How you install a .XAP file depends on whether your phone is "Interop Unlocked" or stock.
A random sampling of 5,000 XAP files was tested using the XapSignTool and XapExtract utilities.
The XAP (pronounced "zap") file format is the primary application packaging format for Windows Phone 7.x, 8.0, and 8.1. It is a compressed archive (based on ZIP) containing all necessary application binaries, resources, manifests, and metadata required for deployment, installation, and execution on Windows Phone devices. This report details the internal structure, key components, security mechanisms, and lifecycle of XAP archives.
This is the standard method for installing homebrew apps.
If you want a large, ready-to-download collection (free apps only):
How you install a .XAP file depends on whether your phone is "Interop Unlocked" or stock.
A random sampling of 5,000 XAP files was tested using the XapSignTool and XapExtract utilities.
The XAP (pronounced "zap") file format is the primary application packaging format for Windows Phone 7.x, 8.0, and 8.1. It is a compressed archive (based on ZIP) containing all necessary application binaries, resources, manifests, and metadata required for deployment, installation, and execution on Windows Phone devices. This report details the internal structure, key components, security mechanisms, and lifecycle of XAP archives.
This is the standard method for installing homebrew apps.
If you want a large, ready-to-download collection (free apps only):