- Windows Package Manager version 1.0 available on Windows 10.
- The winget command can be used to search, download, install, and configure apps using Command Prompt or PowerShell.
- The tool is compatible with Windows 10 version 1809 and higher releases.
Microsoft is finally releasing the Windows Package Manager version 1.0. The company announced at the Build 2021 developer conference after first unveiling the solution back in Build 2020.
The Windows Package Manager (or winget for short) is a command-line tool alternative to install apps. Although you can already download and install apps on Windows 10, the package manager is meant to save time and frustration by automating the process of searching, downloading, installing, upgrading, and configuring apps on your computer.
If you ever had to set up a new device or reinstall Windows 10, you know how time-consuming it is to find the links, download, and reinstall all your apps. Using the Windows Package Manager, you can use a simple command to specify which apps you want to get. Then the client will find and install the latest version (or the specific version you need) automatically.
Using winget on Windows 10
For example, you can use the winget search followed by the keyword to look for an app in the repository, and then use the winget install followed by the app’s name to install it (such as winget install Oracle.MySQL).
If you want to check for upgrades, you can use winget upgrade or the winget upgrade --all to download and upgrade all the applications.
When reinstalling Windows 10, for instance, you could use the winget export packages.json command to export the apps currently installed on your device, and then the winget import packages.json command can be used to install all the apps again on the new installation or computer.
The winget list is also available to view all the apps installed on the device, and then the winget uninstall followed by the name of the app is available to remove programs.
Installing winget on Windows 10
The new package manager is distributed with the App Installer application, which is built into the operating system. However, it will take some time until the new version becomes available to users. Microsoft says that the manager will arrive automatically on Windows 10 21H1, 20H2, 2004, and older releases in the coming weeks. But in the meantime, you will have to update the App Installer manually through the Microsoft Store to use the solution.
Microsoft is not using the Microsoft Store for the winget command-line tool. Instead, the company has created a separate repository to maintain and validate apps. However, there are plans to support apps from the Store in future updates.
The Windows Package Manager is also an open-source project, which means that other package managers can leverage this repository of validated packages. In addition, software vendors can use the distribution system to make apps available to users after their package manifest has been reviewed and accepted by Microsoft using the open-source Microsoft Community Package Manifest Repository on GitHub.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.