From 6252432f0757d896d7a61819bbff127efac5a156 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Varun Chawla <34209028+veeceey@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:34:58 -0800
Subject: [PATCH] fix(bundler): swap WIX registry search order to prioritize
 InstallDir (#14945)

---
 .changes/fix-wix-registry-search-order.md            |  5 +++++
 crates/tauri-bundler/src/bundle/windows/msi/main.wxs | 12 ++++++++----
 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 .changes/fix-wix-registry-search-order.md

diff --git a/.changes/fix-wix-registry-search-order.md b/.changes/fix-wix-registry-search-order.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..10e11326ced6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/fix-wix-registry-search-order.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"tauri-bundler": patch:bug
+---
+
+Fix WIX installer registry search order so that the named `InstallDir` key takes priority over the NSIS default key, preventing install location from changing on updates.
diff --git a/crates/tauri-bundler/src/bundle/windows/msi/main.wxs b/crates/tauri-bundler/src/bundle/windows/msi/main.wxs
index a11b2ec4381c..a08c3b2cc5dc 100644
--- a/crates/tauri-bundler/src/bundle/windows/msi/main.wxs
+++ b/crates/tauri-bundler/src/bundle/windows/msi/main.wxs
@@ -70,12 +70,16 @@
         <Property Id="ARPURLUPDATEINFO" Value="{{homepage}}"/>
         {{/if}}
 
+        <!-- NOTE: The order of RegistrySearch elements below matters. In WIX, when multiple
+             RegistrySearch elements are listed under a single Property, the LAST successful
+             match wins. We list the NSIS default-key search first and the MSI InstallDir
+             search second so that the MSI-specific path takes priority when both keys exist. -->
         <Property Id="INSTALLDIR">
-          <!-- First attempt: Search for "InstallDir" -->
-          <RegistrySearch Id="PrevInstallDirWithName" Root="HKCU" Key="Software\\{{manufacturer}}\\{{product_name}}" Name="InstallDir" Type="raw" />
-
-          <!-- Second attempt: If the first fails, search for the default key value (this is how the nsis installer currently stores the path) -->
+          <!-- First attempt: Search for the default key value (this is how the nsis installer stores the path) -->
           <RegistrySearch Id="PrevInstallDirNoName" Root="HKCU" Key="Software\\{{manufacturer}}\\{{product_name}}" Type="raw" />
+
+          <!-- Second attempt: Search for "InstallDir" which takes priority if found (this is how the msi installer stores the path) -->
+          <RegistrySearch Id="PrevInstallDirWithName" Root="HKCU" Key="Software\\{{manufacturer}}\\{{product_name}}" Name="InstallDir" Type="raw" />
         </Property>
 
         <!-- launch app checkbox -->