Sideloading Windows 8 Applications

(Last updated: 20/02/2025 V2) Home

Original guide was made by YavBav09.

Getting a developer license via TSForge (All SKUs (Except core))

TSForge is a tool included in massgrave's Windows activation tool. Which can be found here or you can run this powershell code to automatically download it.

irm https://get.activated.win | iex

Windows Activation Tool .

After activating APPXLOB you can check the state of the activation by running

slmgr /dlv

It should look like something like this:

slmgr window

Now, open Group policy. Go to: Administrative Templates\Windows Components\App Package Deployment

Enable the following settings:

  • Allow development of Windows Store apps without installing a developer license
  • Allow all trusted apps to install

Paths .

Making a backup of your app via WSAppBak

The app is now installed, but you may notice that if you launch it, it won't work due to a missing license. What you need to do is to go to C:\Program Files\WindowsApps. This directory is hidden by default, so you might need to type the path out or show hidden files. You won't be granted access at first, so you should change ownership of the folder to your account.

After that, find the folder where the app resides and copy it's path.
Example: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.RemoteDesktop_6.2.9200.20523_neutral__8wekyb3d8bbwe

Start WSAppbak, paste the folder path into the input folder, paste a different folder path for the output folder. After it has finished, you have the newly created .appx and certificate.cer. Install the certificate to the local machine > trusted root certificates. Delete the previously installed app, after that install the newly generated appx.

Installing apps

Open PowerShell and use this command:

Add-AppxPackage path\name.appx/appxbundle

Getting a developer license (All SKUs)

This method no longer works due to the store shutdown.

Open PowerShell. Get a Windows developer registration using this command:

pwsh Show-WindowsDeveloperLicenseRegistration

If it doesn't work the first time, try a few more times. This license has a time limit and needs to be renewed to keep using the sideloaded apps, you will need to run this command again to renew it.

If you have Windows 8.0 you need to install KB3140245 x64/x86 for TLS 1.1/1.2 support + additional fixes, then have windows at security update level 2019-12. You can find Post EOL Updates for 8.0 here.

Edit
Pub: 19 Jul 2023 14:41 UTC
Edit: 20 Feb 2025 15:47 UTC
Views: 6049