Installation and removal
Requirements
The Windows test baseline is Windows 11 x64 with Microsoft 365 desktop PowerPoint, either 32-bit or 64-bit. Native ARM64 and Windows x86 are outside this baseline.
For MSI installation, install these prerequisites machine-wide first:
- .NET Framework 4.8 or newer.
- Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO) Runtime.
- Microsoft Edge WebView2 Evergreen Runtime, meeting the minimum version stated in the package's
DEPLOYMENT.md.
The MSI checks these requirements but does not download missing runtimes. If you cannot install them, ask your IT administrator.
Standalone MSI
- Open GitHub Releases (opens in a new tab) and choose the package you want to install. Prereleases are for testing.
- Download the file ending in Standalone-x64.msi.
- Close every PowerPoint window, run the MSI and approve the Windows administrator prompt.
- Reopen PowerPoint and confirm that XKey loads.
The package installs XKey and its updater for all users of the computer. User settings remain separate for each Windows account. See Updates for subsequent installations.
Corporate / Intune installation
If your device is managed by your company, use the software installation process provided by IT. The Intune package contains no self-updater. The .intunewin file is uploaded to Intune; it is not something you double-click to install.
IT can also install the Intune MSI directly. See Corporate deployment and the package's DEPLOYMENT.md.
ClickOnce
Use the original installation link supplied to you and follow its setup prompts. A ClickOnce installation belongs to the Windows user who installs it. Other Windows users may have separate installations.
To move to an MSI, remove the confirmed XKey ClickOnce installation in each affected user's account before deploying the machine-wide package. IT has a migration script for this purpose. Do not clear the whole ClickOnce cache.
Uninstall
Close PowerPoint and remove XKey through Windows Installed apps, or follow your company's managed removal process. Removing the Standalone MSI also removes its bundled updater. It is not a separately installed background service.
User settings, the administrator's update-channel choice and diagnostic caches are preserved. ClickOnce removal must be performed in the account that owns the installation.
If XKey does not load
Check installation errors and missing runtimes first. PowerPoint may also have disabled the add-in, or a previous ClickOnce or developer installation may conflict with it. Ask for help before deleting Office registrations.
When reporting a problem (opens in a new tab), include the installed version, installation type, Office bitness and error message. Remove personal information and credentials from shared logs.