Update Windows applications On Demand | Workspace ONE UEM

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Update On Demand Windows applications


With the newest release of Workspace ONE UEM 2304 there is a new feature added for Windows applications: Update On Demand applications.

This is a long requested and extremely helpful feature to help update all of the applications on your managed Windows devices. Before it was only possible to update applications if the toggle was set to 'auto' in the assigned. This meant that all the applications will need to be automatically pushed to all devices. In a large environment with 100+ applications that is not manageable and will result in to many applications on the devices, longer enrollments, etc.

Better would be to make the applications On Demand available to (all) users and let them install whenever they would like to. The problem is, what to do when a new version of the applications is released? The applications are not updated and forcing the user to update the app in the Intelligent Hub seems not realistic. Other option would be to use some sort of automation, for example to update the applications like described in my previous blog:

https://blog.simonelberts.nl/2022/09/use-freestyle-orchestrator-to-keep-your.html

But that will create lots of more workflows that need to be created in Freestyle Orchestrator (or Intelligence) and is more difficult to manage. 


Now with Update On Demand Applications from Workspace ONE UEM, this is all automated:


Configuration

Requirements

  • Workspace ONE UEM Console 2304
  • MSI or EXE applications
  • On Demand application
  • New version of application uploaded to console


This is how it works:

Firefox is already installed but still with version 112.0 and Auto Update feature is turned of:






I use the Enterprise App Repository to add the new version (v112.0.2) and assign it to my devices. More details on my EAR in my previous blog: https://blog.simonelberts.nl/2023/04/updated-applications-in-windows.html

After the application is downloaded from the EAR, the process will guide you to the assignment. If your console is version 2304 and the Feature is enabled you will see the check box like below. Only thing left is switch the button and leave it On Demand assigned:

 


The process can be tracked in the Summary of Firefox application and after seconds the new version is installed:




In Apps and Features you can see the new feature is installed:







Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 28, 2024 at 8:00 PM

    We noticed this option being toggled on causes issues for us. There should be a warning about this.
    Let me explain:
    We have apps in our Workflow so when new enrollments happen all employees get our standard applications.

    We upload a new app version and deploy to a testing assignment group, document anything we find, submit IT-CAB review, then deploy to the masses and update the workflow.

    Issue: When a new version of the application is uploaded regardless is you target a specific assignment group the workflow will automatically start deploying this new untested application. This caused us many hours of pain.

    While a nice feature, should come with an explanation of what really happens and how it will affect assignment groups, workflows, etc.

    ReplyDelete

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