Support Windows ARM64

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         framework: [ "toga", "pyside6", "pygame", "console" ]
-        runner-os: [ "macos-15-intel", "macos-latest", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04-arm", "windows-latest" ]
+        runner-os: [ "macos-15-intel", "macos-latest", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04-arm", "windows-latest", "windows-11-arm"]
 
   verify-apps:
     name: Build app
@@ -250,4 +250,11 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         framework: [ "toga", "pyside6", "pygame", "console" ]
-        runner-os: [ "macos-15-intel", "macos-15", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04-arm", "windows-latest" ]
+        runner-os: [ "macos-15-intel", "macos-15", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04-arm", "windows-latest", "windows-11-arm" ]
+        exclude:
+          # Toga apps won't run on Windows ARM64 until toga#2782 is resolved
+          - framework: "toga"
+            runner-os: "windows-11-arm"
+          # Pygame hasn't published Windows ARM64 wheels
+          - framework: "pygame"
+            runner-os: "windows-11-arm"

changes/1887.feature.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Briefcase can now build Windows apps for ARM64 devices.

docs/en/reference/platforms/index.md

@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 <td colspan="2">{{ ci_tested }}</td>
-<td colspan="2"></td>
+<td colspan="2">{{ ci_tested }}</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 <td colspan="2">{{ ci_tested }}</td>
-<td colspan="2"></td>
+<td colspan="2">{{ ci_tested }}</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>

docs/en/reference/platforms/windows/index.md

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 <td colspan="2">{{ ci_tested }}</td>
-<td colspan="2"></td>
+<td colspan="2">{{ ci_tested }}</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>

docs/en/reference/platforms/windows/visualstudio.md

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ All Windows apps, regardless of output format, use the same icon formats, have t
 
 ## Pre-requisites
 
-Building the Visual Studio project requires that you install Visual Studio 2022 or later. Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition [can be downloaded for free from Microsoft](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/community/). You can also use the Professional or Enterprise versions if you have them.
+Building the Visual Studio project requires that you install Visual Studio. Visual Studio Community Edition [can be downloaded for free from Microsoft](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/community/). You can also use the Professional or Enterprise versions if you have them.
 
 Briefcase will auto-detect the location of your Visual Studio installation, provided one of the following three things are true:
 
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ When you install Visual Studio, there are many optional components. You should e
 - Desktop Development with C++
   - All default packages
   - C++/CLI support for v143 build tools
+  - MSVC v143 VS 2022 C++ ARM64/x64 build tools
 
 ## Application configuration
 

docs/spelling_wordlist

@@ -237,3 +237,4 @@ Xauth
 Xcode
 Xr
 Xs
+MSVC

src/briefcase/commands/create.py

@@ -123,7 +123,15 @@ def support_package_url(self, support_revision: str) -> str:
     def stub_binary_filename(self, support_revision: str, is_console_app: bool) -> str:
         """The filename for the stub binary."""
         stub_type = "Console" if is_console_app else "GUI"
-        return f"{stub_type}-Stub-{self.python_version_tag}-b{support_revision}.zip"
+        win_suffix = (
+            f"-{self.tools.host_arch.lower()}"
+            if self.tools.host_os == "Windows"
+            else ""
+        )
+        return (
+            f"{stub_type}-Stub-{self.python_version_tag}{win_suffix}"
+            f"-b{support_revision}.zip"
+        )
 
     def stub_binary_url(self, support_revision: str, is_console_app: bool) -> str:
         """The URL of the stub binary to use for apps of this type."""

src/briefcase/integrations/base.py

@@ -195,8 +195,8 @@ def __init__(
         self.base_path = Path(base_path)
         self.home_path = Path(os.path.expanduser(home_path or Path.home()))
 
-        self.host_arch = self.platform.machine()
         self.host_os = self.platform.system()
+        self.host_arch = self._get_host_arch()
         # Python is 32bit if its pointers can only address with 32 bits or fewer
         self.is_32bit_python = self.sys.maxsize <= 2**32
 
@@ -208,6 +208,36 @@ def __init__(
             )
         )
 
+    def _get_host_arch(self) -> str:
+        arch = self.platform.machine()
+        # On Windows with Python < 3.12, ``platform.machine()`` returns the
+        # emulated architecture (e.g. "AMD64") when an x86-64 Python interpreter
+        # is running under ARM64.  ``IsWow64Process2()`` exposes the
+        # native machine type.
+        if (
+            arch == "AMD64"
+            and self.host_os == "Windows"
+            and self.sys.version_info < (3, 12)
+            and self.sys.getwindowsversion().build >= 16299  # Windows 10 1709
+        ):
+            import ctypes
+            from ctypes import wintypes
+
+            IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_ARM64 = 0xAA64
+            kernel32 = ctypes.windll.kernel32
+            process_machine = ctypes.c_ushort(0)
+            native_machine = ctypes.c_ushort(0)
+            if (
+                kernel32.IsWow64Process2(
+                    wintypes.HANDLE(kernel32.GetCurrentProcess()),
+                    ctypes.byref(process_machine),
+                    ctypes.byref(native_machine),
+                )
+                and native_machine.value == IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_ARM64
+            ):
+                return "ARM64"
+        return arch
+
     @cached_property
     def system_encoding(self) -> str:
         """The character encoding for the system's locale.

src/briefcase/integrations/visualstudio.py

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class VisualStudio(Tool):
       - Default packages
     * Desktop Development with C++
       - Default packages; plus
-      - C++/CLI support for v143 build tools
+      - MSVC v143 VS 2022 C++ ARM64/x64 build tools
 """
 
     def __init__(

src/briefcase/platforms/windows/__init__.py

@@ -88,24 +88,36 @@ def distribution_path(self, app):
         suffix = "zip" if app.packaging_format == "zip" else "msi"
         return self.dist_path / f"{app.formal_name}-{app.version}.{suffix}"
 
+    @property
+    def vscode_platform(self):
+        return "ARM64" if self.tools.host_arch == "ARM64" else "x64"
+
     def verify_host(self):
         super().verify_host()
-        # The stub app only supports x86-64 right now, and our VisualStudio and WiX code
-        # is the same (#1887). However, we can package an external x86-64 app on any
-        # build machine.
-        if self.tools.host_arch != "AMD64":
+        if (
+            self.tools.host_arch == "ARM64"
+            and "AMD64" in self.tools.platform.python_compiler()
+        ):
+            raise UnsupportedHostError(
+                "The Python interpreter that is being used to run Briefcase has been "
+                "compiled for x86_64, and is running in emulation mode on ARM64 "
+                "hardware. You must use a Python interpreter that has been "
+                "compiled for ARM64."
+            )
+
+        if self.tools.host_arch not in ("AMD64", "ARM64"):
             if all(app.external_package_path for app in self.apps.values()):
                 if not self.is_clone:
                     self.console.warning(f"""
 *************************************************************************
 ** WARNING: Possible architecture mismatch                             **
 *************************************************************************
 
-The build machine is {self.tools.host_arch}, but Briefcase on Windows currently only
-supports x86-64 installers.
+The build machine is {self.tools.host_arch}, but Briefcase on Windows only
+supports x86-64 and ARM64 installers.
 
 You are responsible for ensuring that the content of external_package_path
-is compatible with x86-64.
+is compatible with supported platforms.
 
 *************************************************************************
 """)
@@ -127,7 +139,8 @@ def verify_host(self):
 
 class WindowsCreateCommand(CreateCommand):
     def support_package_filename(self, support_revision):
-        return f"python-{self.python_version_tag}.{support_revision}-embed-amd64.zip"
+        arch = self.tools.host_arch.lower()
+        return f"python-{self.python_version_tag}.{support_revision}-embed-{arch}.zip"
 
     def support_package_url(self, support_revision):
         micro = re.match(r"\d+", str(support_revision)).group(0)
@@ -594,7 +607,7 @@ def _package_msi(self, app):
                         "-ext",
                         self.tools.wix.ext_path("UI"),
                         "-arch",
-                        "x64",  # Default is x86, regardless of the build machine.
+                        self.vscode_platform.lower(),
                         f"{app.app_name}.wxs",
                         "-loc",
                         "unicode.wxl",

src/briefcase/platforms/windows/app.py

@@ -23,9 +23,12 @@
 
 class WindowsAppMixin(WindowsMixin):
     output_format = "app"
-    packaging_root = Path("src")
     supports_external_packaging = True
 
+    @property
+    def packaging_root(self):
+        return Path("src")
+
     def project_path(self, app):
         return self.bundle_path(app)
 

src/briefcase/platforms/windows/visualstudio.py

@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@
 
 class WindowsVisualStudioMixin(WindowsMixin):
     output_format = "VisualStudio"
-    packaging_root = Path("x64/Release")
+
+    @property
+    def packaging_root(self):
+        return Path(f"{self.vscode_platform}/Release")
 
     def project_path(self, app):
         return self.bundle_path(app) / f"{app.formal_name}.sln"
@@ -65,6 +68,7 @@ def build_app(self, app: BaseConfig, **kwargs):
                         "-property:RestorePackagesConfig=true",
                         f"-target:{app.formal_name}",
                         "-property:Configuration=Release",
+                        f"-property:Platform={self.vscode_platform}",
                         (
                             "-verbosity:detailed"
                             if self.console.is_deep_debug

tests/integrations/base/test_ToolCache.py

@@ -109,6 +109,72 @@ def test_host_arch_and_os(simple_tools):
     assert simple_tools.host_os == platform.system()
 
 
+def test_get_host_arch_windows_arm64(dummy_console, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    """ARM64 is detected on Windows with a pre-3.12 Python x86_64 interpreter."""
+    mock_ctypes = MagicMock()
+    mock_ctypes.c_ushort.return_value.value = 0xAA64  # IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_ARM64
+
+    mock_platform = MagicMock()
+    mock_platform.machine.return_value = "AMD64"
+    mock_platform.system.return_value = "Windows"
+
+    mock_sys = MagicMock()
+    mock_sys.version_info = (3, 11, 0)
+    mock_sys.getwindowsversion.return_value.build = 16299
+    mock_sys.maxsize = 2**64
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ToolCache, "platform", mock_platform)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ToolCache, "sys", mock_sys)
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "ctypes", mock_ctypes)
+
+    tools = ToolCache(console=dummy_console, base_path=tmp_path)
+
+    assert tools.host_arch == "ARM64"
+
+
+def test_get_host_arch_windows_not_arm64(dummy_console, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    """AMD64 is returned when IsWow64Process2 reports the native machine is not
+    ARM64."""
+    mock_ctypes = MagicMock()
+    mock_ctypes.windll.kernel32.IsWow64Process2.return_value = 0
+
+    mock_platform = MagicMock()
+    mock_platform.machine.return_value = "AMD64"
+    mock_platform.system.return_value = "Windows"
+
+    mock_sys = MagicMock()
+    mock_sys.version_info = (3, 11, 0)
+    mock_sys.getwindowsversion.return_value.build = 16299
+    mock_sys.maxsize = 2**64
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ToolCache, "platform", mock_platform)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ToolCache, "sys", mock_sys)
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "ctypes", mock_ctypes)
+
+    tools = ToolCache(console=dummy_console, base_path=tmp_path)
+
+    assert tools.host_arch == "AMD64"
+
+
+def test_get_host_arch_windows_python312(dummy_console, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    """On Python 3.12+, IsWow64Process2 is not called; platform.machine() is used
+    directly."""
+    mock_platform = MagicMock()
+    mock_platform.machine.return_value = "AMD64"
+    mock_platform.system.return_value = "Windows"
+
+    mock_sys = MagicMock()
+    mock_sys.version_info = (3, 12, 0)
+    mock_sys.maxsize = 2**64
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ToolCache, "platform", mock_platform)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ToolCache, "sys", mock_sys)
+
+    tools = ToolCache(console=dummy_console, base_path=tmp_path)
+
+    assert tools.host_arch == "AMD64"
+
+
 def test_base_path_is_path(dummy_console, simple_tools):
     """Base path is always a Path."""
     # The BaseCommand tests have much more extensive tests for this path.

tests/platforms/windows/app/create/test_create.py

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+import platform
 import sys
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 import pytest
 from packaging.version import Version
@@ -28,9 +30,9 @@ def test_unsupported_host_os(create_command, host_os):
         create_command()
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("host_arch", ["i686", "ARM64", "wonky"])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("host_arch", ["i686", "wonky"])
 def test_unsupported_arch(create_command, host_arch, first_app_config):
-    """Internal apps can only be developed on x86-64."""
+    """Internal apps can only be developed on x86-64 and ARM64."""
     create_command.tools.host_os = "Windows"
     create_command.tools.host_arch = host_arch
     create_command.apps["first"] = first_app_config
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ def test_unsupported_arch(create_command, host_arch, first_app_config):
         create_command.verify_host()
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("host_arch", ["i686", "ARM64", "wonky"])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("host_arch", ["i686", "wonky"])
 def test_unsupported_arch_external(create_command, host_arch, first_app_config, capsys):
     """External apps can be built on a different architecture, with a warning."""
     create_command.tools.host_os = "Windows"
@@ -82,6 +84,31 @@ def test_unsupported_32bit_python(create_command):
         create_command()
 
 
+def test_verify_windows_cpu_arch(create_command):
+    """Running through x86_64 emulation on Windows ARM64 will raise an error."""
+
+    # Create a Mock object for the platform module
+    create_command.tools.platform = MagicMock(spec_set=platform)
+
+    # Simulate that Mock platform is running on Windows ARM64 with an x86_64 Python interpreter
+    create_command.tools.host_os = "Windows"
+    create_command.tools.host_arch = "ARM64"
+    create_command.tools.platform.python_compiler = MagicMock(
+        return_value="MSV v.1950 64 bit (AMD64)"
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(
+        UnsupportedHostError,
+        match=(
+            r"The Python interpreter that is being used to run Briefcase has been "
+            r"compiled for x86_64, and is running in emulation mode on ARM64 "
+            r"hardware. You must use a Python interpreter that has been "
+            r"compiled for ARM64."
+        ),
+    ):
+        create_command.verify_host()
+
+
 def test_context(create_command, first_app_config):
     context = create_command.output_format_template_context(first_app_config)
     assert sorted(context.keys()) == [
@@ -162,7 +189,7 @@ def test_support_package_url(
     expected_link = (
         f"https://www.python.org/ftp/python"
         f"/{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}.{micro}"
-        f"/python-{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}.{revision}-embed-amd64.zip"
+        f"/python-{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}.{revision}-embed-{create_command.tools.host_arch.lower()}.zip"
     )
     assert create_command.support_package_url(revision) == expected_link
 

tests/platforms/windows/visualstudio/test_build.py

@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ def test_build_app(build_command, first_app_config, tool_debug_mode, tmp_path):
                     "-property:RestorePackagesConfig=true",
                     "-target:First App",
                     "-property:Configuration=Release",
+                    f"-property:Platform={build_command.vscode_platform}",
                     "-verbosity:detailed" if tool_debug_mode else "-verbosity:normal",
                 ],
                 check=True,