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Yes—WinGet can download a Microsoft Store app’s package files and dependencies for installation on another Windows PC without Store access. Run winget download on an internet-connected Windows 10 or 11 computer, transfer the resulting files, then install them locally. Depending on the app and deployment method, you may also need an offline license.
This prepares files for offline installation; it does not guarantee that the app can be licensed, activated, signed into, or used entirely offline. App compatibility, account requirements, dependencies, and network-dependent features still matter.
What you need
- A connected download PC: Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or later, or Windows 11, with WinGet and a recent App Installer. Store-package downloads require WinGet 1.8 or later.
- An offline target PC: A compatible Windows version and architecture, plus the AppX deployment components. An elevated PowerShell session may be needed for provisioning or machine-wide deployment.
- The target architecture: x64, x86, ARM, or ARM64. Packages are not interchangeable across architectures.
- A transfer method: For example, an approved USB drive or network share.
- License access if needed: Retrieving an offline Store license requires Microsoft Entra authentication and an account with the Global Administrator, User Administrator, or License Administrator role.
WinGet is delivered through the App Installer component on supported Windows desktop editions. Check that it is available and note its version:
winget --version
(Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller).VersionIf winget is unavailable, update or register App Installer. Microsoft documents this registration command:
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Add-AppxPackage -RegisterByFamilyName `
-MainPackage Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbweWinGet becomes available after a user signs in and the Store registration process completes. See Microsoft’s WinGet installation and availability guidance and App Installer update guidance. Windows 10 version 1809 is the minimum noted for WinGet support, but Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025; use a supported Windows release where possible.
1. Find the app in the Microsoft Store source
Search the msstore source, rather than assuming a package in WinGet’s Community Repository is the Store edition. Community Repository entries often point to conventional desktop installers; Store packages are typically AppX or MSIX packages.
winget search "<app name>" --source msstoreFor example:
winget search "Windows App" --source msstoreIdentify the exact package ID in the results, then inspect it:
winget show --id <STORE_ID> --source msstoreCheck the app name, publisher, source, available version, and whether the listing is available in the relevant region. Use the exact ID in the download command; a display name can match more than one listing.
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2. Download the package, dependencies, and—if needed—license
Choose an architecture that matches the target. This example downloads the applicable Windows desktop x64 package to a named folder:
winget download `
--id <STORE_ID> `
--source msstore `
--platform Windows.Desktop `
--architecture x64 `
--download-directory "C:OfflineApps<AppName>" `
--accept-source-agreements `
--accept-package-agreementsWinGet contacts Microsoft’s services during this step. It can retrieve the main Store package—often an .msix, .appx, .msixbundle, or .appxbundle—and dependencies. By default, it also attempts to retrieve an offline license where applicable. License retrieval requires the Entra authentication and role permissions described above. Consult Microsoft’s current WinGet download command documentation for options and behavior.
If you do not need or cannot retrieve an offline license
You can ask WinGet to omit license retrieval:
winget download `
--id <STORE_ID> `
--source msstore `
--skip-license `
--architecture x64 `
--download-directory "C:OfflineApps<AppName>" `
--accept-source-agreements `
--accept-package-agreements--skip-license only skips retrieving the offline license. It does not bypass an app’s licensing, entitlement, sign-in, or activation requirements. Do not use it as a general fix for an authentication error: first determine whether the target deployment actually works without that license.
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Pin a version for repeatable deployment
Without a version option, WinGet selects the highest available version applicable to the chosen platform and architecture. To request a specific version, add --version:
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winget download `
--id <STORE_ID> `
--source msstore `
--version <VERSION> `
--architecture x64 `
--download-directory "C:OfflineApps<AppName>"Record the app ID, version, architecture, download date, target Windows edition and build, and whether a license file was obtained. WinGet also offers options such as --platform, --skip-dependencies, --verbose-logs, and --open-logs. Avoid --skip-dependencies for an offline installation unless you have separately confirmed the target already has every required framework. Do not bypass hash validation with --ignore-security-hash unless you have a specific, justified reason.
3. Check and transfer the downloaded files
List the output before moving it. The exact files vary by app, version, architecture, and WinGet release; do not transfer only the largest package and leave behind its dependencies or license.
Get-ChildItem "C:OfflineApps<AppName>" -RecurseA folder might look like this:
OfflineApps
└── AppName
├── AppName.msixbundle
├── Dependencies
│ ├── dependency-1.appx
│ └── dependency-2.msix
└── License.xmlThe filenames and layout are illustrative; use the actual output WinGet produced. Copy the entire app folder to the offline computer using your approved transfer method. For an auditable transfer, you can calculate SHA-256 hashes before copying and compare them on the target:
Get-ChildItem "C:OfflineApps<AppName>" -File -Recurse |
Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256Hashing is optional; WinGet does not require it. In managed environments, follow your organization’s encryption, integrity-checking, and chain-of-custody rules.
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4. Install on the offline PC
Install for the current user
Open PowerShell in the transferred folder, or use full paths. Supply the dependency package paths along with the main bundle:
$dependencies = @(
"C:OfflineAppsAppNameDependenciesdependency-1.appx",
"C:OfflineAppsAppNameDependenciesdependency-2.msix"
)
Add-AppxPackage `
-Path "C:OfflineAppsAppNameAppName.msixbundle" `
-DependencyPath $dependenciesReplace the example filenames with the files actually downloaded. If there are no dependencies, omit -DependencyPath. If installation reports a dependency error, install the supplied dependencies first, then retry the main package:
Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:OfflineAppsAppNameDependenciesdependency-1.appx"
Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:OfflineAppsAppNameDependenciesdependency-2.msix"
Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:OfflineAppsAppNameAppName.msixbundle"Add-AppxPackage registers a signed AppX/MSIX package for a user account; its -DependencyPath parameter accepts dependency package paths. This is not the same as provisioning an app for every current and future user. See Microsoft’s Add-AppxPackage reference.
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For an enterprise device or image where the package should be available to users who sign in later, use the license-aware provisioning workflow rather than treating the current-user installation command as an all-user deployment. Provisioning generally requires an elevated PowerShell session, and the correct parameters depend on the package and Windows build. A general online-image pattern is:
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Add-AppxProvisionedPackage `
-Online `
-PackagePath "C:OfflineAppsAppNameAppName.msixbundle" `
-LicensePath "C:OfflineAppsAppNameLicense.xml" `
-DependencyPackagePath (Get-ChildItem "C:OfflineAppsAppNameDependencies*" -File).FullNameUse -LicensePath only when you have the applicable license file. Confirm the parameter set for the target Windows version and package type before deploying broadly. Microsoft’s disconnected-environment MSIX guidance describes the license-aware provisioning model; provisioning is distinct from installing an app for just the signed-in user.
Optional graphical installation
If App Installer is present and compatible, opening an .msix or .msixbundle may launch a graphical installation flow. Dependencies may still need separate installation, and a blocked Store does not guarantee that App Installer or package deployment is configured. PowerShell is usually more useful when diagnosing an error.
5. Verify the result
Check whether the package is registered and inspect its version:
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Get-AppxPackage | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*<partial-package-name>*" }
Get-AppxPackage -Name "<package-name>"Then launch the app and confirm it opens and can perform the intended task without a network connection. Check **Settings > Apps > Installed apps** on Windows 11, or the corresponding Apps settings on Windows 10. Installation succeeding proves only that the package was installed; it does not prove the app’s online features, activation, or future updates will work offline.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | What to check | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| No package found | The app may not be in msstore, may be unavailable in the current region, or its listing may have changed. Source data may also be stale. |
Run winget source update, search again with winget search "<app name>" --source msstore, then inspect the exact ID with winget show --id <STORE_ID> --source msstore. |
| Ambiguous match | A name can match multiple listings. | Use the exact Store ID and, if needed, --exact with the download command. |
| Authentication or role error | Retrieving the offline Store license requires Microsoft Entra authentication and one of the documented roles: Global Administrator, User Administrator, or License Administrator. | Have an authorized account retrieve the license, or use --skip-license only after confirming that the target scenario does not need it. |
| Dependency error | A framework such as VCLibs, .NET Native, Windows App Runtime, or Microsoft UI XAML may be missing or incompatible. | Confirm that every downloaded dependency was transferred, matches the target architecture, and is supplied during installation. See Microsoft’s MSIX troubleshooting guide. |
| Wrong architecture or unsupported build | The package architecture or Windows requirements may not match the target. | Download for the target architecture—WinGet supports x86, x64, ARM, and ARM64—and confirm the package supports the target Windows build. For example, an ARM64 download uses --architecture arm64. |
| Store UI is blocked | Store app access, Microsoft service endpoints, WinGet source access, and package deployment policy are separate controls. Blocking the Store interface alone does not establish which of the others are blocked. | Check organizational policy, firewall or proxy access, source connectivity, and deployment restrictions. Microsoft discusses these distinctions in its Microsoft Store troubleshooting guidance. |
| Package installs but will not launch | Possible causes include a missing runtime, unsupported Windows build, wrong architecture, sign-in or entitlement requirements, or an online-dependent feature. | Check deployment errors and app requirements. A successful local install does not guarantee offline activation or operation. |
| WinGet or its source is unavailable | App Installer may be missing, out of date, or not registered; a network or policy may also block the source. | Check winget --info and App Installer version, update or register App Installer, and consult the WinGet logs and source configuration. Windows Sandbox does not include WinGet or the Store by default; follow Microsoft’s WinGet guidance for that environment. |
When WinGet is not the best route
- Publisher’s offline installer: Prefer a documented MSI or EXE when the publisher provides one, particularly if the Store package has account or licensing restrictions.
- Intune or another management platform: Better suited to enrolled devices that reconnect and need assignments, reporting, compliance, or ongoing update management. It is not required for a one-off local install.
- Provisioning or imaging: Consider this for reference images, shared devices, or repeatable deployment to future users; it requires the appropriate deployment setup and testing.
Use WinGet when the app is available in the Store source and you need a repeatable way to collect its package and dependencies. For any route, test on the same Windows edition, build, architecture, and policy configuration as the offline target before scaling deployment.
Quick Recap
Final checklist
- Confirmed the exact app ID and publisher in the
msstoresource. - Selected the target architecture and, when needed, a specific version.
- Downloaded and transferred the entire output folder, including dependencies and any license file.
- Decided whether current-user installation or all-user provisioning is appropriate.
- Tested installation and the app’s intended offline function on a matching target.
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