MSI Embedded User Interface

The MSI Embedded UI is a groundbreaking solution that empowers you to create a contemporary and visually appealing user interface directly within your MSI installation packages. This capability is entirely optional and can be activated within the Themes > Settings section.

This functionality operates using an exclusion principle, working concurrently with the EXE External UI during the installation process. Nevertheless, they can seamlessly coexist within a package: employing the EXE External UI for installation and the MSI Embedded UI for uninstallation.

The MSI Embedded UI and EXE External UI options give you access to the same Enhanced UI controls.

Requirements

This option is available starting with the Enterprise edition and project type.

Benefits

No longer will you need to navigate the complexities of EXE packages solely for the sake of a modern UI. The MSI Embedded UI simplifies your workflow by allowing you to create captivating UIs directly within the MSI installer, saving you time and effort. The AppInstaller predefined theme is an example of what your MSI UI could look like when enabling this option.

Your installer will display the same Enhanced UI controls both during install and maintenance sequences, without requiring you to enable the “Override Windows Installer programs list entry” option, from Product Details Tab.

Limitations

• On ExitDialog custom actions triggered by Control Events can only use native Windows Installer C++ DLLs as source and cannot contain any MsiProcessMessage calls.
• When opting for the MSI Embedded UI, the utilization of WinUI rendering will be exclusive to Windows 11.