This blog was co-authored by Virinchi Varma, Software Engineer, Client Apps Engineering team. Citrix BU, Janani Hariharakumar, Sr. Manager-Engineering, Client Apps Engineering team, Citrix BU and Prashanth Nagaraj, Principal Product manager, Client Apps Product Management team, Citrix BU.
You may commonly think of the Microsoft App Store being used for consumer applications, but more and more enterprise-grade apps are becoming available to easily download. That’s why we are excited to bring the Win32 version of Citrix Workspace app for Windows to the Microsoft App Store!
Having the Citrix Workspace app accessible from the Microsoft App Store eases the load on IT administrators through seamless one-click installation and deployment. This is especially appealing for enterprises embracing BYOD, leveraging Microsoft Endpoint Manager and other unified endpoint management solutions to deploy and manage business applications. Additionally, users bringing their own Windows devices also have an option to download Citrix Workspace app from the store directly, rate their experience, and provide feedback.
Let’s take a closer look at this announcement and what is means for you and your users.
Benefits of the Win32 version of Citrix Workspace app
The Microsoft App Store has evolved over time with Microsoft launching the Windows Store around the Windows 8 release to distribute WinRT/Metro applications. With Windows 10, they introduced Universal Windows platform (UWP). Shortly after came the support for MSIX, which enabled new, modern packaging and deployment features to Win32, WPF, and Windows Forms apps. Now, Microsoft has extended the store to include traditional desktop apps, making support for the Win32 version of apps a reality.
Through this journey, Citrix supported various types of Citrix Workspace app versions on the Store. There was a UWP version of the Citrix Workspace app previously that was removed once Microsoft UWP was deprecated. The latest supported Citrix Workspace app on the app store was specifically built for MSIX, until now. The version of Citrix Workspace app for Windows is now based on Win32 to bring even more capabilities to your Windows environments.
While MSIX does have its advantages, it’s installed in a containerized environment that restricts certain functionalities that involve registry keys, drives and certain file locations. Because of this, there are many features missing compared to the Win32 version of the Citrix Workspace app for Windows available on the Citrix downloads page. Take a closer look at the table below for a direct feature comparison.
Customer issues and reviews on the Microsoft App Store for the MSIX app also highlight the problems faced when accessing stores configured with app protection, the unavailability of single sign on, dual monitor support, lack of optimization plugins for Zoom/Webex, etc. We are working with the Microsoft MSIX team on addressing the gaps to help bridge the feature parity with the Win32 version of the Citrix Workspace App, as mentioned in the table above. If the MSIX package is important for your Enterprise, please provide us feedback on use cases for it here.
With the Microsoft announcement to add Win32 apps to the app store, Citrix was able to replace the MSIX version of the Citrix Workspace app for Windows with the Win32 version and bring all of the great functionality into the app store. Starting with version Citrix Workspace app 2305 for Windows on the Microsoft App Store, we now offer organizations greater functionality and a streamlined experience.
The screenshot below showcases the Citrix Workspace App on the Microsoft App Store:
It is important to note that users with the existing MSIX version of the Citrix Workspace app for Windows will need to migrate to the Win32 version to receive the latest features. Please refer to this link for more information about migration of existing users on MSIX to Win32.
Install today!
Going forward, the app on the Citrix downloads page and on the Microsoft App Store will be the same, Win32, version. With this, we will maintain feature parity and new features going with every current release of the App will be available for both versions of the app. Be sure to download the app today to get all the latest functionality and support! For more information, take a look at the 2305 release notes and the Citrix Workspace app feature matrix.
Disclaimer: The development, release and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion and are subject to change without notice or consultation. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions or incorporated into any contract.
