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Bulk installing apps on Windows (Like ABM, but for PCs)?

Bulk installing apps on Windows (Like ABM, but for PCs)?Solved

Participant

9 hours ago

Hey everyone, I’m trying to figure out the best way to handle onboarding for our Windows fleet.

We are looking to create an app group for our Windows PCs where we can bundle all our standard software together—stuff like Office 365, Duo, AnyDesk, and a few others. The goal is to assign this app group to a new onboarding policy and push it to new PCs so all these apps just install in one go, rather than me having to push them one by one.

I know this kind of workflow is a breeze for Mac and iOS devices using Apple Business Manager where the apps are readily available, but how do we actually achieve this seamless bulk install for Windows PCs? Appreciate any advice!

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kylian_parker

Hexnode Expert

2 hours ago

Marked SolutionPending Review

Hey @skylar-a, welcome to the Hexnode Connect community!

While Windows doesn’t have a direct equivalent to Apple Business Manager’s app repository, you can absolutely replicate that zero-touch deployment workflow in Hexnode UEM.

By combining App Groups with a Required Apps policy, you can bundle your enterprise installers (MSIs or EXEs) and automate the entire setup for new Windows machines.

Here is the step-by-step process to set this up:

Step 1: Create the App Group

First, you need to group your applications together so they can be managed as a single entity.

Navigate to the Apps tab in your portal.

Select App Groups from the left-hand menu.

Click on +Add Group, give it a clear name (e.g., “Standard Windows Onboarding”), and add all your necessary applications (Office 365, Duo, AnyDesk, etc.) to this group. (Note: You will need to have uploaded the MSI/EXE files to your App Inventory first).

Step 2: Configure the Required Apps Policy

Next, we tell the system to treat this group as a mandatory baseline.

Go to the Policies tab and create a new policy (or edit your existing Windows baseline policy).

Under the Windows section, navigate to App Management > Required Apps.

Click +Add, select App Group, and choose the onboarding group you created in the first step.

Check the box for Enforce App Installation to ensure these apps are automatically pushed and stay installed.

Step 3: Associate the Policy

Finally, deploy the policy dynamically.

Once the policy is saved, go to the Policy Targets tab.

Associate this policy with a specific Device Group (e.g., “All Windows Workstations”).

By targeting a Device Group rather than individual devices, any new PC you enroll and add to that group in the future will immediately inherit the policy and trigger the installation of all bundled apps in one go.

For a more detailed walkthrough of these specific configurations, you can always refer to our official help documentation on How to enforce app installation on Windows devices using Hexnode.

Enjoy the streamlined onboarding!

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Bulk installing apps on Windows (Like ABM, but for PCs)?Solved

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Step 1: Create the App Group

Step 2: Configure the Required Apps Policy

Step 3: Associate the Policy

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Bulk installing apps on Windows (Like ABM, but for PCs)?Solved

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Replies (1)

Step 1: Create the App Group

Step 2: Configure the Required Apps Policy

Step 3: Associate the Policy

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