Explore the Windows Package Manager tool

Created July 28, 2025 · 3 min read · 559 words

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winget is an open source tool to install/uninstall software from the Windows command line
Targeting B2C and B2B
Supports Windows 10, 11, and Server

A package represents an application
A manifest is a (set of) metadata file(s) that instruct winget on how to (un)install a package
A source is a repository containing manifests
Sources that are enabled by default (but can be disabled through group policy):
- msstore - apps (without age restriction) from the Microsoft Store
- winget - a community repository curated by volunteers and secured by Microsoft (similar to the AUR for Arch Linux)
Organizations can host their own sources, which are based on a REST API

Search for a package:
Terminal window
```
winget search SEARCH_TERM
```
Install a package:
Terminal window
```
winget install PACKAGE_ID
```
CLI flags can be used to install from a local manifest, force installation by ID only, only search the name, specify a specific version to install, install quietly, and more.
Uninstall a package:
Terminal window
```
winget uninstall PACKAGE_ID
```

The Windows Package Manager Community Repository is a source that everyone can contribute to.
Manifests are in YAML format.
A source has the following directory structure: manifests / m / Microsoft / PowerShell / 7.1.4.0 Where:
- manifests is always the same static name for the top level directory
- m is the lower-cased first letter of the publisher name
- Microsoft is the publisher
- PowerShell is the application
- 7.1.4.0 is the version
The publisher, application and version directories each store relevant metadata.

Requirements for contributing packages:
- A GitHub account
- The installer needs to be in MSIX, MSI or EXE format
- Not a duplicate
microsoft/winget-create - Windows Package Manager Manifest Creator CLI
- Create a new package:
  Terminal window
```
wingetcreate new INSTALLER_URL_1 INSTALLER_URL_2 ...
```
  - Only one URL is required, but there could be multiple, e.g. for different architectures (x64 vs. arm64, etc.)
- The schema supports “singleton” manifests (all metadata in one file), but wingetcreate creates multi-file manifests, and those are the only ones accepted by the community repository
The PACKAGE_ID.installer.yaml supports specifying InstallerSwitches, e.g. for silent installation
Packages can be “tagged” to be discoverable using miscellaneous search terms
Validate a manifest:
Terminal window
```
winget validate -manifest MANIFEST_PATH
```
Test-install a manifest:
Terminal window
```
winget install -manifest MANIFEST_PATH
```
“Windows Sandbox” is a disposable VM in Windows 11 Pro and higher editions that can simplify testing installers
Store a GitHub token to allow wingetcreate to open pull requests for package contributions:
Terminal window
```
wingetcreate -store GITHUB_PAT_TOKEN
```
Open a pull request from wingetcreate (this automatically forks the community repository in the user’s GitHub account):
Terminal window
```
wingetcreate submit MANIFEST_PATH
```

microsoft/winget-cli-restsource - a reference implementation of a REST based package source for the winget client
Use group policy to configure installer source repositories available to enterprise users