like a "all in one Inbox App installer", that would fix all my problems.
I think the Language and Optional Features ISO is the closest thing I can get to this.
But still I will need a way to install them in the correct order, and then maybe all at once, instead of one by one.

Still trying to figure out what would be the PowerShell command for that.


EDIT:
Sorry, but after so much search I still didn't find the App-Installations anywhere on any Windows 11 ISO or medium.
It seems like the Inbox-Apps got completely removed from all Windows 11 mediums.
Just try it, install Windows 11 from any medium, without internet connection. You will be greeted by about 20 empty placeholders that tell you to connect to the internet.
It is expected from the user to have internet, and if that is not the case, the user should avoid updating Windows 11.
But that is not what I will do. I am so close to get a fully working Windows 11 without internet at all.

I got the Language Packs working without internet.
I got the installation working without a Microsoft Account.
And now the only thing that's left are these Inbox-Apps like Paint, Notepad, etc.
Using the Language and Optional Features ISO works, but it is annoying, because I have to set up each App one after another.

Sadly I think that is the conclusion of this thread.

 

[Untertaker555]

Sorry for double post, but I think I have a new approach, which will make things much easier:
As I said, I have this Language and Optional Features ISO, which includes all of the Windows 11 Inbox-Apps, but they are many, and it's annoying to install them one by one in PowerShell. All of the installations are in the same folder on the ISO, and are either .appx or .appxbudle files.

Now I found this link about Windows Server 2022, which shows how I am doing it right now, and it should be very similar to Windows 11:

Add-AppxPackage (Appx)

Adds a signed app package to a user account.

learn.microsoft.com

My only question here is:
As I said, all installations (.appx and .appxbundle) are in the same folder.
Is there any way to slightly edit the command to just install all .appx files at once?

Like, instead of:
Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\user1\Desktop\MyApp.msix"

Is there something like:
Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\user1\Desktop\ALL .msix FILES"


Or is there a way I can create an auto-batch in that folder, that can add all .msix .appx and .appxbundles to one batch, that will install all of it at once?

 

[spunk.funk]

You are making this harder then it needs to be.
On an internet computer Download the Windows 11 ISO Disk Image from Microsoft, this includes all Apps and when installed does not need to be online. Save the ISO to a USB Flash drive
Boot the troubled computer as is. Put Flash Drive in and right click the Windows 11 ISO image and choose Mount or just double click it. Choose to do a Repair Upgrade keeping all files. Follow the prompts.
Or since you just started, Burn the ISO to a USB Flash drive using the Media Creation Tool and boot the troubled computer with that. Choose your Language, and in Where Would You LIke to Install Windows, Delete ALL partitions until the drive is Unallocated Space, then press Next. Windows installer will create partitions and format them during the install. Make sure you do not connect to your Wireless Network or use an Ethernet cable then choose I don't have internet.

 

[Untertaker555]

You are making this harder then it needs to be.
On an internet computer Download the Windows 11 ISO Disk Image from Microsoft, this includes all Apps and when installed does not need to be online. Save the ISO to a USB Flash drive
Boot the troubled computer as is. Put Flash Drive in and right click the Windows 11 ISO image and choose Mount or just double click it. Choose to do a Repair Upgrade keeping all files. Follow the prompts.
Or since you just started, Burn the ISO to a USB Flash drive using the Media Creation Tool and boot the troubled computer with that. Choose your Language, and in Where Would You LIke to Install Windows, Delete ALL partitions until the drive is Unallocated Space, then press Next. Windows installer will create partitions and format them during the install. Make sure you do not connect to your Wireless Network or use an Ethernet cable then choose I don't have internet.

So basically repair the Windows installation. That could work, provided that you are right and the actual setup files are even on the ISO.
Because I searched now many times manually on the Windows 11 ISO from the official Microsoft website, and I simply couldn't find the Inbox-Apps on there.

And one problem will still remain:
Let's say what you said will work, then it will still only work for my x64 device, because the ARM64 ISO is still nowhere available, except non-official compiled ones from UUP dump.
And what I got from UUP dump definitely doesn't include any Inbox-Apps, it only has placeholders.

I'm hoping the x64 ISO from Microsoft will contain the ARM64 versions of the Apps, too.
So that's the next thing that I will try: Try to do a Repair Upgrade with the x64 ISO on the ARM64 device.

 

[MPR]

I simply couldn't find the Inbox-Apps on there.

It appears that many of the in-box apps are not installed with a preliminary install of Windows and you are expected to customize your apps later.

https://deviceadvice.io/2021/09/21/windows-11-in-box-apps/

Microsoft is doing all it can to make Windows 11 require both Internet access and a Microsoft account for a successful installation. This is undoubtedly meant to reduce software piracy and also ensure security through continued updates

Thre may be offline workarounds but MS isn't going to make it easy for users who want to pursue them.

 

[Untertaker555]

It appears that many of the in-box apps are not installed with a preliminary install of Windows and you are expected to customize your apps later.

https://deviceadvice.io/2021/09/21/windows-11-in-box-apps/

Microsoft is doing all it can to make Windows 11 require both Internet access and a Microsoft account for a successful installation. This is undoubtedly meant to reduce software piracy and also ensure security through continued updates

Thre may be offline workarounds but MS isn't going to make it easy for users who want to pursue them.

*This is undoubtedly meant to reduce software privacy and also ensure security through continued updates
Corrected that for you

Yes, but there are still ways how to get it working.
For now I got all working, even the Inbox-Apps, but the reason why I am still in this thread is that I want to make it easier to achieve this in future.
It takes by far too much time installing these Apps one by one via PowerShell. So I was trying to find a way how to install them just with one little .bat file, by running all .appx .appxbundle and .msix setups automatically.

 

[SpywareDr]

At an elevated CMD prompt, get into the directory containing the .msix, .appx, and .appxbundlesset files you want to execute (start 'em up) one right after the other, issue this command:

for %x in (*.msix, *.appx, *.appxbundlesset) do echo %x​

and press [Enter]. Right now, with that echo in there it is simply going to echo (show) each of the .msix, .appx, and .appxbundlesset files names on the screen. If you remove that echo part of the command, like this:

for %x in (*.msix, *.appx, *.appxbundlesset) do %x​

and press [Enter], each of the files will run one right after the other.

--

For more info about what the FOR-IN-DO command can do, type:

for /?​

and press [Enter].

 

[Untertaker555]

At an elevated CMD prompt, get into the directory containing the .msix, .appx, and .appxbundlesset files you want to execute (start 'em up) one right after the other, issue this command:

for %x in (*.msix, *.appx, *.appxbundlesset) do echo %x​

and press [Enter]. Right now, with that echo in there it is simply going to echo (show) each of the .msix, .appx, and .appxbundlesset files names on the screen. If you remove that echo part of the command, like this:

for %x in (*.msix, *.appx, *.appxbundlesset) do %x​

and press [Enter], each of the files will run one right after the other.

--

For more info about what the FOR-IN-DO command can do, type:

for /?​

and press [Enter].

That's absolutely perfect.
But I got a question though:

Using this command, it will try to use the App Installer?
Because there isn't the Add-AppxPackage command.

So if I follow your instructions, will it use the PowerShell way of installing it, or will it use the App Installer way?
Because the App Installer is lacking some rights to install some of the Apps. So it's definitely better to use Add-AppxPackage.
Is there any way how to tell the commands that you posted, to use PowerShell?


Other than that, it's absolutely perfect. I am very sure that's exactly what I want!
I still have no opportunity to test it, but I will immediately post here if it worked.

But huge thanks for that already.

 

[SpywareDr]

The CMD prompt has nowhere near the power of PowerShell.

Might try reading here PowerShell For Loop, ForEach, and Do While/Until Explained and here: PowerShell Looping: Understanding and Using Do...While

And see if any of these help: powershell for-in-do - Google Search

 

[Untertaker555]

Ok then, I will try it.
I think by combining the CMD method and manually installing the PowerShell ones manually, I will still reduce the time for installing by much.

Let's wait until I can try, and see how it comes.

Hopefully someday Microsoft will provide a solution, or at least modders will create something like a "All-in-One Inbox App setup".
Sadly I think both won't happen soon, because most people have the internet obviously.

 

[Stancestans]

Just try it, install Windows 11 from any medium, without internet connection. You will be greeted by about 20 empty placeholders that tell you to connect to the internet.

I just did, and while it is true there are empty placeholders for sponsored apps that won't be installed until you're connected to the internet (Spotify, Hulu, Photoshop Express etc), the Notepad app is not one of them. The so called default apps (Notepad, Paint, Calendar, Mail, Photos, Maps, etc) are very much available/provisioned on the medium and are installed offline by default.

 

[Untertaker555]

I just did, and while it is true there are empty placeholders for sponsored apps that won't be installed until you're connected to the internet (Spotify, Hulu, Photoshop Express etc), the Notepad app is not one of them. The so called default apps (Notepad, Paint, Calendar, Mail, Photos, Maps, etc) are very much available/provisioned on the medium and are installed offline by default.

That's very strange.
What version did you use?

Home, Professional?
Was the setup created with an ISO or by the Media Creation Tool?
If it was an ISO, which software did you use for creating the medium?

 

[spunk.funk]

The Media Creation Tool is is just a Media Burning App like Rufus. You would Download the ISO image from the Microsoft Page and then choose to either save the ISO for later, or Burn the ISO with the Media Creation Tool. Depending on the Product Key that is saved in the UEFI Bios, determines the version of Windows 11 you get (ie) Pro, Home, Enterprise or S Mode versions.
You can check which version of 11 is installed on your computer by going to Search and type winver and press Enter.

 

[Stancestans]

That's very strange.
What version did you use?

Windows 11 22H2 v1 build 22621.525

Home, Professional?
Was the setup created with an ISO or by the Media Creation Tool?
If it was an ISO, which software did you use for creating the medium?

It's a multi-edition ISO file downloaded using Rufus and Firefox with IDM (or whichever your default browser and download manager is, if you don't want Rufus itself to do the download). Details about the ISO file are here en-gb_windows_11_consumer_editions_version_22h2_updated_sep_2022_x64_dvd_5ad1835d.iso :: List of files by Microsoft®, except for the actual filename, which is Win11_22H2_EnglishInternational_x64v1.iso, but that doesn't matter though.

I tried the Media Creation Tool once when Windows 10 build 10240 became available, but cancelled it as it was taking way too long to download it. Since then, I've never touched the Media Creation Tool. To get Windows 10 without using the Media Creation Tool or any other third-party tool, I had to trick the Windows 10 download page at Download Windows 10 into thinking I was visiting it using a non-Windows device (iPad, via Firefox's Responsive Design Mode) and the website offered a direct download of the multi-edition ISO instead of the MCT. This trick still works today (it's not needed for the Windows 11 download page at Download Windows 11), but I haven't used it in a long time since I found out that Rufus can download unmodified Windows ISOs directly from Microsoft. I discovered this nifty feature when looking to download an older build of Windows 10 (1803) to skip the dreadful version 1809. Rufus has been my go-to tool for getting Windows 10/11 ISOs and for creating installation and other bootable media.

Windows 11 builds available for download using Rufus.

Windows 10 builds - Rufus

Windows 11 22H2 multi-edition ISO downloaded using default browser (Rufus prepares the link and opens it in your default browser.)

 

[Untertaker555]

Windows 11 22H2 v1 build 22621.525


It's a multi-edition ISO file downloaded using Rufus and Firefox with IDM (or whichever your default browser and download manager is, if you don't want Rufus itself to do the download). Details about the ISO file are here en-gb_windows_11_consumer_editions_version_22h2_updated_sep_2022_x64_dvd_5ad1835d.iso :: List of files by Microsoft®, except for the actual filename, which is Win11_22H2_EnglishInternational_x64v1.iso, but that doesn't matter though.

I tried the Media Creation Tool once when Windows 10 build 10240 became available, but cancelled it as it was taking way too long to download it. Since then, I've never touched the Media Creation Tool. To get Windows 10 without using the Media Creation Tool or any other third-party tool, I had to trick the Windows 10 download page at Download Windows 10 into thinking I was visiting it using a non-Windows device (iPad, via Firefox's Responsive Design Mode) and the website offered a direct download of the multi-edition ISO instead of the MCT. This trick still works today (it's not needed for the Windows 11 download page at Download Windows 11), but I haven't used it in a long time since I found out that Rufus can download unmodified Windows ISOs directly from Microsoft. I discovered this nifty feature when looking to download an older build of Windows 10 (1803) to skip the dreadful version 1809. Rufus has been my go-to tool for getting Windows 10/11 ISOs and for creating installation and other bootable media.

View attachment 334883
Windows 11 builds available for download using Rufus.

View attachment 334885
Windows 10 builds - Rufus

View attachment 334884
Windows 11 22H2 multi-edition ISO downloaded using default browser (Rufus prepares the link and opens it in your default browser.)

Absolutely great information.
This time I already go with the external installation of the Inbox-Apps.

But in future this is a great information.
But Rufus is definitely the better way for me then, too.