New Native PowerShell Support for Intune Win32 Apps

Command Line: The Traditional Approach

Before native PowerShell installer support, administrators typically deployed PowerShell-based installers by embedding scripts in the .intunewin package and calling them from the Install command field.

A common installation command looked like this:

With this approach:

• The PowerShell script is included in the encrypted .intunewin package.
• The install command simply executes the script during installation.
• Any script modification requires rebuilding and re-uploading of the entire application package.

Although this approach is reliable, it may result in administrative overhead.

Introducing Native PowerShell Script Installers

Microsoft introduced a new installer option for Win32 apps: PowerShell script.

Instead of defining a command line, administrators can now upload a PowerShell script directly as the installer when creating a Win32 application in Intune.

For package content, you still need to upload the .intunewin file in the same way you did before.

This fundamentally changes how installation logic is handled.

Final Takeaways

Microsoft recently introduced a feature that adds native PowerShell script support as an installer type for Win32 applications, improving the deployment experience and lowering operational overhead.

• Before native PowerShell installer support, administrators typically deployed PowerShell-based installers by embedding scripts in the .intunewin package and calling them from the Install command field.
• Limitations: package rebuilds for small changes, limited visibility and editing and operational inefficiency
• Microsoft added a new installer option for Win32 apps called PowerShell script. Instead of defining a command line, administrators can now upload a PowerShell script directly as the installer when creating a Win32 application in Intune.
• How the new PowerShell Script Installer works: The PowerShell script becomes the installer itself, and it's stored as configuration metadata instead of package content. During installation, the Intune Management Extension (IME) retrieves and executes the script
• Script requirements: 50 KB or less, run in the same context as the app installer (system or user context), use return codes to determine installation success or failure, and run silently without user interaction.

Conclusion

Native PowerShell support for Intune Win32 apps is a significant improvement in application deployment workflows.

By separating installer logic from packaged content, Microsoft has reduced operational overhead and allowed for more flexible automation scenarios.

While this capability makes it very easy to update installation or uninstall scripts directly in the portal, administrators should exercise caution.

Changing scripts on the fly, especially for applications that are already deployed in production, can result in unexpected behavior or inconsistencies across devices. Updates, like any other production change, should be tested and controlled using a proper change management process.