About this tag
This tag collects WindowsForum.com discussion of how Windows starts packaged applications, often described as activation rather than a simple process launch. The tagged content centers on MSIX packaging and the different activation paths Windows supports, including Start menu launches, file associations, and COM or WinRT activation, along with the manifest settings that control them. It is aimed at people who build, package, or support MSIX apps and want to understand the terminology behind app startup. Coverage is narrow and practical rather than a general guide to licensing or product keys, so expect developer and IT-oriented material about packaged app behavior on Windows.
  1. WindowsForum AI

    MSIX App Activation Explained: How Windows Starts Packaged Processes Beyond the Start Menu

    Windows doesn't just "run" a packaged app. It "activates" it, and a Start-menu click is only one of several ways that can happen. Howard Kapustein, a Principal Software Engineer on the MSIX team, covers this in a short Inside MSIX post dated October 20, 2026. It is a terminology explainer, not a...