I Use this Simple Command Line Tool to Install Apps on PC — It Works Perfectly

Recently, I had to install a couple of apps for work on Windows 11. The normal process would require me to access the official website of an app, download the installer on my PC, and then run it to install. This installation can get super manual and takes a significant amount of time to get done.

Instead of going the usual way, I used the Command Prompt to install the required apps on my PC. While it may sound out-of-the-box, you can install any app on your Windows PC using a simple command-line tool.

Command Line Interface or CLI, as it is popularly abbreviated, is still used extensively by IT professionals in the enterprise-level computing scenario. I pulled some data from surveys from the recent past. As you can see in the data below, Command Prompt/Shell has a significant user base.

However, Command Prompt usage is not limited only to enterprise applications and web developers. A non-tech-savvy individual can also make the best use of the command line interface to execute several tasks on their PC. While Command Prompt is mostly known for file operations on the PC, you can also install, uninstall, and update apps using the CMD.

In this guide, I have explained the use of the ‘Winget’ command line tool to install apps on a Windows PC. You can also use this tool to install app updates and check for the latest app packages available to be installed.

What is Winget in Windows OS? Why use it?

Winget is a Windows Package Manager that is available on Windows 10 and 11 as an inbuilt command-line tool. It can be used through the Command Prompt.

I found Winget far convenient to install apps on Windows OS rather than browsing through sites to download an app installer and running it.

Sometimes, you may not be sure of the correct website to download an app and may end up downloading some malware-loaded installer or simply the wrong app. Bogus advertisements, product sales pitches, and pop-ups on a website can make it troublesome to download the correct installer bundle.

Comparatively Winget is safer and offers smooth experience to use the Winget package manager in the Command Prompt and install apps with one line of command.  It removes the need of launching a browser, accessing websites, downloading app installer executables and so on.

Now, you may ask how Winget does it? It’s pretty simple. When you install an app using Winget, it fetches the latest version of the app from the internet that is available.

How to Install an App on Windows Using Winget?

First, you need to confirm that Winget is installed on your Windows 11 PC.

1. Press the Windows key to bring up the search panel.
2. Type cmd and press Enter. [You may click “Run as Administrator”]
   
3. On the Command Prompt window, type the following and press Enter.

   winget

   

You should see a list of commands that are used with Winget to perform app installation, uninstallation, update, etc.

For your convenience, I have compiled the Winget commands required to perform app operations.

If you do not see the list of commands on Command Prompt, grab the Microsoft App Installer and install it on your PC. It will add the Winget package manager on Windows.

Installing an app using Winget is easier. The command follows a simple “winget install app_package_name” command.

For instance, I decided to install Steam, the gaming distribution platform, on my PC. Here are the steps I used, which you can follow as well.

1. Open Command Prompt on the PC. [You may select Run as Administrator to avoid the UAC prompt.]
   
2. Type the following to install Steam.

   winget install Valve.Steam

3. Click Yes to accept the UAC Prompt and allow Winget to install the Steam app package.
   

The installation gets completed almost instantly, and you are greeted with a successful installation message.

NOTE: “Valve.steam” is the app package name for Steam.

You can now press Windows + S to launch the search and type Steam to view options to open the app on your PC.

I’m sure by now you must be getting curious to know more about the Command Prompt. Learn how to open files/folders on a Windows PC using CMD.

Popular Winget CMD App Install Commands

How to Know what Exact Package name to Use in the Winget Command?

Now, the next obvious question you would ask is, how to know the package name for any app that one wants to install?

I suggest you refer to the table of Winget commands shared in this article. There is a command “search”. You have to use that to view the package name that Winget pulls out.

I have taken an example of Mozilla Firefox. Let me assume you want to install Mozilla Firefox but have no idea what package name to mention in the “install” command.

1. Open Command Prompt.
   
2. Type this command to allow Winget to pull the available files associated with Mozilla.

   winget search “Mozilla”

In a few seconds, Winget will fetch a list of files associated with Mozilla. Look for the package name that would usually go as Mozilla.Firefox.

Normally, the package name would appear under the “Id” column in the table of data that Winget pulls with the “search” command.

Are you facing problems in using the Command Line Interface? Follow the troubleshooting tips to fix the Command Prompt crash issue on Windows 11.

How to Bulk Install Multiple Apps with Winget Command?

What if I wanted to install multiple apps on my PC? I would have to type the “winget install” command separately for each app—it can feel repetitive at one point if several apps are to be installed.

But I found a website that offers stable Windows app packages. It allowed me to select the apps of my choice and install them on my PC.

This site then generated a batch script which I can use in the Command Line interface to install the selected apps all at once, saving my precious time.

I’m sure you can’t wait to try it out as well. So, here are the detailed steps that you can follow.

1. On your PC browser, visit the Winstall website.
2. Scroll to the Popular Apps tab to view the app packages available.
3. Click on the app package to view its details.
   
4. Scroll down and click on Select App.
   
5. Go back, access the info section of a few more apps, and press Select App. [You need to select at least four more apps to create a pack of apps to generate a batch script.]
6. Click on Generate Script once several app packages are selected.
   

A download.bat batch file will be downloaded on your PC.  When you want to install multiple apps on your PC (the ones you selected), right-click on the batch file and run it as an administrator.

If the above steps do not work (the select more apps sometimes don’t work on the Winstall site, from what I experienced), you can create a batch file consisting of Winget install commands for different apps you want to install at once.

1. Open the Winstall website and click on any apps in the repository to view their package details.
   
2. You will see a Winget install command available for all app packages available on Winstall.
3. Copy the winget install command for apps one by one.
   
4. Open the Notepad app on your PC.
   
5. Paste the install commands one after the other for all the apps you want to install.
   
6. Save the notepad file as Wapps.bat [or something convenient for you]
   

Now, whenever you have to install these apps on your PC, simply find the Wapps.bat file, right-click on it, and run it with Administrator privileges.

All these selected apps will be installed in a moment. See, how easy was that?

📌 FAQ: Questions and Answers

Q: What is Winget in Windows OS?

Ans: Winget is a Windows Package Manager that is available on Windows 10 and 11 as an inbuilt command-line tool. It can be used through the Command Prompt.

Q: Why should I use Winget to install apps?

Ans: Winget is a faster, safer, and convenient way to install software apps; rather than browsing through sites, you can directly install verified apps through a one CLI command. It reduces the risk of downloading fake or malware-infected software.

Q: How do I install an app using Winget?

Ans: Just open Command Prompt and type winget install app_package_name. For example, to install Steam, type “winget install Valve.Steam” and hit Enter.

 Q: How do I check if Winget is available?

Ans: Type ‘winget’ in CMD, it should be available. If not available, you can install the Microsoft App Store.

Q: Can I install multiple apps?

Ans: You can create a batch file or use the Winstall website to generate a script automatically to install multiple apps using Winget.

Install Windows Apps with Winget

Save time and effort with the Winget package manager to install, update, uninstall, and perform more operations with app packages. Why visit the app store or individual sites to download apps when one single command can get the installation done? You can even bulk install apps in one go on the Command Prompt by running a batch file consisting of winget install commands.

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