Winget: The Windows Package Manager That Will Transform Your Software Installation Experience

If you’re tired of spending hours manually downloading and installing software on Windows—clicking through endless ‘Next’ buttons, visiting multiple vendor websites, and repeating the same installation process over and over—then Windows Package Manager (winget) is about to revolutionize your workflow. This powerful command-line tool transforms what used to be a tedious, time-consuming process into a streamlined, automated experience that can set up your entire development environment in minutes.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how winget can dramatically improve your productivity, share real-world examples of its impact, and provide you with everything you need to master this game-changing tool—whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user.

What is Winget? Understanding Windows Package Manager

Windows Package Manager, commonly known as winget, is Microsoft’s official command-line package manager for Windows 10 and 11. Launched in 2020, it brings the convenience of package managers (similar to apt on Ubuntu or homebrew on macOS) to the Windows ecosystem. Think of winget as your personal software assistant that can automatically download, install, update, and manage applications from a centralized repository.

Unlike traditional software installation methods where you need to visit individual websites, download installers, and manually click through setup wizards, winget allows you to install software with simple, one-line commands. It connects to the Microsoft Community Package Repository, which hosts thousands of popular applications from browsers and development tools to productivity software and games.

Essential Winget Commands and Examples

Let’s dive into the most important winget commands that you’ll use regularly. Each command is designed to make software management effortless and efficient.

1. Installing Software

The winget install command is your primary tool for adding new software:

winget install Google.Chrome

Output:

Found Google Chrome [Google.Chrome] Version 117.0.5938.92
This application is licensed to you by its owner.
Microsoft is not responsible for, nor does it grant any licenses to, third-party packages.
Downloading https://dl.google.com/chrome/install/googlechromestandaloneenterprise64.msi
  ████████████████████████████████  87.2 MB / 87.2 MB
Successfully verified installer hash
Starting package install...
Successfully installed

You can also install multiple applications at once:

winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode Mozilla.Firefox 7zip.7zip

2. Searching for Software

Before installing, use winget search to find the exact package name:

winget search "visual studio"

Output:

Name                           Id                          Version      Match        Source
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Code  Microsoft.VisualStudioCode  1.82.2       Tag: visual  winget
Visual Studio Community 2022   Microsoft.VisualStudio...   17.7.4       Tag: visual  winget
Visual Studio Enterprise 2022  Microsoft.VisualStudio...   17.7.4       Tag: visual  winget

3. Listing Installed Software

View all software that can be managed by winget:

winget list

This shows all installed applications, including those installed through winget and traditional methods.

4. Upgrading Software

Keep your software up-to-date with these commands:

winget upgrade --all

Or upgrade specific software:

winget upgrade Google.Chrome

Output:

Found Google Chrome [Google.Chrome] Version 117.0.5938.92
This application is licensed to you by its owner.
Upgrading...
Successfully upgraded

5. Uninstalling Software

Remove unwanted applications cleanly:

winget uninstall Google.Chrome

6. Getting Detailed Information

Before installing, check software details:

winget show Microsoft.VisualStudioCode

Output:

Found Visual Studio Code [Microsoft.VisualStudioCode]
Version: 1.82.2
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Description: Visual Studio Code is a lightweight but powerful source code editor...
Homepage: https://code.visualstudio.com
License: MIT License
Installer: 
  Download Url: https://update.code.visualstudio.com/1.82.2/win32-x64-user/stable
  SHA256: a1b2c3d4e5f6...

7. Exporting and Importing Software Lists

Create a backup of your installed software:

winget export -o my-software-list.json

Restore your software setup on a new machine:

winget import -i my-software-list.json