# WinGet Application: Microsoft Corporation Also called windows package manager, app installer winget Microsoft Corporation, System The App Installer command line. The process is winget.exe. Settings > Apps uses it on current Windows. It is not Chocolatey. ## What you need to know WinGet is Microsoft's CLI. Chocolatey is a different, older manager. WinGet ships with App Installer. Run winget.exe from a prompt. Settings > Apps uses it on current Windows. Chocolatey is choco.exe from chocolatey.org. Scoop is another third-party manager. - **What is it?**: Microsoft's package-manager CLI **Same as Chocolatey?**: No. choco.exe is a different manager **Where does it live?**: App Installer. Settings > Apps uses it Feex says If the command is winget, I would stay on Microsoft's client. I would not mix that line with choco install unless you meant Chocolatey. The Store window is optional. ## What is WinGet? winget.exe is the Windows Package Manager client. App Installer is the Store package that provides it. choco.exe is Chocolatey Software's older community manager. ## If you have never used it If a guide says "winget install", WinGet is Microsoft's package manager. It ships with App Installer on current Windows. Open a prompt and run winget. Settings > Apps uses it for some installs. It is not Chocolatey (choco.exe), not Scoop, and not the Store window. ## What is it used for? **Search and install from the winget source** winget search and winget install. Chocolatey uses choco install and a different community repo. **Upgrade packages Settings > Apps can also see** winget upgrade --all is a CLI habit. The Store UI is a different window. **Export and import lists** winget export is Microsoft's list format. A packages.config file is Chocolatey, not this. ## Who is it for? - People following a Microsoft install one-liner - Anyone whose Settings > Apps install used the package manager - Users deciding between winget, Chocolatey, and Scoop ## Current status WinGet (2020) is a current package manager from Microsoft Corporation. The vendor still points Windows users at https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/winget/. ## How old is it? WinGet preview arrived in 2020. Chocolatey started in 2011. Scoop in 2013. On current Windows 11, App Installer often already has winget.exe. A Windows 7 PC will not have this in-box. ## Versions Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here. App Installer / winget stable Preview ## System requirements Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need. ### Minimum | Operating system | Windows 10 1809+ with App Installer, per Microsoft. Current Windows 11 usually already has it | | ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | RAM | Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more. | ## Resource profile - **CPU demand**: Follows the installer it launches **Network demand**: Downloads packages ## Installed processes These executables belong to this product when it is installed. | winget.exe | Package manager CLI | | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | WindowsPackageManagerServer.exe | Package manager service host on some builds | ## Startup components winget.exe is a CLI. It should not sit in Startup. The package manager service can run when Windows needs it. ## File locations | Typical install | C:\Users\\\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\winget.exe | | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ## File formats YAML manifests in the community repo. Export JSON/text lists ## Common problems ### winget is not recognized Install or update App Installer from the Store, or use the GitHub bundle Microsoft documents. Chocolatey will not add winget.exe. ### A package id does not match Chocolatey's id winget search uses Microsoft's catalog. choco search is another world. ## Getting unstuck ### where.exe winget. If it is missing, update App Installer from the Store That is the Microsoft client. chocolatey.org is the other manager if you wanted choco. ### winget source list if installs fail A broken source is a WinGet config. Scoop buckets are a different tool. ### Do not replace winget.exe from a random zip Use Microsoft Learn or the Store App Installer. Ninite is a one-shot builder, not a repair. ## Alternatives Chocolatey for the older community repo. Scoop for user-folder tools. Microsoft Store for a GUI. Ninite for a one-time bundle. ## Official help and downloads Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel. | Download | [learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/winget/ ](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/winget/)Official installer or vendor page | | ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Help | [learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/ ](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/)Vendor support | | Official site | [learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/winget/ ](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/winget/)Start here, not a random exe host | ## Related hardware Any current Windows 10 or 11 PC that has App Installer. Network matters more than RAM. ## Technical details Technical details Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build. ## Related These entities connect to this article. Type is shown on every link. [Microsoft Store: Application](https://feex.it/wiki/software/microsoft-store)[Chocolatey: Application](https://feex.it/wiki/software/chocolatey)[How to read Task Manager: Guide](https://feex.it/wiki/software/system/how-to-read-task-manager) ## Sources and verification Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. [How we research](https://feex.it/wiki/research). - [WinGet official site ](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/winget/)· Vendor product page - [WinGet help ](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/)· Vendor support - [WinGet GitHub ](https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli)· CLI source and releases - [Foxhole process map ](https://foxhole.feex.it/)· First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark. ## Was this article useful? A yes or no is enough. Pick a reason if you want, or add a short note. Quick facts The short identity of this page. Specs, sources, and the full story stay in the article. - **Developer**: Microsoft Corporation **Category**: Package manager **Process**: winget.exe **License**: MIT (Windows Package Manager) **First released**: 2020 **Official site**: [learn.microsoft.com/winget](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/winget/) **Mapped by Feex**: Seen on Windows PCs in Foxhole Feex Reviewed: Last verified August 2026 --- Source: [Canonical Feex Wiki page](https://feex.it/wiki/software/winget/) [Developer guide](https://feex.it/wiki/developers/) | [API policy](https://feex.it/developers/api-policy/) | [Agent guidance](https://feex.it/wiki/llms.txt)