How to Use Winget Upgrade Command for Seamless Application Updates

Complete Guide to the winget upgrade Command

Winget Upgrade Command 

Aliases for the winget upgrade Command

The following aliases are available:

• update: Can be used interchangeably with upgrade.

Command Syntax

winget upgrade [[-q] <query> ...] [<options>]

Winget Upgrade Command 

Arguments

• -q, --query: Specifies the query string to search for an application to upgrade. Note: Wildcard syntax is not supported. Use exact text to match the package you intend to upgrade.

Options for Customization

Manifest and Identification

• -m, --manifest: Provide the path to a local YAML file containing the package manifest.
• --id: Limit the upgrade to a specific application ID.
• --name: Restrict the search by application name.
• --moniker: Limit the search to a specific moniker for the application.

Upgrade Versions

• -v, --version: Specify the version to upgrade. Defaults to the latest available version.

Upgrade Scope

• -r, --recurse, --all: Upgrade all installed applications.
• --uninstall-previous: Uninstall the previous version before installing the new one.

Installer Behavior

• -i, --interactive: Launch the installer in interactive mode.
• -h, --silent: Run the installer silently, suppressing all UI.
• --force: Ignore minor issues and proceed with the upgrade.
• --allow-reboot: Permit automatic reboots if required.

Logging and Debugging

• -o, --log: Save logs to a specified file.
• --logs, --open-logs: Open the default log location.
• --verbose: Generate detailed logs for debugging purposes.

Additional Configuration

• --locale: Specify the locale (in BCP47 format) for the upgrade process.
• --skip-dependencies: Bypass dependency checks during the upgrade.
• --ignore-security-hash: Ignore hash verification failures (not recommended).

Examples of Usage

Upgrade a Specific Version

winget upgrade powertoys --version 0.15.2

Upgrade by ID

winget upgrade --id Microsoft.PowerToys

Upgrade All Applications

winget upgrade --all

Use list to Identify Updates

winget list

After identifying the application, run:

winget upgrade <app-name>

Special Notes on Upgrade Behavior

1. Applications Without Versions: Some applications do not provide version information and are always considered the latest. These cannot be upgraded automatically.
2. Side-by-Side Installation: Certain installers support side-by-side installation of multiple versions. The behavior depends on the package manifest and the inclusion of the uninstallPrevious setting.
3. Default Behavior Without --uninstall-previous: If --uninstall-previous is not specified, the installer follows its default protocol.

Practical Scenarios

Using upgrade --all

Identify all applications with available updates and install them:

winget upgrade --all

Using upgrade --uninstall-previous

Remove older versions before upgrading:

winget upgrade --uninstall-previous

Using Custom Install Commands

Add installer-specific parameters:

winget upgrade --custom "/silent /norestart"