How to Install applications for device in SCCM

In SCCM 1906, you can install applications to a device in real time. This feature eliminates the need for separate collections for every application. This is a very cool feature in SCCM 1906 so let’s explore it.

First of all ensure you are running SCCM 1906 in your setup. The feature to install apps for a device is available only in SCCM 1906.

In SCCM 1906, you can install applications to a device in real time without creating separate collections. At the end of the post you will understand why I mentioned real time. I will split the whole post into steps so that it becomes easy to follow.

Step 1 – Enable Approve application requests for users per device

You must first enable the optional feature – Approve application requests for users per device.

• In the SCCM console go to Administration > Overview > Updates and Servicing > Features.
• Right click Approve application requests for users per device and click Turn On.

On the confirmation box, click Yes. At this point, I would recommend you to close the console and re-open it.

Step 2 – Deploy the application as Available to a SCCM device collection

Let’s pick an application in SCCM and deploy it to a device collection as Available. I am going to deploy “Remote Desktop Manager” application to a Windows 10 device collection.

Right click the application and click Deploy.

Click Browse and select the device collection. Click Next.

Select the distribution point and click Next.

Deployment Settings – On the deployment settings page, select the Action as Install and Purpose as Available.

You must check the box “An administrator must approve a request for this application on the device“. Click Next.

While you enable this option, understand that the user won’t see the application in Software Center.

There is a post related to this topic, check SCCM ConfigMgr Approve Application Requests for Users Per Device.

Click Next on remaining steps and finally on Completion page, click Close.

Step 3 – No Application in Software Center

In the step 2 we deployed an application to Windows 10 device collection. With these deployment settings, no policy is sent to the client. Therefore the application doesn’t show up as available in Software Center. The user can’t install the app with this deployment.

In the below screenshot notice that we do not see the Remote Desktop Manager app as available in software center.

Step 4 – Install applications for device in SCCM

We will now install application for a device with the help of Install Application option.

In step 2 we deployed an application to the Windows 10 device collection. From that collection I am going to pick one device to test the application install.

Right click the device and click Install Application.

A box appears where in you must select the application to install. Select the app and click OK.

Note – If you don’t see your application here then verify if this computer is part of the device collection to which you deployed the application in Step 2.

When you install the application on a device, the software immediately appears in Software center on the client computer. Within seconds you see the app in software center.

Furthermore when you click the application, check the application installation status and the app is installed.

I guess now you got to know why is it called installing applications to a device in real time. Let me show you another interesting thing.

Step 5 – Application Requests in SCCM

When you install an application on a device, you might see the number of application requests made and the status of the request.

In the SCCM console, go to Software Library > Application Management > Application Requests. In the right pane you should find almost all the application requests.

Take a look at Status column to see if app was approved or denied.

If you right click an application request, you see four options.

• Deny – You can deny this request and I will cover what happens when you deny an app request in next section.
• Refresh
• Retry Install – Re-attempts to install the application on the user device.
• Properties

If you right click an application request and click Properties, it reveals application history.

Step 6 – Deny an Application Request

If you right click an application request for a device whose status is approved, you can deny the application.

Clicking Deny will uninstall the application from the user’s device.

Right click the approved application request and click Deny. In the box specify the reason for denying the request. Click OK.

The deny option uninstalls the app.