If you have Windows 11, winget is already installed for you. Winget (pronounced “win get”) is the command line tool for finding, installing, and uninstalling packages from Windows Package Manager. Using less data is also better for the environment. On a plan with limited data, this is critical. It is faster and uses less data than visiting a website, which would be bulky, slow, and full of images and ads. Being a command line tool, things can be automated, and installation can be performed programmatically on a vast fleet of computers instead of manually one at a time. It also benefits from Microsoft’s stewardship, with security features like Microsoft Smartscreen that scans for malicious packages. Windows Package Manager downloads software from a single central location, so you won’t ever get a fake website offering virus-laden software or see sketchy ads. Upgrading to new versions of apps is more straightforward, as it’s possible to list all the programs that need an update.

Instead of digging through the Control Panel or looking for an uninstaller executable, you can just type winget uninstall.

Package managers make it easier to uninstall apps.

If you count yourself in the latter category, check out this complete list of keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Outlook. There are plenty of reasons that Windows Package Manager is better than installing programs from a website:Ī package manager lets you easily install software using only the keyboard, which is more efficient for laptop users and fast typists. Did you know you can install a whole operating system from your mobile device? If that sounds interesting, learn how to install Windows from Android.

Windows package manager