CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_MULTITHREADED);
    LPCWSTR appId = L"Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App";
    LPCWSTR imageArg = L" C:\data\Users\Public\Pictures\image123.png";
    IApplicationActivationManager* paam = NULL;
    HRESULT hr = E_FAIL;

    __try
    {
        hr = CoCreateInstance(CLSID_ApplicationActivationManager, NULL, CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER, IID_PPV_ARGS(&paam));
        if (FAILED(hr))
        {
            cout << "Error creating CoCreateINstance & HR is" <<hr<< endl;
            return 0;
        }

        DWORD pid = 0;
        hr = paam->ActivateApplication(appId, imageArg, AO_NONE, &pid);
        if (FAILED(hr))
        {
            cout << "Error in ActivateApplication call & HR is " <<hr<< endl;
            return 0;
        }

        cout << hex << hr;
        if (hr == 0)
            wprintf(L"Activated  %s with pid %drn", appId, pid);
    }
    __finally
    {
        if (paam) paam->Release();
    }

    CoUninitialize();