Windows Package Manager rolls out to everyone with version 1.0

After a year of preview testing, Windows Package Manager is now generally available.

What you need to know

• Windows Package Manager is now available in version 1.0.
• The tool makes it easy to install and uninstall apps and packages on Windows 10.
• Microsoft has tested Windows Package Manager in preview since May 2020.

At Microsoft Build 2021, the company released Windows Package Manager 1.0. First announced in preview at Build 2020, Windows Package Manager makes it easy to install software onto Windows 10. The tool is especially handy for IT admins that manage multiple PCs but can also be useful for individual users.

Windows Package Manager is a winget client that facilitates streamlines installations using the command line. There are third-party package managers, such as Chocolatey, that were already available for Windows, but it's nice to have another option from Microsoft.

Windows Insiders and people that have signed up for the Windows Package Manager Insider group may already have the tool. If you don't have it already, you can grab it from the Windows Package Manager GitHub page. Microsoft also has a direct link to install it in the devblog post announcing its availability.

Soon, Windows Package Manager 1.0 will ship as an automatic update through the Microsoft Store for PCs running Windows 10 version 1809 or later.

Over 1,400 unique packages have been contributed to the Microsoft Community repository already. That number should only go up now that Windows Package Manager is generally available.

Microsoft also announced a new tool in preview to help submit packages to the Microsoft Community repository. The tool is called Windows Package Manager Manifest Creator.

If you've never used the tool before, or just need a refresher, we have a complete guide on how to use Windows Package Manager to install apps and programs.