One command can install an app, and one command can update every app on the PC. These are the exact winget lines worth memorising, with each flag explained honestly.
Winget only becomes an automatic installer when you add the right flags. Without them it stops to ask about licence agreements; with them, a whole list of apps installs while you drink your tea. Below are the core commands - installing one app, installing several, and upgrading everything - using the exact syntax from Microsoft's documentation. Run them in Windows Terminal or PowerShell; an admin window avoids most elevation prompts.
C:\> winget upgrade --all --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements
Example output only - your app list and versions will differ. Failures, when they happen, are reported per app, not hidden.
winget --version. A version number means you are readywinget source update once so the app catalogue is fresh before you search or installwinget search chrome - the ID column is what you copy, not the display namewinget install --id Google.Chrome --exact --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements--exact stops winget guessing a similar-named app, --silent asks the installer to show no windows, and the two agreement flags pre-accept the licence and source terms so nothing waits for a clickwinget install --id VideoLAN.VLC --exact followed by the next command, or list IDs one per line in a scriptwinget upgrade - it lists what would change without touching anythingwinget upgrade --all --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements--include-unknown - but review the preview list first, because winget cannot tell whether those apps are already currentwinget upgrade --id Mozilla.Firefox --exactSee the commands typed live in the video, including the prompts that appear when the agreement flags are left out.
▶️ Watch Full VideoSome installed apps do not report a readable version, so winget lists them as Unknown and skips them during upgrade --all. --include-unknown tells winget to attempt the newest version anyway. Use it after reviewing the list, since a reinstall of an already-current app can happen.
Winget upgrades app by app. A failure usually means that app was running during its update, its installer demanded interaction, or its publisher changed the installer. Close the app and run the single-app upgrade command for it.
Yes - it only installs published updates from the catalogue sources and verifies installer hashes. The preview command winget upgrade shows the list first if you prefer to check before applying.