Publishing to the Microsoft Store

NativeScript Windows apps are packaged as MSIX. A release build produces one of:

Packages are written to platforms/windows/<ProjectName>/AppPackages/. Use --copy-to <path> to copy the resulting package to a different location.

Preparing the app ​

App identity and version ​

The package identity, version, display name and publisher are defined in App_Resources/Windows/Package.appxmanifest:

<Identity
  Name="org.nativescript.myapp"
  Publisher="CN=My Company"
  Version="1.0.0.0" />

<Properties>
  <DisplayName>My App</DisplayName>
  <PublisherDisplayName>My Company</PublisherDisplayName>
  <Logo>Assets\StoreLogo.png</Logo>
</Properties>

• Name defaults to your app id (id or windows.id).
• Version must be a four part version number (Major.Minor.Build.Revision). Increase it for every release.
• Publisher must match the subject of the certificate used to sign the package. For Store submissions, use the values shown in Partner Center (see below).

Icons ​

Replace the logos in App_Resources/Windows/Assets/ with your own. See App_Resources › Windows.

Architecture ​

Each build targets a single architecture, x64 by default. Use --arch to build for arm64:

ns build windows --release --store-upload --arch arm64

Protecting your source code ​

Optionally, enable windows.sourceProtect (or pass --source-protect) to ship your bundled JavaScript encrypted instead of as plain text files.

Sideloading (outside of the Store) ​

MSIX packages must be signed with a certificate that's trusted on the machine installing the app.

Sign with a .pfx file:

ns build windows --release --certificate ./certs/my-app.pfx --certificate-password <password>

Or with a certificate installed in your certificate store, identified by its thumbprint:

ns build windows --release --certificate-thumbprint <thumbprint>

The certificate's subject (for example CN=My Company) must match the Publisher in Package.appxmanifest. See Create a certificate for package signing for how to create a certificate for testing.

The signed package can be installed by double clicking it, or with PowerShell:

Add-AppxPackage -Path .\MyApp_1.0.0.0_x64.msix

Publishing to the Microsoft Store ​

1. Reserve your app name in Partner Center ​

Sign in to Partner Center with a Microsoft developer account, create a new app and reserve its name.

Under Product management › Product identity you'll find the values for Package/Identity/Name, Package/Identity/Publisher and Package/Properties/PublisherDisplayName. Copy them into the matching attributes in App_Resources/Windows/Package.appxmanifest.

2. Build a Store upload package ​

ns build windows --release --store-upload

This produces an unsigned .msixupload package in platforms/windows/<ProjectName>/AppPackages/. You don't need a certificate, the Store signs the package for you.

3. Submit the package ​

In Partner Center, create a new submission for your app, upload the .msixupload file under Packages, fill in the Store listing, and submit it for certification.

See Publish your app in the Microsoft Store for more details on the submission process.