Microsoft App Installer simplifies the installation of Windows applications by allowing users to sideload app packages with a double-click—no need to run PowerShell scripts or command-line tools. It presents key package details such as the app name, publisher, version, display logo, and requested capabilities, streamlining the installation experience and providing helpful error messages when issues arise.
App Installer is available for desktop PCs and is distributed via the Microsoft Store. It also serves as the delivery vehicle for the Windows Package Manager (WinGet), a powerful command-line tool that enables users to discover, install, upgrade, and configure applications on Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
Publisher’s description
What is App Installer?
App Installer is a proprietary package managers & updater program for Windows from Microsoft Corporation. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit as MSIX. It needs Windows 10 1809 or newer. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.29.380, released on September 21, 2026. 23 versions are listed since December 19, 2023, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 8.3 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (microsoft/winget-cli) has 26,519 stars. On Windows it registers 1 file type, including .winget. Similar programs include Chocolatey, uv and UniGetUI (formerly WingetUI) - Pre-Release.
Project description on GitHub: “WinGet is the Windows Package Manager. This project includes a CLI (Command Line Interface), PowerShell modules, and a COM (Component Object Model) API (Application Programming Interface).”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Frequent updates (about 8.3 a year)
- Large user base
Cons
- Proprietary licence: check the terms and price
In short: App Installer is a package managers & updater tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is App Installer safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
65DEA9C01CE08EE7B763366B27C0E651F97DB857C11CA9B9C301826C10092F2E· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the microsoft/winget-cli repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Code review10
- Actively maintained10
- Security policy10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Licence declared10
- Pinned dependencies10
- Fuzzing10
- Branch protection5
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Restricted token permissions0
- No binaries in the repository0
- Signed releases0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 23 versions ›23 versions over 3 years · about 8.3 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.29.380Latest | September 21, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSIX32-bit MSIXARM64 MSIX |
| 1.29.290 | August 24, 2026 | — | ARM64 MSIX32-bit MSIX64-bit MSIX |
| 1.29.280.0 | July 1, 2026 | — | ARM64 MSIX64-bit MSIX32-bit MSIX |
| 1.28.240.0 | April 17, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSIXARM64 MSIX32-bit MSIX |
| 1.27.470.0 | February 2, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSIX32-bit MSIXARM64 MSIX |
| 1.27.440.0 | December 15, 2025 | — | 64-bit MSIXARM64 MSIX32-bit MSIX |
| 1.27.350.0 | October 22, 2025 | — | 64-bit MSIXARM64 MSIX32-bit MSIX |
| 1.26.510.0 | October 1, 2025 | — | ARM64 MSIX64-bit MSIX32-bit MSIX |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.AppInstaller -escoop install main/wingetAdd-AppxPackage -Path Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundleGet-AppxPackage -Name Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller | Remove-AppxPackageProgram files (.exe): winget.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Microsoft Corporation
- Category
- Package managers & updaters
- Licence
- Commercial
- Price
- See the publisher’s site
- Source code
- github.com/microsoft/winget-cli
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10 (Windows 10 1809+)
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- MSIX
- Version
- 1.29.380
- Released
- September 21, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- December 19, 2023
- Versions listed
- 23
- Updates / year
- 8.3
- GitHub stars
- 26,519
- GitHub forks
- 1,815
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Microsoft.AppInstaller
- Scoop package
- main/winget
File types it opens (1)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to App Installer
See all ›-
Chocolatey2.7.4.0Chocolatey is The Package Manager for Windows. It was designed to be a decentralized framework for quickly installing applications and tools that you need. It is built on the NuGet infrastructure and uses PowerShell as its focus for delivering packages.Open source386.2M ↓ -
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Conan Package Manager2.33.0An open source, decentralized C/C++ package manager, to automate building and sharing of packages.Open source257.3K ↓ -
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Open source26.6K ↓ - Open source9.5M ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is App Installer free?
App Installer is proprietary (closed-source) software (licence: Commercial). Whether it costs money depends on the edition: check the publisher’s site for prices and free tiers.
Is App Installer safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install App Installer with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can App Installer be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Which Windows versions does App Installer support?
The installer requires Windows 10 1809 or newer and is available for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit.
Does App Installer run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of App Installer?
The versions page lists all 23 versions with links to their official installer files, back to December 19, 2023.
What are alternatives to App Installer?
Chocolatey, uv, UniGetUI (formerly WingetUI) - Pre-Release, Conan Package Manager and UniGetUI. The alternatives page compares them.
