A User Experience template controls what users see when an app is installed or removed: which apps are closed, whether they can postpone, and how the dialog looks. Agentic Packr packages use the PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit (PSADT). You set this once and reuse it for every app.
A good dialog lets users save their work and postpone a few times, then the app installs on schedule. This prevents lost work and failed installs caused by files in use, and cuts down on helpdesk calls.
Start with the interactive demo to see how to create and set up a User Experience template, step by step:
Interactive Demo
Or follow the guide below for detailed steps and screenshots of each setting.
How Templates Work
- Template settings are copied to an app when you deploy it. Editing a template later does not change apps already deployed.
- There are two kinds: User Experience (this article) and Intune Deployment (who gets the app and how it updates).
- Every deployment uses one template of each kind. The Default switch decides which one is pre-selected.
Go to Settings → Templates → User Experience. Use a built-in template as-is, or click the copy icon to duplicate and edit it.
| Built-in template | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Silent | No dialog; installs immediately. For shared devices, kiosks, and background apps. |
| Notify + 2 defers | Shows the dialog and allows two deferrals. No hard deadline. |
| Force-close + deadline | One deferral, then closes the listed apps with a countdown and installs. |
| Defer + close Everything (demo) | Sample for previewing the dialog. Do not deploy. |
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Go to Settings → Templates, open the User Experience tab, and click New template.
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Basics: enter a clear name and description, for example "Standard (interactive)".
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Install behavior: configure the settings below.
Setting What it does / recommendation When the app is already running Ask the user to close it (recommended for user devices), Close it automatically (with countdown), Skip the install (retry later), or Install anyway (only for apps that update while running). Let the user postpone / How many times Allows 1 to 10 deferrals; 3 is a good balance. Wait for a response How long the dialog stays open before deciding for the user. 15 minutes is recommended. If they do nothing Postpone for them (recommended, uses one deferral) or Install anyway. Show the countdown right away Shows the timer from the start. Only available when If they do nothing is set to Install anyway. Make them respond Brings the dialog to the front once deferrals are used up. Show install progress Shows a progress window. On devices where the app is not running, the install is silent unless Interactive is on or postponing is switched off. Interactive Shows dialogs on every device, not only where the app is open. Remove desktop shortcuts Deletes desktop shortcuts created by the installer. -
Uninstall behavior: choose what happens when the app is still running, the countdown before closing, and whether to show uninstall progress or run interactively. The default for a running app is Close it automatically. Increase Countdown before closing from the default 1 minute to 5 minutes so users can save their work.
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Appearance: set the dialog look. The live preview updates as you go.
- Dialog style: Fluent (modern) or Classic. Fluent requires .NET Framework 4.7.2 (Windows 10 1803+); older devices fall back to Classic.
- Accent color: colors the sidebar, main button, and links.
- Company name: shown in the dialog title, e.g., "Contoso IT - App Installation".
- Dialog language: Auto-detect follows each user's Windows display language.
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Review: check the summary. Optionally, open Advanced and click Generate to see the exact install and uninstall command lines.
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Click Create template.
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Turn on Default next to your template so it is pre-selected when you deploy. Only one template per kind can be the default.
Note: The logo and banner are not part of the template. They come from a branding package that you create under Settings → Branding and deploy to a device group, so one image applies to every app on that device. A device without branding shows the app's own icon.
Recommended Starting Point
- Laptops and desktops: ask the user to close the app, 3 deferrals, 15-minute response time, postpone for them if nobody answers, 5-minute countdown before uninstall.
- Shared devices, kiosks, and background tools: use the built-in Silent template.