8 Ways to Fix Winget Not Working on Windows 11
Winget is a command-line tool that can download and install app packages from MS Store and the apps listed in its repository. It saves a lot of time that would be otherwise wasted in searching the Microsoft Store or the web for a particular app, downloading it, and then manually installing it.
But some users report that Winget is not working on their PC. They face a “The system cannot execute the specified program” and cannot run any commands, This post will discuss multiple methods to resolve the issue and restore Winget to its working state. Let’s begin.
Reasons Why Winget Stops Working on Windows
Here are the following reasons why Winget is not working on your Windows PC:
Now, you know the reasons behind Winget not working issue. Try out these eight methods to resolve the issue and use your favorite package manager again.
1. Close and Reopen Winget in the Terminal App
Before moving on to advanced fixes, completely close the Command Prompt or PowerShell instance you are running on the PC. You can use the Task Manager to stop an unresponsive instance of either of these command-line tools.
After that, open Command Prompt or PowerShell with administrator privileges on your system. Type Winget and press theEnterkey to check if Winget works now.
2. Check if the Winget Servers Are Down
Winget is an online tool that needs a robust internet connection to search for a package in various repositories and then download and install them. If the Winget servers are down or inactive, it won’t be able to fetch results from repositories. So, check if Winget servers are down usingDownDetectoror a similar website.
You can also check if your Windows PC can connect to the internet. Simply open a web browser and access a website or run a web-based app to confirm internet connectivity. If the servers are down, you will have to wait until they come up live again to use Winget.
3. Perform a Complete System Shutdown
Windows uses Fast Startup to hibernate kernel-level processes and if any of these glitch, they remain in that state after your power on the system. So, perform a complete shutdown to close and relaunch all the core services and then try to run Winget. Here’s how to do it:
4. Update App Installer
Winget is a part of Windows 10 and 11 now and is shipped to PCs using the App Installer application. If you haven’t updated the App Installer in a while, you can face issues in running Winget and managing packages. Winget is included only in version 1.11.11451 or higher of the App Installer. If you have a version older than that, you cannot use Winget from the terminal.
So, open Microsoft Store and check the library section for any pending updates for the App Installer. Manually search and install the update and check if Winget works now.
5. Enable the App Execution Alias
If the App Execution Alias for Winget is disabled, it won’t work when you try accessing Winget from the terminal. So, you must enable it in the app settings. Repeat the following steps:
6. Manually Add the Path Environment Variable
Ae wrongly configured Winget path can also produce errors. So, you must manually add the correct path in Environment Variables using the Advanced System Properties window. Repeat the following steps:
7. Re-register Winget Using PowerShell
If Winget isn’t working on your PC, it’s possible to re-register it using PowerShell. Since it is a part of the App Installer which is a system app, it is possible to re-register it. Repeat the following steps:
8. Try Some Generic Windows Fixes
If none of the methods work for you, try our generic fixes like SFC and DISM scans that find and fix the system file corruption and service Windows Image components. You mustrun the SFC scanfirst and allow it to find and replace the corrupt system files, if any. After that,run the DISM scanin online mode.
After running these scans, you can use System Restore to revert the PC to a point in time when everything worked fine. Lastly, you can perform a complete system reset. You can choose the Keep my files option to preserve all your files whilefactory resetting Windows.
Make Winget Functional Again
Winget is a fantastic package manager that helps you control and manage app packages from the terminal. Ensure robust internet connectivity and check if the app execution alias is active for Winget. Manually reconfigure the PATH for Winget and re-register the App Installer using PowerShell. If you want a GUI version of Winget, you can try Winstall which helps you batch-install apps.
Did you get a new PC and want to install all the apps you need quickly? Winstall will help you do that.
Not Linux, not Windows. Something better.
My foolproof plan is to use Windows 10 until 2030, with the latest security updates.
Every squeak is your PC’s way of crying for help.
I plugged random USB devices into my phone and was pleasantly surprised by how many actually worked.
So much time invested, and for what?
