Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy

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Key Takeaways

  • This policy defines access to Windows Package Manager experimental features
  • Disabled policy blocks all experimental features
  • Enabled policy allows users to turn on experimental features
  • Helps maintain system stability when disabled
  • Useful for developers and advanced users when enabled

Hey, let’s discuss about Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy. This policy decides whether users can turn on experimental features in the Windows Package Manager. Experimental features are new functions that are still being tested and may change in the future. If this policy is disabled, users cannot enable experimental features at all. This keeps the Windows Package Manager stable and avoids possible issues caused by unfinished or unstable features.

Table of Contents

What are the Advantages of Enabling this Policy using Intune?

Enabling this policy allows users to access experimental features in the Windows Package Manager, which are new and still under testing. This is especially useful in development or testing environments where trying upcoming features early can help identify issues, improve workflows, and prepare for future updates.

1. Users can test new and upcoming features before they are officially released.
2. Developers and IT teams can give early feedback and find issues in advance.
3. Advanced users can improve productivity using the latest tools and options.
4. Organizations can prepare for future changes with less disruption.
5. Experimental features can be limited to specific devices without affecting all users.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy

If this policy is enabled, users are allowed to turn on experimental features in Windows Package Manager. This is useful for developers or advanced users who want to test new options and give feedback before they become fully supported.

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How to Create a Policy

To start deploying a policy in Intune, sign in to the Microsoft Intune Admin Center. Then, go to Devices > Configuration profiles > Create New Policy. Select Platform as Windows 10 and later, and profile is Settings catalog.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.1
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.1

Basic Step for Name and Description

To begin configuring a policy in Intune, start with the Basics step. Here, we can add the name of the policy and give a brief description. Then, click Next to continue.

  • Name of the Policy: Enable App Installer Experimental Feature
  • Description: To Enable App Installer Experimental Feature
  • Platform: Windows
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.2
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.2

Configuration Settings – Settings Picker

In the Configuration settings tab, click the Add settings button to open the Settings picker. Search the settings as App installer experimental features or select the category Administrative Template Windows Components Desktop App Installer then select the setting Enable App Installer Experimental Features.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.3
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.3

After closing the Settings Picker, you will see it on the Configuration Settings page. Here we have only two settings: Enable or Disable. By default, App installer experimental features will be set to Disabled.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.4
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.4

Enable App Installer Experimental Features

If we allow this policy, you can allowed the App installer experimental features by toggling the switch next to disabled and select Enabled. Then, you can click the Next button to continue.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.5
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.5

What is Scope Tag

A Scope Tag in Intune is used to control visibility and access to Intune resources based on administrative roles. Scope tags are not mandatory. You can add the scope tag using the Select scope tags button.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.6
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.6

Assign Group for App installer experimental features Policy

On the Assignments tab, we can select which users or devices get this policy. Under Include Groups, click Add Groups. From the list, select the group that we want to target (HTMD – Test Policy). Then click the Next button.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.7
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.7

Review + Create Step

At the final Review + Create step, we see a summary of all configured settings for the new profile; after reviewing the details and making any necessary changes by clicking Previous. We click Create to finish, and a notification confirms that the “Enable App Installer Experimental Features created successfully”.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.8
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.8

Monitoring Status

We can check a policy’s status in the Intune Portal. Generally, it takes about 8 hours for policies to be created. Use the manual sync option to reduce the configuration delay in the Company Portal app on the device, then check the status again. Navigate to Devices> Configuration. Click on the specific policy to see its details.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.9
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.9

Client Side Verification

To confirm if a policy has been applied, use the Event Viewer on the client device. Go to Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > Device Management > Enterprise Diagnostic Provider > Admin. Use the Filter Current Log option and search for Intune event 814.

MDM PolicyManager: Set policy string, Policy: (EnableExperimentalFeatures), Area:
(DesktopAppInstaller), EnrollmentlD requestinq merqe: (EB427D85-802F-46D9-A3E2-
D5B414587F63), Current User: (Device), Strinq: (), Enrollment Type: (0x6), Scope: (0x0).

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.10
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.10

How to Remove Assigned Group from this Policy

Sometimes, we need to remove a group from a policy assignment for security updates. Open the policy from the Configuration tab and click on the Edit button on the Assignment tab. Click on the Remove button on this section to remove the policy. Click Review + Save after making the change.

For detailed information, you can refer to our previous post – Learn How to Delete or Remove App Assignment from Intune using by Step-by-Step Guide.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.11
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.11

How to Delete this Policy from Intune

To delete an Intune policy for security or operational reasons. It is simple to do. I will demonstrate how to delete an Intune policy through the Enable App Installer Experimental Feature. Click the three dots, then click the Delete option.

For detailed information, you can refer to our previous post – How to Delete Allow Clipboard History Policy in Intune Step by Step Guide.

Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy - Fig.12
Controlling Windows Package Manager Experimental Features with Intune Policy – Fig.12

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Author

Anoop C Nair has been Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for 10 consecutive years! He is a Workplace Solution Architect with more than 22+ years of experience in Workplace technologies. He is also a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group Community leader. His primary focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM and Intune. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows,  Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security, Career, etc.

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