How to test automatic download of PSA

Question

How to test automatic download of PSA

Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5

I need to check the automatic download of beta print support app from MS store when i connect a printer with beta printer extension inf.

Michael Le (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 11,330 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-10T10:30:47.9566667+00:00
Hello @Ambigavathi Dhanapal ,

Could you clarify your testing scenario a bit more?

Are you trying to validate that the Print Support App (PSA) is automatically installed when a printer with the extension INF is connected?

Is the PSA already published to the Microsoft Store and associated with the driver package?

What behavior are you currently seeing (e.g., PSA not downloading, delayed installation, or no trigger at all)?

Any details about how the printer/driver is installed and how the PSA is configured would help narrow down the issue.
Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-10T12:49:40.44+00:00

@Michael Le (WICLOUD CORPORATION) Yes. We need to validate the automatic installation of PSA and extension INF.

We have published PSA application in MS store as public and private (for selected user to test beta release)

Yes. We have added Package family name and AMUID in printer extension. We are able to add printer and open app if we do it manually.

We need how to test the automatic download of extension inf and PSA app for beta testing

2 answers

Your answer

Michael Le (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 11,330 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-10T10:30:47.9566667+00:00

Hello @Ambigavathi Dhanapal ,

Could you clarify your testing scenario a bit more?

Are you trying to validate that the Print Support App (PSA) is automatically installed when a printer with the extension INF is connected?

Is the PSA already published to the Microsoft Store and associated with the driver package?

What behavior are you currently seeing (e.g., PSA not downloading, delayed installation, or no trigger at all)?

Any details about how the printer/driver is installed and how the PSA is configured would help narrow down the issue.
Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-10T12:49:40.44+00:00

@Michael Le (WICLOUD CORPORATION) Yes. We need to validate the automatic installation of PSA and extension INF.

We have published PSA application in MS store as public and private (for selected user to test beta release)

Yes. We have added Package family name and AMUID in printer extension. We are able to add printer and open app if we do it manually.

We need how to test the automatic download of extension inf and PSA app for beta testing

Answer 1

Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,800 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Helo @Ambigavathi Dhanapal ,

I see the manual installation works flawlessly, confirming the PackageFamilyName and AMUID within the extension INF are properly configured. I suspect the issue stems from testing a private or beta audience release; the Windows Store background task must authenticate against the Microsoft Account (MSA) mapped to that private group.

I recommend checking the test machine account context. The Microsoft Store app on the test machine must be signed in with an MSA or Entra ID that is explicitly added to the known user group in the Partner Center.

If your extension INF is not yet published as a flight on Windows Update for automatic download, I want you to stage it locally. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:

pnputil /add-driver <path_to_your_extension.inf> /install

Connect the printer to trigger the plug-and-play event. The Windows spooler will detect the device, bind the extension INF, and notify the Microsoft Store. If the app still fails to download, I request that you check the Event Viewer logs for both the Print Service (Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > PrintService > Admin/Operational) and the Store Operations (Microsoft > Windows > Store > Operational) to isolate the exact step where the trigger is denied.

Hope this helps! If my explanation and the information I provided were helpful, I would greatly appreciate it if you could follow the instructions here so others with the same problem can benefit as well.

Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-14T17:01:25.9633333+00:00

@Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) we are getting below entry from event viewer

Windows::Services::Store::StoreContext::SendStoreRequestAsync(9, {"packageFamilyName":"ALTENCALSOFTLABS.409564841D425_59ckec1syrm6w"}) invoked. (CV:TX+5BYVD4EekgTRE.2.3)

Error: Unknown HResult Error code: 0xefffffff

Function: Windows::Services::Store::StoreContext::SendStoreRequestAsync

Source: onecoreuap\enduser\winstore\licensing\winrt\lib\storecontext.cpp (207)
Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-15T01:00:08.5933333+00:00

Hi @Ambigavathi Dhanapal ,

Thanks for your update.

That 0xefffffff you're seeing from SendStoreRequestAsync is actually a good sign in a way, it means the print stack read your extension INF fine, resolved the package family name, and the Store acquisition was triggered exactly like it should be. The failure is happening one layer deeper, on the licensing side, so this isn't a printer or INF problem at all. What's really going on is that the Store is refusing to hand out the app because the device doesn't have a valid entitlement for that private/beta release yet.

The thing that trips most people up here is that automatic background download for a private listing usually won't work until that specific account has acquired the app at least once on that machine. So before anything else, I'd double check that the exact MSA or Entra ID signed into the Microsoft Store on your test box is the same one you added to the known user group under Pricing and availability > Audience in Partner Center. It's easy to be signed into Store with a slightly different account than the one on the allow list, and that alone will produce this error.

Once you've confirmed that, the fix that clears this up most of the time is to just prime the license manually. While signed in with that private-audience account, open the private PSA listing in the Store and install it once by hand. That registers the entitlement on the device. After that you can remove it and re-run your plug-and-play trigger, and the background task should now be authorized to pull it down on its own.

If it's still stubborn after that, run wsreset.exe to clear out any stale Store state and force a license sync, make sure automatic app updates are turned on in Store settings, then redo your pnputil /add-driver step, reconnect the printer, and watch the Store > Operational log again. If SendStoreRequestAsync comes back with success or even a different HResult, that tells us we moved the needle.

One last thing worth ruling out, if it keeps failing with the exact same code even after priming the license, it's worth confirming whether the PFN ALTENCALSOFTLABS.409564841D425_59ckec1syrm6w actually maps to your private/beta submission and not the public one, since an AMUID pointing at the public package identity would explain a persistent denial too. If you can let me know the result after trying the manual prime, plus the market/region on the test account, we'll know right away whether this is an audience gap or a package mismatch.

Hope this helps.
Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-16T03:14:56.92+00:00

@Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) We found the issue like we published same application for store as well as beta testing. Now we remove the package and added another one only for beta testing. We plugged printer and driver installed. As per design, it shows Get app for first time. when we click get app, it opens MS store and show app. we click install, it shows driver is missing. we have collected event viewer log as below.

Install state changing for product 9NTT447FDQVH: Starting => Error

Exception Details: System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException

Function: OnStatusChanged

Source: .\src\Shell\WinStore.App\Acquisition\InstallManager.cs (289)

===========================================================================

Information when installation status changed

id: 9NTT447FDQVH

packageFamilyName: ALTENCALSOFTLABS.zPrintsupport_59ckec1syrm6w

title:

InstallState: Error

completePercent: 0

installType: Install

downloadSize: 1

downloadedBytes: 0

readyForLaunch: False

error: System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x803FB005): 0x803FB005

operationsMightAffectOthers: False

children product ids:

Function: LogInstallStatus

Source: .\src\Shell\WinStore.App\Acquisition\Install.cs (769)

=======================================================================================

ProductId: 9NTT447FDQVH

Error Code: Unknown HResult Error code: 0x803fb005

Function: ItemStatusChanged

Source: .\src\Shell\WinStore.App\Acquisition\WindowsUpdateInstaller.cs (1231)

=========================================================================================

[Telemetry]: StateTransition :: ProductId = 9NTT447FDQVH PFN = ALTENCALSOFTLABS.zPrintsupport_59ckec1syrm6w CatalogId = FulfillmentPluginId = WU PluginTelemetryData = {"OperationType":"Acquisition","ClientAppId":"Acquisition;Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe-Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe-StartProductInstallWithOptionsForUserAsync","ContentId":"","WUContentId":"","IsRemediation":0,"CategoryId":"37ec62c5-1e0c-41b7-a014-09adbf8d0f7f","ParentBundleId":"","DownloadSize":0,"SystemAttemptNumber":3,"UserAttemptNumber":6,"AttemptNumber":9,"WorkProperties":{"IsInteractive":1,"CallerApplicationId":"Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe-Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe-StartProductInstallWithOptionsForUserAsync","InstallForAllUsers":0,"AllowDownloadOnAnyNetwork":0,"ForceUseOfNonRemovableStorage":0,"AllowForcedAppRestart":0,"IsDiscInstall":0,"IsRestore":0,"Repair":0,"StageButDoNotInstall":0,"RequiresElevation":0,"AutomaticallyDownloadAndInstallUpdateIfFound":1,"AllowCachedResult":0,"UserIdentityInfo":"{"WebAccountId":"0006400098C57B78","AccountProviderId":"https://login.microsoft.com","Authority":"consumers","ConnectedAccountProvider":"d7f9888f-e3fc-49b0-9ea6-a85b5f392a4f"}","VolumePath":""},"extendedErrorCode":0} PrevState = Working NewState = Error PluginLastStage = 2 HResult = -2143309819 TlgCV = QRB6BSFD3kK/EMJEZpQhlg.279.2

Error: Unknown HResult Error code: 0xefffffff

Function: LogTelemetryEvent

Source: onecoreuap\enduser\winstore\installservice\svc\logging.cpp (10)
Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-16T04:37:14.9866667+00:00

Hi @Ambigavathi Dhanapal ,

Thanks for reaching out.

The fact that you're now getting the "Get app" prompt and the Store opens straight to your listing means the audience and entitlement side is sorted, that whole piece is working as designed now. The new 0x803FB005 with the "driver is missing" message is a different beast though, and it's actually pointing at something pretty specific.

When you split out the beta into its own package, that new submission came with its own PackageFamilyName and its own AMUID, you can see it in the log now reporting ALTENCALSOFTLABS.zPrintsupport_59ckec1syrm6w, which is different from the package family name we were chasing earlier. The catch is that a print support app is hardware-tied, so the Store will only complete the install if the PFN and AMUID the app declares line up exactly with what your printer's extension INF is advertising. Right now the INF that got staged through plug-and-play is still pointing at the identity of the old package you removed, so when you hit Install the Store goes looking for a matching driver binding, doesn't find one for this new identity, and bails out with that "driver is missing" error.

So the fix is to get the INF and the new beta package talking about the same identity. I'd update your extension INF so the PackageFamilyName and AMUID match the new beta submission (the one tied to ProductId 9NTT447FDQVH), then clear out the old INF from the driver store and stage the corrected one, something like pnputil /delete-driver <oldname.inf> /uninstall /force followed by pnputil /add-driver <updated.inf> /install. After that, unplug and reconnect the printer so the plug-and-play event re-binds against the new INF, and run through the Get app and Install flow again.

While you're in Partner Center, it's also worth double checking that the AMUID declared on the beta package matches the ManufacturerName and hardware ID on your driver, since a mismatch there produces this exact same 0x803FB005. If the install still stops at the same point after the INF is updated and re-staged, send me the fresh Store > Operational log and I'll confirm whether the new identity is binding correctly.

Hope this helps!
Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-16T12:07:01.44+00:00

@Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) Thanks for your reply .Now i am able to download the app from MS store Manually for first time and installed successfully. After i unplugged the printer , uninstalled PSA, cleaned the system and reboot. Then connected the printer and checked the printer and scanners. still, it shows "get app".

Windows::Services::Store::StoreContext::SendStoreRequestAsync(9, {"packageFamilyName":"ALTENCALSOFTLABS.zPrintsupport_59ckec1syrm6w"}) invoked. (CV:+IffyQ/9SkqtyFW6.12.3)

Error: Unknown HResult Error code: 0xefffffff

Function: Windows::Services::Store::StoreContext::SendStoreRequestAsync

Source: onecoreuap\enduser\winstore\licensing\winrt\lib\storecontext.cpp (207)
Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-17T01:19:28.43+00:00

Hi @Ambigavathi Dhanapal ,

Thanks for the update, and great to hear the manual download and install are now working cleanly, that confirms the app identity and the printer extension are lined up correctly, so the 0x803FB005 issue is fully behind us now.

The behavior you're seeing after the reboot, where it still shows "Get app" and the log comes back with 0xefffffff, is actually expected and not a problem with your configuration. Windows only performs the silent, automatic Store acquisition for apps that are published publicly and generally available. When the app is scoped to a private or beta audience, the system intentionally blocks that background acquisition and falls back to the manual "Get app" prompt instead. So that 0xefffffff on SendStoreRequestAsync is really just Windows telling the Store that a silent pull isn't allowed for a private listing, it's a licensing and security boundary rather than a bug.

So where things stand is that the install side is fully resolved and your beta can be validated end to end through the manual "Get app" flow. The one thing that won't work while the app stays private is the hands-off automatic download, that path only opens up once the listing is public. If testing that automatic experience is important, the way to do it is to temporarily publish the PSA as a public, generally available listing (or stand up a separate public test listing just for this), run your validation, and then move it back to private afterward.

One more thing worth checking on the test machine while you're at it, under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Device installation settings, make sure automatic download of manufacturer apps is enabled, since that needs to be on for the automatic flow to work even once the app is public.

Hope this helps! If my explanation and the information I provided were helpful, I would greatly appreciate it if you could follow the instructions here so others with the same problem can benefit as well.
Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-17T06:04:18.8366667+00:00

@Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) from your comments we understood, automatic download wont work for beta testing. we need to publish the app to test automatic download.
Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-17T06:12:38.78+00:00

@Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) We have one more PSA app which already published. we modified the INF to use the AUMID and PFN to add the printer. Printer is installed successfully. but it shows "get app" option.

Windows::Services::Store::StoreContext::SendStoreRequestAsync(9, {"packageFamilyName":"ALTENCALSOFTLABS.409564841D425_59ckec1syrm6w"}) invoked. (CV:oyDb3PX/5keK0+7l.2.3)

Error: Unknown HResult Error code: 0xefffffff

Function: Windows::Services::Store::StoreContext::SendStoreRequestAsync

Source: onecoreuap\enduser\winstore\licensing\winrt\lib\storecontext.cpp (207)
Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-18T01:43:16.26+00:00
Hi @Ambigavathi Dhanapal ,

Thanks for testing that and sharing the screenshots. The key takeaway is that since you saw the same "Get app" behavior with your already-published app, this isn't a private-vs-public wall like we first thought, the automatic path is available to you, we just need the right conditions.

For reference, Microsoft's PSA association docs confirm that when a PSA is a free app on the public Store, connecting the printer auto-downloads and installs it without any interactive sign-in. So with your published app this should be reachable, and a few things are worth checking:

Your screenshot shows the listing was just updated, and the Store catalog and device-app association take a while to propagate. During that window the silent lookup can return exactly that generic 0xefffffff, so keep the machine online and retry later rather than judging it right after publishing.

Confirm it's free and generally available in the market/region your test machine is set to.

Verify the identity matches. The log fails on PFN ALTENCALSOFTLABS.409564841D425_59ckec1syrm6w, so check in Partner Center that this exact PFN and the AUMID match what's in your extension INF for printsupportK.

Check the device setting: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Device installation settings must allow automatically downloading manufacturer apps, or you'll always be sent to the manual "Get app" link.

One thing on reading the result, the "Get app" link alone isn't proof the auto-download failed; it's always-present manual entry point. The better check is to connect the printer, leave it online a bit, and see whether the PSA shows up in your installed apps on its own. If it still doesn't after the propagation time and those checks, grab a fresh Store > Operational log around the connect event and send it over.
Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-18T04:39:00.84+00:00

@Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) i have waited for almost a day for automatic download. but it was not happened. Are we need to publish the INF to Windows update? currently we are using pnputil /add-driver xxxx.inf /Install

I read from MS partner QA, We need to publish it to windows update to download the app automatically. I need your inputs for this
Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-18T06:28:04.5766667+00:00
Hi @Ambigavathi Dhanapal ,

You raised exactly the right question, and I owe you a correction. The work we did earlier fixing the 0x803FB005 identity mismatch was necessary and genuinely resolved your install blocker, so that wasn't wasted effort. But when it came to the automatic download not triggering, I spent too much time looking at the Store entitlement side and not enough at the driver distribution side, and that's on me.

After going back through the documentation carefully, the picture is actually straightforward. Automatic download needs two things working together: the PSA published as a free, public app on the Store (which you already have with printsupportK), and the extension INF published on Windows Update, not just staged locally with pnputil. The PSA association docs state this directly: "Association is controlled by the extension INF published on Windows Update by printer manufacturers." The pnputil /add-driver approach is only meant for validating the association locally and testing manual install, it doesn't trigger the real automatic acquisition flow. That's why waiting a full day produced nothing.

To get automatic download working, you'll need to publish the extension INF through the Hardware program in Partner Center. The extension INF submission guide walks through it, but the key steps are:

Create a separate submission just for the extension INF, keep it apart from any base driver.

Create a shipping label and select both automatic driver promotion checkboxes, these are required since extension INFs can't be offered as optional.

If those checkboxes aren't visible, sign up for driver flighting first, all extension INFs go through flighting before reaching Windows Update.

Once the flight succeeds, connecting the printer will auto-download the PSA from the Store with no user interaction.

For faster testing, enrolling your test machine in the Windows Insider Program gives you earlier access to flighted drivers without waiting for full retail rollout. And make sure the INF points to your public app listing, since automatic acquisition only works with free, publicly available PSAs.

I'm sorry for the roundabout path. Let me know how the submission goes or if you need help with the Partner Center setup.
Ambigavathi Dhanapal 5 Reputation points

2026-06-18T06:52:57.47+00:00
@Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) Thanks for your reply. Now we are clear about PSA and INF publishing for automatic download. So Automatic download will work only if

PSA publish to all

Printer extension publish to windows update
Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-18T07:41:21.9066667+00:00
Hi @Ambigavathi Dhanapal

That's exactly right. For automatic download to work, both conditions need to be in place:

PSA published as a free, public app on the Microsoft Store (available to all users).

Printer extension INF published to Windows Update through the Hardware program in Partner Center (via shipping label with automatic driver promotion + driver flighting).

When both are set up, connecting the printer will trigger Windows to pull down the extension INF from Windows Update and automatically download the PSA from the Store, no user interaction needed.

If you need any help with the Partner Center submission or the driver flighting process, feel free to reach out.

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How to test automatic download of PSA

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