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Switching an app from policy-based install to App Installer

  • September 21, 2023
  • 2 replies
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Are there any gotchas to look out for when switching an app (e.g. Chrome or Office365) from a package install via Policies to using App Installers? We're thinking of doing it so that we can enjoy the ease of updating that App Installers provide.

Best answer by tonyyoung2

Only real gotcha is if you put an App Installer in self service, a user downloads it but then an application doesn’t work right and your help desk directs the user to reinstall. App installers do not have an optional reinstall if you trash an app. You have to wait on Jamf Pro to recalculate scope and make the app available again and that’s usually requiring manual effort. Otherwise the user would have to wait until the next update to said app before self service provides an install option again.

Plenty of feedback has been given to Jamf. Awaiting a reinstall button. 

2 replies

tonyyoung2
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  • Answer
  • September 21, 2023

Only real gotcha is if you put an App Installer in self service, a user downloads it but then an application doesn’t work right and your help desk directs the user to reinstall. App installers do not have an optional reinstall if you trash an app. You have to wait on Jamf Pro to recalculate scope and make the app available again and that’s usually requiring manual effort. Otherwise the user would have to wait until the next update to said app before self service provides an install option again.

Plenty of feedback has been given to Jamf. Awaiting a reinstall button. 


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  • September 28, 2023

Thanks @tonyyoung2. We're really only looking to use this for widely used software such as Chrome or Adobe and although I'm not saying their apps won't fail, I think the chances of that happening is small so we'll go ahead and proceed as the benefits we get from the easier updating process (i.e. no more manual packaging on our end) outweighs the risk.