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How to Fix ‘Winget Is Not Recognized’ issue On Windows: Winget is a tool that enables the installation of applications and packages through the use of Command Line Interfaces (CLIs), such as the Command Prompt and PowerShell. Winget is also known as the Windows Package Manager. However, if you try to run a Winget command, you might get an error that says the Command Line Interface (CLI) does not recognize it. In Windows 11 and 10, the Winget command line gives users the ability to manage already installed applications and install new applications through a command-line interface.
Having said that, there are times when this command line won’t work and will instead display the error message “Winget is not recognized.” This error typically manifests itself for a number of different reasons, including an obsolete packet manager, an absent path environment variable, or an inactive Windows packet manager client. In addition, even older versions of Windows 11/10 will give you this error because the Winget packet manager is not pre-installed on those versions by default. We mentioned below are the ways how to Fix ‘Winget Is Not Recognized’ issue On Windows.
What is the ‘Winget Is Not Recognized’ Issue?
A lot of people use package managers on Linux systems. You can save time by running a short command to search for and install an application by its name instead of looking for it on the web, downloading an installer, and going through a wizard. Microsoft hosts the software repositories on the back end of the system so that other businesses and people can host their own.
It is a very important feature for developers and system administrators that helps them work faster on Linux. The WinGet program works with installers that use the EXE, MSIX, and MSI file types. You can find YAML manifest files for supported apps in the Windows Package Manager Community repository, which is open to everyone. After Microsoft released an update in September 2020, users could now install apps from the Microsoft Store and have commands automatically filled in
Common Causes of the ‘Winget Is Not Recognized’ Error
- Incorrect Path: One of the most common reasons is that the path to the winget executable is not included in the system’s PATH environment variable. This means that Windows cannot find the winget executable when you try to run it from the command prompt or PowerShell.
- Windows Version: Winget is available on Windows 10 and later versions. If you are using an earlier version of Windows, you will encounter this error because winget is not supported.
- Winget Not Installed: In some cases, winget might not be installed on your system. You can install it manually through the Microsoft Store or by using the Microsoft Installer (MSI) package.
- Corrupted Installation: If the installation of Windows Package Manager is corrupted, it may result in this error. Reinstalling winget can help resolve this issue.
- User Permissions: You may need administrative privileges to use winget. Ensure that you are running the command prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.
- Antivirus or Security Software: Some antivirus or security software may block or interfere with the execution of winget. Temporarily disabling such software may resolve the issue.
How to Fix ‘Winget Is Not Recognized’ issue On Windows
Enable Developer Mode

- Open the Windows Settings by pressing
Win + I
. - Navigate to “Update & Security” and select “For developers” from the left-hand menu.
- Choose the “Developer mode” radio button.
Update System Environment Variables
- Right-click on “This PC” or “My Computer” and select “Properties.”
- Click on “Advanced system settings” on the left.
- Under the “Advanced” tab, click the “Environment Variables” button.
- In the “System variables” section, locate “Path” and click “Edit.”
- Add the path to Winget to the list of variables. Typically, it’s
C:\Program
Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_1.12.10201.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
Update Windows
- Open the Settings app (Windows key + I).
- Go to “Update & Security.”
- Click on “Check for updates” and install any available updates.
Repair or Reinstall Windows Terminal
- Open PowerShell as an administrator.
- To repair Windows Terminal, enter:powershell
winget --force repair Microsoft.WindowsTerminal
- To reinstall it, use:powershell
winget --force reinstall Microsoft.WindowsTerminal
Restart Your Computer
Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal and try running “winget” again after you’re done with these steps. You should now be able to use the Windows Package Manager without any problems after the “Winget Is Not Recognized” problem was fixed.
Conclusion
The command-line tool Winget can get app packages from the Microsoft Store and install them. It also has a repository of apps that it can install. It saves a lot of time that you would have spent looking for an app in the Microsoft Store or on the web, downloading it, and then installing it by hand. However, some users say that Winget doesn’t work on their PC. They get an error message that says “The system cannot execute the specified program” and can’t run any commands. This post will talk about several ways to fix the problem and get Winget back to working order. If you want to know more information about this issue so you can visit Microsoft Official Website.
Questions and Answers
If you get the error “winget is not recognized as the name of cmdlet” even when you are running as an administrator, it means that the Windows 11 computer does not have the winget command-line tool installed or is not set up correctly.
Open a Command Prompt window on a client computer and type Slmgr.vbs /ato. When you type the /ato command, the operating system will try to activate using any key that was installed in the system.
To do this, type “Change Advanced Startup Options” into Windows Search. Switch the computer off and on again, then go to “Advanced Options” and click on “Startup Repair.” Pick an account by following the on-screen instructions. The repair process will look over the computer and try to fix any issues that come up when it starts up.