{"id":622,"date":"2026-09-30T09:58:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T08:58:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mrpaulclarke.co.uk\/?p=622"},"modified":"2026-09-30T09:58:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T08:58:43","slug":"updating-applications-on-windows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mrpaulclarke.co.uk\/?p=622","title":{"rendered":"Updating applications on windows."},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Updating software manually on Windows can be an absolute chore. Clicking through individual update prompts or visiting various websites just to keep your apps secure is a waste of time. Thankfully, Microsoft includes a powerful built-in tool called the Windows Package Manager (WinGet)<\/strong> that lets you update every single application on your PC using just a single command.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In this guide, you\u2019ll learn how to check for outdated software, update individual apps, and run a single command to update everything at once without clicking a single prompt.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Step 1: Open the Terminal as Administrator<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

To ensure WinGet has the proper permissions to overwrite older application files, you need to run it with administrative privileges.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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  1. Press the Windows Key<\/strong> on your keyboard.<\/li>\r\n
  2. Type cmd<\/code> or PowerShell<\/code> into the search bar.<\/li>\r\n
  3. Right-click on the result and select Run as administrator<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Step 2: Check for Available App Updates<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Before blindly updating, it’s good practice to see what actually needs an update. Type the following command and press Enter<\/code>:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    winget upgrade<\/code><\/pre>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    WinGet will scan your computer and output a table showing the Name<\/strong>, Id<\/strong>, Version<\/strong> (currently installed), and the latest Available<\/strong> version of your software.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Step 3: Update a Single Application<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    If you only want to update one specific app, you can do so by targeting its unique Id<\/code> string pulled from the previous step. Run this command:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    winget upgrade --id [Application.ID]<\/code><\/pre>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    For example, if you wanted to update Google Chrome, you would use:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    winget upgrade --id Google.Chrome<\/code><\/pre>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Step 4: The Magic Command \u2013 Update All Apps at Once<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Instead of doing it one by one, you can instruct WinGet to completely refresh every single compatible app installed on your machine. Run this command:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    winget upgrade --all<\/code><\/pre>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Pro-Tip: Fully Automated and Silent Upgrades<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    By default, the standard upgrade command might still pop up terms of service prompts or require you to click “Next” on installer screens. If you want a 100% hands-off experience\u2014ideal for scripts or automation\u2014you can combine special flags to accept all agreements and hide the installer UI:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    winget upgrade --all --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements<\/code><\/pre>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Here is what each of these powerful switches does:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n