Using the App-V Application Launcher to Test the Virtual Package

AdminStudio 2025 | 29.0 | Virtual Package Editor

You can use the AdminStudio App-V Application Launcher to test a newly saved App-V package on a test machine before moving it to a deployment server.

If you want the Virtual Package Editor to include the App-V Application Launcher whenever you save the App-V package, enable the App-V Launcher save option. To learn more, see Saving a Virtual Package.

Requirements for Using the App-V Application Launcher

The machine on which you use the App-V Application Launcher to test an App-V package must meet the following requirements:

• The Microsoft Application Virtualization Client must be installed.

• The version of the Microsoft Application Virtualization Client that is present should be equal to or newer than the minimum client version of the App-V package. The Virtual Package Editor displays the minimum client version of the App-V package in the General Information view.

• File streaming must be enabled because the App-V Application Launcher publishes the App-V package from a local file path. If file streaming is not enabled, the App-V Application Launcher displays an informative message asking if it can enable this functionality.

Starting the App-V Application Launcher

When you save an App-V package in the Virtual Package Editor and the App-V Launcher save option is enabled, the Virtual Package Editor adds the App-V Application Launcher (AppVLauncher.exe) to the same folder as the App-V package every time that you save an App-V package.

To use the App-V Application Launcher for testing a virtual package:

1. In the Virtual Package Editor, open the App-V package that you want to test.
2. Do one of the following:
   • On the View menu, click Show in Explorer .
   • Press CTRL+E.
   • On the toolbar, click the Explore button.
   • A Windows Explorer window opens. It shows the folder that contains the .appv or .sft file, the .xml files, the AppVLauncher.exe file, possibly one or more .osd files, possibly a Registry.dat file, and possibly an icon folder.
   • If you have saved the App-V package as a new version one or more times, the folder may also contain a subfolder for each earlier version. The subfolders are named bkup_N, where N represents the version number of the App-V package.
3. Copy the contents of the folder (except for the bkup_N folders) to a test machine that meets the aforementioned App-V Application Launcher requirements. The AppVLauncher.exe file should be in the same folder as the .appv or .sft file.
4. Double-click the AppVLauncher.exe file.

If the App-V package has one target defined in the Shortcuts view (that is, if the App-V package has only one .osd file), the App-V Application Launcher starts the App-V application.

If the App-V package has more than one target defined in the Shortcuts view (that is, if the App-V package has two or more .osd files), the App-V Application Launcher displays a dialog box that lists each target, and it lets you select the one that you want to launch.

note

The first time that you use the App-V Application Launcher to run an application in an App-V package, the entire package is published to that machine; this includes all of the package’s shortcuts and file extension associations in the package. If you then use the App-V Application Launcher to run any application in the App-V package again, the App-V Application Launcher unpublishes the package (and its shortcuts and file extension associations) before republishing the package.

• Also note that the AppVLauncher.exe file requires elevation. If you want to be able to test your App-V package in a locked-down environment where end users will not have elevated privileges, you may want to use the App-V Application Launcher once to launch and publish your App-V package with elevated privileges. Once you have done that, you can use the published shortcuts and file extension associations to start your application.

See Also

Components of an App-V Package

Closing a Virtual Package