How to resolve winget is unable to find or install packages

calendar May 2, 2024 · Windows Package Manager winget  ·
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Windows Package Manager (winget) is a command-line utility designed by Microsoft to help users discover, install, upgrade, and remove software on Windows systems.

If you're setting up a new Windows installation, you may encounter issues with Windows Package Manager (winget) not finding or installing packages. This issue is due to the default version of winget that ships with Windows being outdated, and it can't automatically update if you're not signed into or able to access the Microsoft Store.

1winget search --id Microsoft.PowerShell --source winget

winget - no packages found

According to the following post, this issue first occurred in September 2023.

winget - message to update

To resolve this issue, follow these steps using PowerShell to update winget:

  1. Open PowerShell.

  2. Execute the following command to download the latest version of winget:

    1Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://aka.ms/getwinget -OutFile $HOME/Downloads/Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle

  3. Install the downloaded package:

    1Add-AppxPackage -Path $HOME/Downloads/Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle

These steps ensure winget is updated and fully functional on your Windows system.

1winget search --id Microsoft.PowerShell --source winget

winget search

Summary

In this article, you've learned how to update Windows Package Manager (winget) on a new installation of Windows to resolve issues with it finding and installing packages.

References