On Windows 11, the Windows Package Manager (winget) provides an alternative experience to make it easier to search, download, and install apps using commands.
Although the tool offers the optimal settings out-of-the-box, you can also edit the “settings.json” file to customize the experience even further. For example, you can change the visual elements of the progress bar, disable telemetry when using the tool, change the install behavior, enable experimental features, and more.
This guide will teach you the steps to edit the settings.json file to customize the winget command on Windows 11 (or Windows 10).
Configure winget settings.json on Windows 11
To change the settings of the winget command, use these steps:
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Open Start.
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Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
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Type the following command to open the winget settings.json file and press Enter:
winget settings
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Copy and paste the following code within the brackets to change the progress bar to the rainbow design:
"visual": { "progressBar": "accent" },Quick note: Options available include accent (default), retro, and rainbow. -
Copy and paste the following command to disable telemetry:
"telemetry": { "disable": true },Quick note: If this is the last statement, you don’t need the comma (,) at the end, after the closing bracket.
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Use the Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut to save the file.
Once you complete the steps, the next time you use the Windows Package Manager to install an app, the process will show the rainbow-style progress bar and won’t send any telemetry information to Microsoft.
The location of the settings.json file is in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json. However, if you have a non-packaged of winget, the file location will be in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Settings\settings.json.
This guide shows a couple of examples of some of the settings you can customize with the winget command. You can find more customizations to add to the settings.json file on the winget-cli page on GitHub.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].