Windows Installer May 2026

: Installing certain features only if specific launch conditions (like a specific OS version) are met.

: Developers can author packages that allow features to be "advertised" but not fully installed until the user attempts to use them for the first time. Common Use Cases for Developers Windows Installer

: Letting users skip unnecessary tools to save disk space. : Installing certain features only if specific launch

For managing built-in (like Hyper-V or WSL) rather than application features, administrators typically use tools like DISM or PowerShell cmdlets like Install-WindowsFeature . Windows Installer Features - Win32 apps - Microsoft Learn For managing built-in (like Hyper-V or WSL) rather

In the context of the , a feature is a specific part of an application's total functionality that a user can recognize and choose to install independently. For example, in a productivity suite, a feature might be a spell-checker, a thesaurus, or a collection of clip art. Key Characteristics of Windows Installer Features