Windows App Runtime Install fails with 0x80073cff

[jaimecbernardo]

Describe the bug

We're distributing Windows App Runtime 1.0.3 as part of PowerToys and some users are reporting installation errors.

This specific error:
microsoft/PowerToys#18021 (comment)

It states that "To install this application you need either a Windows developer license or a sideloading-enabled system."

All I could found about this was #1119 which stated this shouldn't happen for stable releases.

Steps to reproduce the bug

Download Windows App Runtime 1.0.3 installer and run it.

Expected behavior

No response

Screenshots

NuGet package version

No response

Packaging type

No response

Windows version

No response

IDE

No response

Additional context

No response

[jaimecbernardo]

It seems users have been able to fix it by enabling side-loading, but that might be blocked on some enterprise enviornments.
microsoft/PowerToys#18021 (comment)

I find this weird, since I've been able to install the runtime on machines without sideloading enabled. So, there might be other settings causing this?

[DrusTheAxe]

I find this weird, since I've been able to install the runtime on machines without sideloading enabled.

Depends on the Windows SKU and version. The policy default disallowed sideloading in Windows 8.

The policy default changed on desktop some years back (RS5? @cwruss can confirm the release). So if you're on a recent-ish desktop release the policy default is enabled and sideloading is fine. Unless the policy was changed; administrators can and sometimes do do that.

NOTE: The policy's default was only changed for desktop. Windows Server still has the same old default of disabled. You need to change that to enable sideloading on Server.

There's more info at the microsoft/PowerToys#18021 (comment) thread about this, including how to change it. Key link reproduced here for posterity:

Thumb24 commented 4 hours ago
Here you can find the instruction how to activate sideloading:
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-enable-windows-10-sideload-apps-outside-store

[DominicMaas]

I thought that sideloading was not a requirement for stable Windows App SDK Runtimes? (as per #1119)

[pbargiona]

Activating "Install apps from any source, including loose files" solved my problem.

[AdamBraden]

@pbargiona , curious what do you have for this setting? Settings->Apps->Advanced app Settings

[riverar]

Activating "Install apps from any source, including loose files" solved my problem.

This is not ideal to keep on or as a workaround, as it loosens restrictions on symlinks and a few other things IIRC.

[pbargiona]

@pbargiona , curious what do you have for this setting? Settings->Apps->Advanced app Settings

@AdamBraden

Activating "Install apps from any source, including loose files" solved my problem.

This is not ideal to keep on or as a workaround, as it loosens restrictions on symlinks and a few other things IIRC.

Definitely. I disabled this option right after updating from the menu in WinPowerTowys. This seems to be an issue with WinAppSDK 1.0.3. It should not need such configs to work, but it does.