WinGet
WinGet is a free Windows command-line tool for discovering, installing, upgrading, removing, and configuring applications.
What WinGet is
WinGet is a free Windows command-line tool for discovering, installing, upgrading, removing, and configuring applications. Its commands also search, export, import, download, repair, and configure packages, while configuration files combine device setup and project onboarding into a repeatable command. Supported installer types include EXE, ZIP, INNO, NULLSOFT, MSI, WIX, APPX, MSIX, BURN, PORTABLE, and FONT, with dependency resolution and private registry authentication. Default sources are the Microsoft Store catalog, the WinGet Community Repository, and a community font repository. WinGet is included in App Installer on Windows desktop and is available on Windows 10 version 1809 or later, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2025. Group Policy and Intune support enterprise administration. Settings can prevent telemetry events from being written, and logs assist troubleshooting. Microsoft describes developers, IT administrators, and security analysts as users.
Good
- Supports many installer formats
- Resolves dependencies
- Offers private registry authentication
- Supports repeatable configuration files
- Provides logs for troubleshooting
Watch out
- Requires Windows 10 version 1809 or later
- Some apps lack detectable newer versions
- Store downloads require Microsoft Entra ID authentication
- Certificate bypass can increase organizational risk
Who it suits
WinGet suits Windows users who manage applications from the command line, including developers and enterprise IT or security teams. It is intended for supported Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2025 systems.
Verdict
WinGet covers command-line application lifecycle tasks across supported Windows systems, with enterprise controls and multiple package sources. Version-detection gaps and authentication requirements may affect particular workflows.
The facts
Each one read from WinGet's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Availability
- WinGet is included in App Installer, which is delivered and updated through Microsoft Store on Windows desktop editions and through updates on Windows Server 2025.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Dependency resolution
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Distribution
- On Windows desktop, WinGet is included in App Installer, which is delivered and updated through Microsoft Store.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Enterprise management
- Microsoft documents using WinGet with Group Policy settings for organizations managing security across work machines.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Install and upgrade
- Users can install one or multiple applications with a command, and `winget upgrade --all` attempts to upgrade installed applications that have updates available.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Installer formats
- WinGet supports EXE, ZIP, INNO, NULLSOFT, MSI, WIX, APPX, MSIX, BURN, PORTABLE, and FONT installer types.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Microsoft describes WinGet use by developers to manage applications and by software publishers to distribute packages.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Notable limit
- WinGet cannot identify whether a newer version exists for some applications that do not provide a version, so upgrading them requires including unknown versions.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Package contribution
- Publishers and community members can submit YAML package manifests to the open-source WinGet repository on GitHub for consideration.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Package formats
- EXE,ZIP,INNO,NULLSOFT,MSI,WIX,APPX,MSIX,BURN,PORTABLE,FONTchecked 22 Sep 2026
- Package management
- Its commands include search, install, upgrade, uninstall, export, import, configure, download, and repair.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Package sources
- Default sources include the Microsoft Store catalog, the WinGet Community Repository, and the community font repository.checked 12 Oct 2026
- PowerShell
- The Microsoft.WinGet.Client PowerShell module is available from the PowerShell Gallery.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Private registry auth
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Publisher submissions
- Publishers and community members can submit YAML package manifests through the open-source repository on GitHub for consideration in the WinGet catalog.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- WinGet is a command-line tool for discovering, installing, upgrading, removing, and configuring applications on Windows.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Repeatable setup
- WinGet Configuration files combine device setup and project onboarding instructions into a single repeatable command.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Repository review
- Submitted manifests are automatically validated and evaluated for safety, may also be manually reviewed, and Microsoft reserves the right to refuse a submission.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Security
- Submitted manifests are automatically validated for policy compliance and whether the package is known to be malicious, and may also receive manual review.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Sources
- The documented default sources are the Microsoft Store catalog, the WinGet Community Repository for applications, and the community repository for fonts.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Store connection security
- WinGet uses certificate pinning when connecting to the Microsoft Store source, and an enterprise policy can bypass that certificate validation.checked 12 Oct 2026
- Store download requirement
- Downloading a Microsoft Store packaged app or its license file requires Microsoft Entra ID authentication.checked 12 Oct 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
Where it runs
- Platforms and requirement
- WinGet is available on Windows 11, modern Windows 10 versions, and Windows Server 2025; the client requires Windows 10 version 1809 or later.checked 11 Oct 2026
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