The Easiest Ways to Install and Update All Your Windows Apps
With the Windows 11 update, Microsoft’s Windows Store experiment is finally gaining momentum. But not all apps are available in pre-release Microsoft Store. Whether you’re setting up a new Windows PC or looking to create a workflow that will update all of your apps with a single click (not just Microsoft Store apps), there are some compelling third-party options worth considering.
You can use a one-click install tool or a command line based utility, whichever you prefer.
Install and update applications with the Ninite installer with just one click.
Ninite is a popular app installer for Windows. It’s been around for years, trusted by several companies, and offers a one-click executable that will install and update any set of applications.
Go to the Ninite website , select the applications you want to install and download the installer. It will download and install the selected apps, and that’s it – no add-ons, no toolbars, no shortcuts, nothing. At any time, you can re-run the same installer to update installed applications.
Install many other applications using the Windows Package Manager.
Microsoft brought a Linux-style package manager to Windows, and not everyone knows about it. It’s a command-line utility that lets you view, install, and update over 3,000 apps – all with a single command and no bells and whistles.
Before you start this process, you need to make sure you have the App Installer installed on your Windows PC (if you’re on the latest version of Windows, you already have it). Then launch a command prompt and type ” winget “. You will see a list of all available commands and what you can do with them.
For example, to install an application such as Notepad++, enter the following search command:
winget search notepad++
This will give you a list of all relevant applications. When you see the app you want to install, look at the PowerShell ID. This is what you need to install the application. Here is the command:
winget install Notepad++.Notepad++
As soon as you press the Enter key, Windows will download and install the application. Give the installer permission and you’re done. Want to uninstall an app? Use the following command:
winget uninstall Notepad++.Notepad++
The Windows Package Manager also makes it easy to update applications. Use this single command to update all applications together:
winget upgrade —all
Get a Ninite-like GUI tool for Windows Package Manager.
The Windows Package Manager is easy to use, but not everyone is comfortable working with the command line. Don’t worry, you can get your Windows apps as well as a simple installation. Just use Winstall , a free GUI tool similar to Ninite that lets you choose from over 3,000 applications to install.
As with Ninite, go to the site, search for the app, or select an app from the list (or one of the carefully curated packages) and scroll down to the “Get the Package” section. Here, select the PowerShell or Batch option and click “Copy to Clipboard ” to copy the entire installation command.
Then open the PowerShell app on your PC, paste the command and press the Enter key. The applications will begin the installation process. If any application needs permission, Windows will prompt you to do so.
Update apps with RuckZuck
Interested in a utility that will automatically scan and update all of your installed applications? Take a look at RuckZuck . This is a simple application that will help you update your installed applications. It has a repository of over 300 popular applications, including graphics card drivers.
Open the app, select the app update option and you will be presented with a list of available app updates. From here, you can install all app updates or select individual apps. RuckZack will take care of the rest.