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For a quick lookup, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps and find the app. For a broader inventory, run winget list in Command Prompt or PowerShell. If neither shows the version you need, check the app’s own About screen. These methods draw on different information, and none is documented to show an exact version for every app.
1. Look in Windows Settings
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find the app in the list. Use the page’s search field if available to narrow the results.
- Check the app’s listing for a version, if one is displayed.
Microsoft documents this page as a way to find installed apps, not as a guarantee that every entry includes version information. An app may be listed without a version. Microsoft Support’s guidance for finding installed apps covers the Windows 11 route.
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2. Inventory apps with WinGet
Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and enter:
winget listWinGet lists apps installed through Windows Package Manager and apps installed by other means. Its results can also indicate available upgrades. To search for a particular app, filter by name or package ID:
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winget list --id Publisher.PackageReplace the example name or ID with the app’s actual name or package ID. For more detail-style output, add --details:
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winget list --name "App Name" --detailsMicrosoft’s WinGet list command reference describes the inventory and filtering options. A version can be absent when WinGet cannot determine the installed package’s current version. To include entries whose current version is unknown, use:
winget list --unknownSo a missing version in the command output does not by itself mean the app is absent or broken. The list reference documents this option and the limits of version detection.
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3. Check the app’s own About screen
For the version the app reports about itself, open it and look for an About page. Common locations include Help > About or Settings > About, but the exact menu depends on the app. Microsoft does not document one universal About location for third-party software.
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Windows’ available app-version metadata can depend on how the app is packaged: MSIX packages can use information in the AppXManifest, while other formats can use uninstall registry data. That helps explain why Windows inventory views may not contain the same details as an app’s own screen. See Microsoft’s reference for Windows app settings and metadata.
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4. Use WinGet to inspect catalog metadata
If the app has a known WinGet catalog package ID, run:
winget show --id Publisher.PackageThe output can include a Version field, but it describes catalog package metadata; it does not confirm that the same version is installed on this PC. WinGet displays metadata submitted with the package, and fields that were not submitted may be missing. For the distinction, consult Microsoft’s WinGet show command reference.
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Which method should you use?
| Need | Best starting point | What the result tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Find an app and make a quick visual check | Settings > Apps > Installed apps | Whether it appears in the installed-app list; a version may not be shown. |
| Search or inventory multiple apps | winget list |
WinGet’s view of installed apps, with filtering and possible upgrade information; the current version may be unknown. |
| See the version reported by one app | The app’s About screen | The app’s own version information, where provided. |
| Inspect a package’s catalog details | winget show --id Publisher.Package |
Submitted catalog metadata, not verified local installation state. |
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