How to Upgrade / Replace App with Win32 App Supersedence relationship | Intune

In Microsoft Intune, Supersedence enables you to update and replace existing Win32 apps with newer versions of the same app or an entirely different Win32app. Supersedence relationships can be created when adding or modifying a Win32app within Endpoint Manager.

The Supersedence steps allow you to specify any Supersedence relationships related to the Win32 app. The supersedence relationship can help you in managing the lifecycle of an application. The older applications can be automatically uninstalled from environment by creating Supersedence relation when deploying a newer version.

In this post, we will replace the existing version of Notepad++ with a newer version through Win32 App deployment.

Review existing deployed version

When you are planning to upgrade or replace an existing version of application with a new one, you should review the existing application deployed in your environment and identify all older version which will be superseded by new deployment. These information will be helpful when you will create Supersedence relationship in later stage.

Since I am doing this deployment in my test environment, there is only one older version of Notepad++ exists on my test machine. You can see the details in below screenshot. We will replace this version with Notepad++ 7.9.1

Endpoint Manager - Check assigned applications

Prepare Win32 App Installation Source for Intune

Intune Prep Tool for Win32 app allow creation of single package for deployment through Microsoft Intune. We will use this tool to create Intunewin package file for Notepad++ 7.9.1. The following steps are required for Intunewin package creation.

  • Download the Intune prep tool (intuneWinAppUtil.exe)
  • Copy all the installation files and other supported files (if any) inside the single source folder (Notepad++ 7.9.1 in this case)
  • Copy the intuneWinAppUtil.exe outside of the installation source folder.

IntuneWinApp - Folder structure

  • Open the command prompt and change the directory to root of the folder you created.
  • Run IntuneWinAppUtil.exe and provide the required input.

As you see in below folder, the intunewin file created in root folder. This file need to be selected as package source when required at later stage.

IntuneWinApp - Folder structure

Setup and Deploy Win32 App Supersedence Deployment in Endpoint Manager

Add Win32 App:

In the Endpoint Manager console, select Apps > Windows App > Add

Select Windows app (Win32) from App type drop down list

Click on Select

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - App Type

Click on Select app package file

Browse to the folder where you kept Intunewin file and select the file. Review the file information displayed and click on Ok.

App Information:

In App information page, review and update the details as needed. You can update the details such as Description, Publisher, Category, Logo etc.

Click on Next

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - App Information page

Program:

In the Program page, review and update the information as needed. We will go ahead with default values as it’s good for this deployment.

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - Program page

Requirements:

In the Requirements page, update the deployment requirements for application. The client must met the requirement to install this application. We have configured following requirements.

Operating system architecture: 64-bit

Minimum operating system : Windows 10 1903

Disk space : 500 MB free space

Physical Memory: 4 GB RAM

Check this blog post if you want to deep dive into Requirements rule.

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - Requirements page

Detection rule:

Detection rule is used to validate the presence of the app. In the Detection rules pane, you can add a detection rule which will be used to validate the presence of app on client machine. We will use MSI product code for this deployment.

Checkout this blog post if you want to deep dive into detection rule.

Select Manually configure detection rules from Rules format drop down list

Click on Add

Select Rule type > MSI

MSI product code will populate automatically

Click on Ok

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - Detection Rule

Review the Detection rule in next page and click on Next

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - Detection Rule

Dependencies:

This app (Notepad ++) does not have any dependencies. So, we can simply skip this step. Click on Next.

check out this blog post if want to know more about Win32 App Dependencies.

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - Dependencies

Supersedence:

Win32 app Supersedence option enables you to update and replace existing Win32 apps with newer versions of the same app or an entirely different Win32 app. Win32 app Supersedence steps allow you to specify any Supersedence relationships related to the Win32 app.

Follow the below steps to add supersedence relationship for the deployment.

in the Supersedence (preview) pane, click on Add

Endpoint Manager - Wind32 App - Create supersedence relationship

Type the name of application in search box to quickly find the version which you want to replace. Select the application and click on Select. We have selected Notepad++ version 7.8.9 here which will be replaced by a new version 7.9.1

Endpoint Manager - Wind32 App - Create supersedence relationship

Select Yes under Uninstall previous version in next screen as we will replace an older version with newer one. If you want to upgrade an existing version with new version (if supported) then set this option to No

Follow Microsoft documentation if you need further clarification in supersedence behavior of an application.

Click on Next

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - Supersedence relationship

Assignments :

In the Assignments pane, you can assign the application to Azure AD Group, All users or All Devices. We will deploy this application as mandatory deployment to Azure AD group named as “App Notepad++ users”

Click on Add group under Required section.

Select the Azure AD group and click on Select

Endpoint Manager - Wind32 App - Assignment

Review the assignments and click on Next

Endpoint Manager - Intune - Win32 App - Assignments

Review + create

In the Review + create pane, review the details and click on Create

Endpoint Manager - Intune - Win32 App - Review + create

The wizard will now create the application and upload the setup file to Intune portal. Watch the notification area to validate successful creation of application.

Endpoint Manager - Win32 App - Create & Upload

Validate the Supersedence Deployment on Test Machine

To check the deployment status, go to Devices > windows > <Computer Name>

As you can see in below screenshot, the old version of Notepad++ 7.8.9 is currently installed. The status of new version of Notepad++ 7.9.1 is Waiting for install status.

Endpoint Manager - Intune - Win32 App - Validate Deployment

Here is the status after waiting for sometime. As you see in below screenshot, the status of Notepad++ 7.9.1 is now Installed while the status of old version (Notepad++ 7.8.9) is now Not Installed.

As we configured the Supersedence rule, the older version of application was uninstalled and new version installed.

Endpoint Manager - Intune - Win32 App - Validate Deployment

User Notifications

Application Download:

The user received below notification for application download. The message clearly state that targeted application will replace an existing application.

Note: The name of both application are identical as have not added version in deployment name. It’s good to add version in deployment name to avoid confusion.

Endpoint Manager - Intune - App Download Notification

Application Uninstalled:

The below notification was for uninstallation for old version of application.

Application Installed:

The below notification was for installation of new version of Notepad ++

Endpoint Manager - Intune - App Install Notification

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