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Use WinGet to search for a Windows app, confirm the package and source, then install its exact package ID from Command Prompt or PowerShell. Searching first helps avoid installing a similarly named app or choosing an unintended result.
What you need before using WinGet
WinGet is Microsoft’s Windows Package Manager command-line client. Microsoft documents it for discovering, installing, upgrading, removing, and configuring apps on Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2025. On supported desktop Windows versions, it is delivered with App Installer. The documented minimum supported Windows 10 release is version 1809, build 17763. See Microsoft’s WinGet documentation for requirements and availability details.
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Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and check whether the command is available:
winget --version
If you need a list of available commands, run winget --help. If Windows cannot find winget, check that App Installer is installed and updated. On a newly created Windows profile, the first sign-in and Microsoft Store registration may take time; allow that process to finish before trying again. Windows Sandbox is an exception: WinGet and Microsoft Store are not included by default, and Microsoft documents a separate bootstrap route.
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Search for the app and identify the right package
Search using the app’s name. For example:
winget search "Visual Studio Code"
Search checks names, package IDs, descriptions, monikers, and tags. By default, matching is case-insensitive and uses substring matching, so results are candidates rather than proof that a result is the app you want. Microsoft’s search command reference documents filters including --id, --name, --moniker, --tag, --command, and --source. Use -e when you need an exact match.
Before installing, check the result’s package ID, publisher, and source. If the search returns multiple plausible entries, inspect the one you intend to use:
winget show --id <Package.Id> -e
Replace <Package.Id> with the ID shown in your search results. The install command reference recommends using show to view package details, including the installer selected for the system. Package availability depends on the configured sources and can change, so search the current results rather than relying on an old list of IDs.
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Install the confirmed app
Once the ID and package details match your intended app, install it with an exact ID match:
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winget install --id <Package.Id> -e
For example, if your search identifies the intended package as Git.Git, the exact-match command is:
winget install --id Git.Git -e
If duplicate entries appear across configured sources, select the source explicitly. For example:
winget install --id <Package.Id> -e --source winget
Source names and package IDs matter: the Microsoft Store source uses its own unique IDs. Consult the search results and Microsoft’s install reference if you need to confirm which source supplied a result.
Handle prompts and installation permissions
Read any prompts before accepting them. Some packages require acceptance of source or package agreements, and some installers require elevation. Only install software from a publisher and source you trust. Do not open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell window unless the installer actually requires administrator permission.
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Install several apps or repeat a setup
For a short list of apps, pass multiple confirmed package IDs in one command:
winget install --id <Package.Id1> <Package.Id2> -e
For a larger or repeatable setup, Microsoft points to WinGet’s export/import and configure capabilities instead of requiring you to maintain a long one-off command. The WinGet documentation describes these broader workflows.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When Chocolatey is an alternative
Chocolatey is another Windows package manager, but neither tool can be assumed to contain every app or to be the best choice for every workflow. Check whether the app is available in the source you plan to use, confirm package identity, and consider how the installation handles permissions and repeat setups.
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winget install --id chocolatey.chocolatey --source winget
Chocolatey’s setup page also lists other installation methods, including PowerShell bootstrap commands. Those commands execute downloaded setup code, so review the official Chocolatey installation instructions and use a method appropriate to your environment.
If an install fails
- No
wingetcommand: Confirm that App Installer is present and updated; on a fresh profile, wait for sign-in and Store registration to complete. - No matching package: Try a more precise app name or a documented search filter. Results depend on configured sources, and not every app is necessarily listed.
- Several similar results: Compare IDs, publishers, and sources, then run
winget show --id <Package.Id> -ebefore installing. - Duplicate source results: Add an explicit source, such as
--source winget, after confirming that it is the intended source. - Permission or agreement prompt: Review the prompt. Elevate only when required and accept agreements only when you understand them.
WinGet writes diagnostic logs to its documented LocalState folder by default. If an error persists, Microsoft’s WinGet documentation explains how to locate and use those logs.
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