The most significant benefit of using portable apps is self-evident-they’re portable. If the app allows you to save settings, those settings are saved in files right inside the same folder. Instead of installing a portable app, you typically download it as a ZIP file, extract that ZIP to a folder, and run the executable file for the app. If you move the folder, the app will still work the same. All the files required to run the app reside in a single folder, which you can put anywhere on the system. So, What’s a Portable App and Why Would I Use One?Ī portable app is simply one that doesn’t use an installer. And, having all program settings saved to designated areas makes backing up your system more reliable. Features like file and share permissions are built on this structure. For starters, each user can rely on their own settings being loaded when they start the app just because they are signed in with their own Windows account. Storing user-specific settings in one place and system-wide settings in another means that apps can take better advantage of lots of different Windows features designed for a multi-user system. Multiple apps can share information contained in Registry entries or shared code libraries, preventing unnecessary duplication. There are distinct advantages to this separation of functions. NET Framework, and Why Is It Installed on My PC? NET framework and Visual C++ Redistributables. And many apps take advantage of shared code libraries that get installed with things like the. Most apps create entries in the Windows Registry that may also hold various configuration settings. Settings that are particular to different user accounts on the PC are stored in files created in the hidden “AppData” folder inside each accounts user folder. Files that contain settings applying to all users of the app may get created in the ProgramData folder.
The bulk of the app’s files are usually copied to a single folder somewhere in the C:\Program Files folder. When you install an app in Windows, the installation files go to several different locations. To understand what makes an app portable, it might be helpful first to take a quick look at how traditional apps get installed in Windows.
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