How to bulk install multiple apps using winget on Windows

Microsoft has built a Windows Package Manager (winget) that lets you discover, install, upgrade, remove, and set up one or multiple applications on Windows 11 and 10 using command lines without having to go through the extra steps of searching online, downloading, and installing manually.

Although using winget to install one app is easy when you need to download and install multiple apps, the required command can be complex, and in this guide, I will explain three ways to leverage winget to bulk install apps on Windows, using the Windows Package Manager without external utilities, and using the winstall web app or the Dev Home app.

In this guide, I will teach you three different ways to install multiple apps using winget on Windows 11 and even on Windows 10.

Install multiple apps using winget
Install multiple apps using winstall
Install multiple apps using Dev Home

Install multiple apps using winget

To use winget to bulk install multiple apps on Windows, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to search for an app in the repository and press Enter:
```
winget search "APP NAME"
```
In the command, replace “APP NAME” with the app name to install. Quotation marks are only required when the name has a space, such as “Google Chrome.”
Confirm the app ID in the command output.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to find the ID of all the apps to install.
Type the following command to build a syntax to install multiple apps with winget on Windows 11 or 10 and press Enter:
```
winget install --id=App.1.ID -e && winget install --id=App.2.ID -e && winget install --id=App.3.ID -e
```
In the command, change the ID for the app you want to install. The “-e” option is optional to match the query exactly, even if it is case-sensitive. For example, this command installs the developer build of Edge, Firefox, and Chrome on Windows:
```
winget install --id=Microsoft.Edge.Dev -e && winget install --id=Mozilla.Firefox -e && winget install --id=Google.Chrome.Dev -e
```

Once you complete the steps, the apps will download and install on your computer. Using this command, you can install as many apps as you need.

Install multiple apps using winstall

winstall is a web app started by Mehedi Hassan on GitHub that connects to Microsoft’s app repository and allows you to select apps you want to install visually, and it generates a script automatically, which you can then use to bulk install apps on Windows 11 or 10 using winget.

To install multiple apps using winstall, use these steps:

Open winstall on the web.
Click the Apps button in the top-right.
Click the Plus button to select the apps to install.
Use the search box to find and select additional apps.
Click the Generate script button.
Click the Batch button on the top-left if applicable.
Click the “Copy to clipboard” button.

Quick note: Click the “PowerShell” button to grab the command to run in the PowerShell console, or you can click on “Widget Import” to download a winget JSON file. Also, you can even download a “.bat” file to automate the installation process on your device.
Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Right-click and paste the winget script (Ctrl + V) to install the apps and press Enter.

For example, this script installs Atom, VLC, and 1Password:
```
winget install --id=AgileBits.1Password -e && winget install --id=twinkstar.browser -e && winget install --id=VideoLAN.VLC -e
```

After you complete the steps, the apps will automatically download and install on your Windows 11 or 10 device.

Install multiple apps using Dev Home

Dev Home is an app available on Windows 11 as well as Windows 10 designed to be a central hub for streamlining your development workflow with several features, including access to a graphical interface that allows you to find and install apps with the Windows Package Manager without having to deal with commands.

To bulk install apps through Dev Home, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Dev Home and click the top result to open the app.
Click on Machine configuration from the left pane.
Click the Install applications setting under the “Quick steps” section.
Use the search box to find and select additional apps.
Click the Plus button to select the apps to install.
Click the Next button.
Check the “I agree and want to continue” option.

Quick tip: You can also click the “Generate Configuration file” button on the top right to download a YAML file that you can run with winget to bulk install apps through Command Prompt. You can also share the file to make it easier for other people to install a set of applications on their computers.
Click the Set up button.

Once you complete the steps, the Dev Home app will install the group of apps on your Windows 11 or 10 computer.

What method are you using to install multiple apps on your computer? Tell me in the comments.