Guides
Step-by-step guides for installing, verifying and removing Windows software: winget, silent install switches, SHA256 hashes, default apps.
- How to use winget: install and update apps
winget is the command-line package manager built into Windows 10 and 11. It installs programs from the publisher’s own download address and checks each file against its SHA256 hash.
- Silent install switches: MSI, NSIS, Inno Setup
Most Windows installers can run without any window. The switch depends on the tool the installer was made with, so the first step is to find out which one it is.
- Uninstall a program with the registry or PowerShell
Every installed program registers an uninstall command in the registry. When Settings → Apps cannot remove a program, or when you need to remove it silently, that command is the way.
- How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
A SHA256 hash is a fingerprint of a file. If the hash of your download equals the one published for it, you have exactly the file that was published, without changes or download errors.
- Change the default app for a file type in Windows
Windows opens each file type with one default program. You can change it for a single type, for every type a program supports, or for links such as web pages and e-mail addresses.
- Portable vs installed apps on Windows
A portable program runs from its own folder without an installer. An installed program is set up by an installer that registers it with Windows. Both have their uses.