UWP App not launching after Windows 10 update

Gregory Bologna 56

Every time a Windows 10 update is performed on machine with an installed sideloaded UWP app, the app no longer launches and the app needs to be reinstalled. This has become an high issue because we have over 50 machines with the app. What is the Windows update that is causing the UWP app to no longer open? The UWP app was built with version 10.0.19041.0 SDK. I sideload install the UWP app using Add-AppxPackage in Powershell as Admin. The UWP app uses local storage for user profile settings.

Roy Li - MSFT 32,051 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2021-09-01T02:08:27.537+00:00

When the app can't be launched, are there any errors or exceptions? Could you please open Windows Event Viewer -> Windows Logs -> Applications and check the detailed error message to see what error or exception prevents the app from launching.
Gregory Bologna 56 Reputation points

2021-09-01T17:05:06.183+00:00

Somewhere I learned that UWP app events are found here - Microsoft-Windows-AppXDeploymentServer/Operational

This is what was logged when the app was clicked and would not launch:

Started deployment RegisterByPackageFamilyName operation on a package with main parameter myappnamehere.myapp_ww4kfnnrsedz6 and Options SkipReregisterIfPackageStatusOk, ImmediatePriorityRequest and 0.

And...

AppX Deployment operation failed for package myappnamehere.myapp_ww4kfnnrsedz6 with error 0x80070005. The specific error text for this failure is: Access is denied.
Roy Li - MSFT 32,051 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2021-09-02T03:06:45.463+00:00

This is the log when you install the app using the script. Please check the log under the path Windows Logs -> Applications.
Gregory Bologna 56 Reputation points

2021-09-07T15:01:24.187+00:00

That was the first place I checked and there never seems to be any logs in there related to UWP app events.
Roy Li - MSFT 32,051 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2021-09-08T03:19:50.377+00:00

If that can't show any logs, could you please check the logs from Windows Event Viewer ->Applications and Services Logs -> Microsoft -> Windows -> Apps -> Microsoft-Windows-TWinUI? This you still can't find any logs here. I'd suggest you use the App Center to collect error logs.
Roy Li - MSFT 32,051 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2021-09-08T03:23:16.113+00:00

Another thing is that could you please tell me the OS version of these devices? And when your app used to work, what are the OS version of these devices at that time?
Gregory Bologna 56 Reputation points

2021-09-09T19:25:22.763+00:00

Edition Windows 10 Pro
Version 21H1
Installed on ‎10/‎22/‎2020
OS build 19043.1165
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3530.0
Gregory Bologna 56 Reputation points

2021-09-09T19:35:36.323+00:00

Thanks. There was nothing in log at this location.
Roy Li - MSFT 32,051 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2021-09-10T09:02:32.873+00:00

Please use the App Center in your app. This should be able to collect the error logs of your app.
Gregory Bologna 56 Reputation points

2021-09-10T12:05:23.567+00:00

Our app is sideloaded. We are unable to use any cloud systems.
Roy Li - MSFT 32,051 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2021-09-13T07:56:40.947+00:00

Sideload UWP apps won't disable the network function. Does your organization have a group policy that disabled the network?
Gregory Bologna 56 Reputation points

2021-09-13T17:24:12.67+00:00

Ok. We use Azure DevOps. I created a pipeline.

Details
Job
0 error(s), 40 warning(s)

Warnings are all similar to this

Warning CS8305: 'Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.StylesVersion' is for evaluation purposes only and is subject to change or removal in future updates
Roy Li - MSFT 32,051 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2021-09-14T07:36:25.607+00:00

Generally, Warnings won't let your app crash. But an error or an exception will. That's why we need to check the error log.

Maybe we could test it directly. Run your app from Visual Studio in release mode on these devices to see if the app will crash. You could add an unhandled exception event in your app to get the error or exception message
Gregory Bologna 56 Reputation points

2021-09-16T01:20:54.313+00:00

It happened again today. The event log shows access denied. The app is installed on 70 machines, but for a few machines, something in our group policy is changing permissions on the app where it can no longer be launched. These machines are locked down so only an admin can install apps. We patch machines on Tuesdays, and so far every time this happens, it’s the following day! But when the app is reinstalled it works fine again.
Roy Li - MSFT 32,051 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2021-09-16T07:10:33.893+00:00

It seems that you can't reproduce this when debugging your app from Visual Studio. right? Have you checked the UnHnadledException event? Is there any error message about your issue?