How to create App Catalog for Windows devices?

The App Catalog feature in Hexnode allows IT admins to create a customized store of apps for users. This customized app store called App Catalog, made available in the Hexnode UEM app of the device lets users access them and install the required apps. Based on their preferences, the users can choose the apps for installation from among the list deployed as app catalogs. This feature proves extremely useful for organizations that prefer having the user choose their required apps from among the approved ones. After deciding on the approved apps, the IT admins will have to create an app catalog out of them from the Hexnode UEM console, which should then be distributed to the device to make it available to the users. Let’s explore more about the configuration of the App Catalog on Windows devices in this document.

Creating a new App Catalog for Windows devices

To create a new catalog, navigate to the Apps tab in your Hexnode UEM portal and ensure that the necessary apps have been added to the portal beforehand. Then, follow these steps.

1. Select App catalogs.
2. Click on +New.
3. Add a name and suitable description for the catalog.
4. Choose Apps > +Add Apps to add apps to the catalog.
5. Select App Groups > +Add App Groups to add app groups to the catalog.
6. Once completed click on Save Catalog.

After creating an App Catalog, a policy needs to be created to assign them to the users.

Now, let’s assign this App catalog to the user’s devices.

1. Login to your Hexnode portal.
2. Open the Policies tab.
3. Create a New Policy or select from any existing Policy templates.
4. From Windows > App Management > App Catalog and click on Configure.
5. Choose +Add Catalogs and add the catalog.
6. Click Done.
7. Select Policy Targets and associate this policy with Devices/Device Groups/Users/User Groups/Domains.
8. Click Save.

What happens on the device end?

Once the policy is associated, the user will be presented with the chosen apps under “All categories” in the App Catalog section of the Hexnode UEM app.

The user has to click on the app that they need to install, and then click on the Get option. The store apps added to the catalog will redirect the user to the Microsoft Store when clicked. Users can install these apps from the Microsoft Store.

If the app is already installed, the app icon will display an “Installed” badge within the app catalogs on the device end.

However, the enterprise apps deployed via the MSIX package might not showcase the “Installed” badge even when installed using app catalogs.