You can now remotely install an app in a simple way. No need for Windows 10 SDK to get winappdeploycmd, You can use Device Manager in a browser locally or on the phone to do it. Here's how. This blog covers the basics about app packages, deployment and setting up for sideloading. The next blog covers remote app installation and in phone app installation using Device Manager running in a browser.

My Related Blogs

1. Win 10 Fast Track- If Phone app developer don’t install latest OS to Phone (I presented some material reproduced here wrt Device Manager)
2. Win 10 Phone: Universal Windows Apps Sideloading - Winappdeploycmd: (Further Updated)
3. Win 10 IoT Core: Universal Windows Apps Sideloading (Updated)
4. Part 2 Remote and On Phone Appx installation using Device Manager

In Brief

if you set your Windows 10 (Mobile) Phone in Developer Mode (perhaps Sideloading is all you need) then you can fire up a web browser where the Appx file  is located and remotely install the app on your phone. Alternatively you can actually file up the (Edge) browser on your phone after copying the package to it and install the app package there!

Background

You develop a Universal Windows Platform (UWP, previously called a Store App) in Visual Studio (2015 Release 2). You typically deploy to a phone over a USB cable during development. The phone has to be in developer mode. Once developed, you publish the app in The Store where any user can get the app. It is though thoroughly tested and repackaged before being published by Microsoft. Alternatively if you want some users to try your app you can pass them the package and they can install it if the phone is in Sideload (or Developer) Mode.

They would need to have the standalone version of Windows 10 SDK installed on a Windows 10 system to do the sideloading or have Visual Studio 2015 (Release 2) installed, which includes the SDK. Using USB connectivity between the phone and PC, you run the Visual Studio Developer Command prompt and change directory to the package folder and run a command such as:

winappdeploycmd" install -file  .\myapp_1.1.16.0_ARM.appx       -ip 127.0.0.1

The App Package

Once the app development and debugging is complete you create the package. To do this you right click on the app project and select Store-Create App Packages

Note: If you have dependency projects in the solution you only do Packaging (once) via the main app project.

  You can click on these images to expand them.

On the next dialog choose No (The package isn't intended for The Store):

On the next dialog choose Never (Generate App Bundle), ARM only and Release and No Symbol files:

The press [Create] and the package build starts.

When done you get a dialog that tells you where in the Solution the package is located. Ignore the Validation.

Open the folder for the apps package(s). Any subsequent package builds will be located under this folder.

Open the folder to note the package and certificate files generated. Ignore the PowerShell file.
Note the folder path (Its needed later).

Note also the Dependencies folder. Open it and note the app's dependencies.

Set Phone in Developer Mode

• On the phone go to Settings->Update and Security->For Developers
• Under "Select developer features" select Developer Mode
• Scroll down to Device Discovery
• Enable Make your device visible to USB connections and your local network
• Scroll down to Device Portal
• Enable Remote Diagnostics over USB and local area network connections.
• Optionally disable Authentication:
  Run the browser (as in the next section)
  Press pair.
  Write down the code. Don’t press Cancel or Back. (Go to keep Settings “alive”)
  Use Start Menu to get back to Edge-Web Portal
  Enter code
• Comment: Best to disable these features when done, esp if you disable authentication.
  
  

Browser: Device Manager

• Get the packages onto a Windows 10 PC (possible zip up / unzip the folder for transport).
• Assume you are using WiFi (need local area network, should be private).
• Go to Settings->Wifi and click on your WiFi connection.
• Note the phone's IpAddress
• In your browser (on a Windows 10 PC) where the appx files are placed, enter

http://<phone's ipaddress> or http://<phonename>

• At this point if Authentication is on follow instructions as above to pair.
• Device Manger will now load in the Browser:

• Explore the aspects of the phone that can be managed from here and hence why this needs to be done securely.
• Also on the phone runteh browser and enter

http://localhost  or http://127.0.0.1

• You will see the device manager also can run the phone (only when in this mode though).
• Note that if authentication is on you have to pair the phone with itself:
  Use Start Menu to go to Settings->Update and Security->For Developers
  Scroll down to Device Portal
  Under Device Discovery
  Press pair.
  Write down the code. Don’t press Cancel or Back. (Got to keep Settings “alive”)
  Use Start Menu to get back to Edge-Web Portal
  Enter code