The End of Manual Installers
For decades, installing software on Windows was a tedious, manual chore. You had to open a web browser, search for the official website, navigate past deceptive “Download Here” advertisements, download a massive .exe or .msi file, and click through a seemingly endless wizard of “Next, Next, I Agree, Finish.”
Linux users, by contrast, have always enjoyed Package Managers (like apt or yum). A Linux user simply types apt install firefox, and the operating system handles the downloading, verification, and silent installation automatically.
Microsoft finally brought this essential functionality natively to Windows with the Windows Package Manager (Winget). Built directly into Windows 11 (and modern versions of Windows 10), winget is a command-line tool that allows you to discover, install, upgrade, and configure applications via the terminal, completely eliminating the need for manual web downloads.
Basic Operations
To use Winget, open either the Command Prompt or PowerShell. (For installing software that requires system-level changes, it is best to run the terminal as Administrator).
1. Searching for Software
If you aren’t sure of the exact name of a package, you can search Microsoft’s massive, curated repository directly from the command line.
winget search "google chrome"Winget will return a neatly formatted table displaying the software name, its exact ID, and the version available. Always pay attention to the ID (e.g., Google.Chrome), as that is what you will use to install it.
2. Installing Software
Once you know the ID, installation requires a single command.
winget install Google.ChromeThe magic happens instantly. Winget connects to the official repository, downloads the verified installer, and executes it silently in the background. Within seconds, Chrome will appear in your Start menu without you ever clicking “Next”.
3. Installing Multiple Apps at Once
If you just bought a new computer, you no longer have to spend two hours setting it up. You can chain multiple installations into a single line.
winget install Google.Chrome && winget install VideoLAN.VLC && winget install Zoom.ZoomGo grab a cup of coffee. When you return, all three applications will be fully installed.
The True Power: Bulk Updating
The most frustrating aspect of Windows software is that every application has its own proprietary updater. Zoom begs you to update when you join a meeting; Adobe begs you to update in the system tray.
Winget solves this completely. First, you can ask Winget to scan your entire PC and cross-reference your installed software against its repository to see what is out of date.
winget upgradeIt will print a list of every application that has a newer version available.
To automatically download and install the updates for every single program on that list simultaneously, run:
winget upgrade --allWinget will systematically march through the list, pulling down the latest patches and silently updating your software in the background. This command alone saves IT administrators thousands of hours per year.
Uninstalling Bloatware
Winget is also an excellent tool for rapidly cleaning up a messy PC. If you want to uninstall software, you don’t need to dig through the Control Panel.
winget uninstall "Candy Crush Saga"Conclusion
The Windows Package Manager represents a fundamental shift in how power users interact with the Microsoft ecosystem. By embracing the command line, Windows has finally provided a secure, scriptable, and massively efficient method for deploying and maintaining software.