How to Use the WinGet Tool for Effortless App Installation and Management

Use the WinGet Tool to Install and Manage Applications

WinGet Tool for Effortless App Installation and Management

Introduction

WinGet is a command-line tool enabling users to discover, install, upgrade, remove, and configure applications on Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2025 computers. This tool is the client interface to the Windows Package Manager service.

Install WinGet

WinGet, the Windows Package Manager, is available on Windows 11, modern versions of Windows 10, and Windows Server 2025 as a part of the App Installer. The App Installer is a System Component delivered and updated by the Microsoft Store on Windows Desktop versions and via Updates on Windows Server 2025.

Note

The WinGet command-line tool is only supported on Windows 10 1709 (build 16299) or later at this time. WinGet will not be available until you have logged into Windows as a user for the first time, triggering Microsoft Store to register the Windows Package Manager as part of an asynchronous process.

If you have recently logged in as a user for the first time and find that WinGet is not yet available, you can open PowerShell and enter the following command to request this WinGet registration:

Add-AppxPackage -RegisterByFamilyName -MainPackage Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe

Install WinGet Preview Version [Developers Only]

WinGet is included in the Windows App Installer. To try the latest Windows Package Manager features, you can install a preview build in one of the following ways:

• Download the latest WinGet preview version: Read the Release Notes for WinGet preview to learn about any new features. Installing this package will give you the preview version of the WinGet client, but it will not enable automatic updates of new preview versions from the Microsoft Store.
• Use a Microsoft Account (MSA), work, school, or Azure Active Directory (AAD) account: Sign up for the Windows Insider Dev Channel. The Windows Insider Dev Channel includes automatic updates of new preview versions from the Microsoft Store.
• Use a Microsoft Account (MSA) to sign up for the Windows Package Manager Insiders Program: Once your Microsoft Account (MSA) has been added (a few days after you receive e-mail notification), you will receive automatic updates of new preview versions from the Microsoft Store.

Install WinGet on Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox provides a lightweight desktop environment to safely run applications in isolation. Software installed inside the Windows Sandbox environment remains "sandboxed" and runs separately from the host machine. Windows Sandbox does not include WinGet, nor the Microsoft Store app, so you will need to download the latest WinGet package from the WinGet releases page on GitHub.

Steps to Install WinGet on Windows Sandbox

To install the stable release of WinGet on Windows Sandbox, follow these steps from a Windows PowerShell command prompt:

$progressPreference = 'silentlyContinue'
Write-Host "Installing WinGet PowerShell module from PSGallery..."
Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -Force | Out-Null
Install-Module -Name Microsoft.WinGet.Client -Force -Repository PSGallery | Out-Null
Write-Host "Using Repair-WinGetPackageManager cmdlet to bootstrap WinGet..."
Repair-WinGetPackageManager
Write-Host "Done."
            

Using WinGet and Windows Sandbox

Installing PowerShell Modules

To install the PowerShell module in the machine scope, you can use the -Scope AllUsers parameter with the Install-Module cmdlet. If you would like a preview version of WinGet, you can include the -IncludePrerelease parameter with the Repair-WinGetPackageManager cmdlet.

To explore all available parameters for the Repair-WinGetPackageManager cmdlet, you can run the following command for detailed documentation:

Get-Help Repair-WinGetPackageManager -Full

Windows Sandbox Overview

For more information on Windows Sandbox, including step-by-step instructions on how to install a sandbox environment and insights on what to expect during its usage, refer to the official Windows Sandbox documentation.

Administrator Considerations

The behavior of the installer can vary depending on whether you are running WinGet with administrator privileges. Here are some key points to consider:

• Without Administrator Privileges: When running WinGet as a standard user, some applications may require elevation to install. During the installation process, Windows will prompt you to elevate. If you choose not to elevate, the installation will fail.
• With Administrator Privileges: When running WinGet in an Administrator Command Prompt, you will not see elevation prompts for applications that require them. Always exercise caution when running your command prompt as an administrator, and ensure that you only install trusted applications to avoid security risks.

Using WinGet

After the App Installer is installed, you can launch WinGet by typing winget in a Command Prompt or PowerShell window.

WinGet Tool for Effortless App Installation and Management

Searching for Applications

To search for an application or tool, use the command:

winget search <appname>

Installing Applications

WinGet Tool for Effortless App Installation and Management

Once you confirm the desired tool is available, install it by typing:

winget install <appname>

The WinGet tool will automatically launch the application's installer and complete the installation on your PC.

WinGet is a Windows Package Manager that helps you easily install, search, and manage applications on your Windows system. Below is a list of supported commands, options, and installer formats.

Commands

Command	Description
info	Displays metadata about the system (version, architecture, log location, etc.). Useful for troubleshooting.
install	Installs the specified application.
show	Displays detailed information about a specified application.
source	Adds, removes, and updates the Windows Package Manager repositories.
search	Searches for an application.
list	Displays a list of installed packages.
upgrade	Upgrades the specified package.
uninstall	Uninstalls the given package.
hash	Generates the SHA256 hash for the installer.
validate	Validates a manifest file before submission to the repository.
settings	Opens the settings for WinGet configuration.
features	Displays the status of experimental features.
export	Exports a list of installed packages to a file.
import	Installs packages from a specified file.
pin	Manages pinned packages.
configure	Configures the system into a desired state.
download	Downloads the specified application's installer.

Options

Option	Description
-v, --version	Returns the current version of WinGet.
--info	Provides detailed information about WinGet, including the license and privacy statement.
-?, --help	Shows additional help for WinGet.

Supported Installer Formats

WinGet supports the following installer formats:

• EXE (with Silent and SilentWithProgress flags)
• ZIP
• INNO
• NULLSOFT
• MSI
• WIX
• APPX
• MSIX
• BURN
• PORTABLE

Scripting WinGet

To install multiple applications in one command, use the following syntax:

winget install

Example:

winget install Microsoft.WindowsTerminal Microsoft.PowerToys Microsoft.VisualStudioCode

 WinGet Tool for Effortless App Installation 

Note: When scripting, WinGet installs applications in the specified order. If one installer launches another process, it may prematurely return, causing the next installation to begin before the previous one is fully completed.

New Feature: "Add Sum New Word on It"

This feature could allow users to add custom tags, labels, or descriptions to package entries, enhancing the clarity and usage flexibility of WinGet.

How To Used WinGet Upgrade Commend.