Setting up a new Windows computer can feel tedious if you need to download and install apps one by one. Thankfully, Microsoft’s Winget (Windows Package Manager) makes this process fast and scriptable. Here’s how you can quickly get your essentials installed.

Step 1: Install Winget

  1. Open your browser and go to aka.ms/getwinget.
  2. This will download the Winget package (App Installer).
  3. Install it. Once done, you’re ready to start installing apps.

Step 2: Open Windows Terminal

Press Win + X and select Windows Terminal (or PowerShell/Command Prompt). You’ll use this to search and install apps via Winget.

Step 3: Search for Apps

To find an app, use the search command. For example:

winget search vlc

This will return multiple results. Look for the version you want — usually the Microsoft Store entry is more reliable. Each app has an ID you’ll use for installation.

Example: the VLC player ID from the Microsoft Store might be:

XPDM1ZW6815MQM

Step 4: Install Apps

Once you have the ID, install the app with:

winget install XPDM1ZW6815MQM

Winget will fetch and install the app automatically. Repeat this process for all your essential software.

Step 5: Essential App IDs (Reference)

Here are some commonly used apps and their Winget IDs:

  • VLC Media Player: XPDM1ZW6815MQM (Microsoft Store version)
  • WinRAR: RARLab.WinRAR
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader: Adobe.Acrobat.Reader.64-bit
  • Google Chrome: Google.Chrome
  • AnyDesk: AnyDesk.AnyDesk
  • Tailscale: Tailscale.Tailscale

Conclusion

With Winget, setting up a fresh Windows installation is much faster. Instead of hunting for installers online, you can search and install everything from the command line in just a few commands. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll never want to set up a computer the old way again.

Here is powershell script to install all these at once. Verify the code before you run. 

Write-Host "====================================="
Write-Host " Setting up essential apps with Winget"
Write-Host "====================================="

# Check if Winget is installed
if (-not (Get-Command winget -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
    Write-Host "Winget not found. Please install it first from https://aka.ms/getwinget"
    exit
}

# Define the list of apps and IDs
$apps = @(
    @{Name="VLC Media Player"; ID="XPDM1ZW6815MQM"},
    @{Name="WinRAR"; ID="RARLab.WinRAR"},
    @{Name="Adobe Acrobat Reader"; ID="Adobe.Acrobat.Reader.64-bit"},
    @{Name="Google Chrome"; ID="Google.Chrome"},
    @{Name="AnyDesk"; ID="AnyDesk.AnyDesk"},
    @{Name="Tailscale"; ID="Tailscale.Tailscale"}
)

# Install each app
foreach ($app in $apps) {
    Write-Host "Installing $($app.Name)..."
    winget install $($app.ID) --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements -h
}

Write-Host "====================================="
Write-Host " All essential apps have been installed!"
Write-Host "====================================="