The winget source command

The winget tool source command allows you to manage sources for Windows Package Manager. With the source command, you can add, list, update, remove, reset, or export repositories.

A source repository provides the data for you to discover and install applications. Only use secure, trusted source locations.

Windows Package Manager specifies the following two default repositories, which you can list by using winget source list.

• msstore - The Microsoft Store catalog.
• winget - The Windows Package Manager app repository.

Usage

winget source <subcommand> <options>

Arguments

The following arguments are available.

Argument	Description
-?, --help	Gets additional help on this command.

The following image shows help for the source command:

Options

The following options are available.

Option	Description
-?,--help	Shows help about the selected command.
--wait	Prompts the user to press any key before exiting.
--logs,--open-logs	Open the default logs location.
--verbose, --verbose-logs	Used to override the logging setting and create a verbose log.
--disable-interactivity	Disable interactive prompts.

Subcommands

The source command supports the following subcommands.

Subcommand	Description
add	Adds a new source.
list	Enumerates the list of enabled sources.
update	Updates a source.
remove	Removes a source.
reset	Resets winget and msstore back to the initial configuration.
export	Exports current sources.

add

The add subcommand adds a new source. This subcommand requires the --name and --arg options. Because the command changes user access, using add requires administrator privileges.

Usage:

winget source add [-n, --name] <name> [-a, --arg] <url> [[-t, --type] <type>]

Arguments

The following arguments are available.

Argument	Description
-n, --name	The name to identify the source by.
-a, --arg	The URL or UNC of the source.
-t, --type	The type of source.

Options

The following options are available.

Option	Description
--header	Optional Windows-Package-Manager REST source HTTP header.
--accept-source-agreements	Used to accept the source license agreement, and avoid the prompt.
-?, --help	Get additional help on this command.
--wait	Prompts the user to press any key before exiting.
--logs,--open-logs	Open the default logs location.
--verbose, --verbose-logs	Used to override the logging setting and create a verbose log.
--disable-interactivity	Disable interactive prompts.

For example, winget source add --name Contoso https://www.contoso.com/cache adds the Contoso repository at URL https://www.contoso.com/cache.

Optional type parameter

The add subcommand supports the optional type parameter, which tells the client what type of repository it is connecting to. The following type is supported.

Type	Description
Microsoft.PreIndexed.Package	The default source type.

list

The list subcommand enumerates the currently enabled sources, or provides details on a specific source.

Usage:

winget source list [[-n, --name] <name>]

Aliases

The following aliases are available for this subcommand:

• ls

Arguments

The following arguments are available.

Argument	Description
-n, --name	The name to identify the source by.

Options

The following options are available.

Option	Description
-?, --help	Get additional help on this command.
--wait	Prompts the user to press any key before exiting.
--logs,--open-logs	Open the default logs location.
--verbose, --verbose-logs	Used to override the logging setting and create a verbose log.
--disable-interactivity	Disable interactive prompts.

list all

The list subcommand by itself, winget source list, provides the complete list of supported sources:

Name   Arg
-----------------------------------------
winget https://winget.azureedge.net/cache

list source details

To get complete details about a source, pass in the name of the source. For example:

winget source list --name Contoso

Returns the following output:

Name   : Contoso
Type   : Microsoft.PreIndexed.Package
Arg    : https://pkgmgr-int.azureedge.net/cache
Data   : AppInstallerSQLiteIndex-int_g4ype1skzj3jy
Updated: 2020-4-14 17:45:32.000

• Name is the name of the source.
• Type is the type of repo.
• Arg is the URL or path the source uses.
• Data is the optional package name, if appropriate.
• Updated is the last date and time the source was updated.

update

The update subcommand forces an update to an individual source, or to all sources.

Usage:

winget source update [[-n, --name] <name>]

Aliases

The following aliases are available for this subcommand:

• refresh

Arguments

The following arguments are available.

Argument	Description
-n, --name	The name to identify the source by.

Options

The following options are available.

Option	Description
-?, --help	Get additional help on this command.
--wait	Prompts the user to press any key before exiting.
--logs,--open-logs	Open the default logs location.
--verbose, --verbose-logs	Used to override the logging setting and create a verbose log.
--disable-interactivity	Disable interactive prompts.

update all

The update subcommand by itself, winget source update, requests updates to all repos.

update source

The update subcommand with the --name option directs an update to the named source. For example: winget source update --name Contoso forces an update to the Contoso repository.

remove

The remove subcommand removes a source. This subcommand requires the --name option to identify the source. Because the command changes user access, using remove requires administrator privileges.

Usage:

winget source remove [-n, --name] <name>

Aliases

The following aliases are available for this subcommand:

• rm

Arguments

The following arguments are available.

Argument	Description
-n, --name	The name to identify the source by.

Options

The following options are available.

Option	Description
-?, --help	Get additional help on this command.
--wait	Prompts the user to press any key before exiting.
--logs,--open-logs	Open the default logs location.
--verbose, --verbose-logs	Used to override the logging setting and create a verbose log.
--disable-interactivity	Disable interactive prompts.

Examples

winget source remove --name Contoso

This command removes the Contoso repository.

reset

The reset subcommand resets the client back to its original configuration, and removes all sources except the default. Only use this subcommand in rare cases. Because the command changes user access, using reset requires administrator privileges.

Because the reset command removes all sources, you must force the action by using the --force option.

Usage:

winget source reset --force

Arguments

The following arguments are available.

Argument	Description
-n, --name	The name to identify the source by.

Options

The following options are available.

Option	Description
-?, --help	Get additional help on this command.
--wait	Prompts the user to press any key before exiting.
--logs,--open-logs	Open the default logs location.
--verbose, --verbose-logs	Used to override the logging setting and create a verbose log.
--disable-interactivity	Disable interactive prompts.

export

The export sub-command exports the specific details for a source to JSON output.

Arguments

The following arguments are available.

Argument	Description
-n, --name	The name to identify the source by.

Options

The following options are available.

Option	Description
-?, --help	Get additional help on this command.
--wait	Prompts the user to press any key before exiting.
--logs,--open-logs	Open the default logs location.
--verbose, --verbose-logs	Used to override the logging setting and create a verbose log.
--disable-interactivity	Disable interactive prompts.

Examples

winget source export winget

Returns the following output:

{"Arg":"https://winget.azureedge.net/cache","Data":"Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe","Identifier":"Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe","Name":"winget","Type":"Microsoft.PreIndexed.Package"}

Source agreement

An individual source might request that the user agree to the terms presented before adding or using the repository. If a user doesn't accept or acknowledge the agreement, they won't be able to access the source.

You can use the --accept-source-agreements option to accept the source license agreement and avoid the prompt.

Related topics

• Use the winget tool to install and manage applications