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

Windows Command PromptCopy

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:

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:

Windows Command PromptCopy

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

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:

Windows Command PromptCopy

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

list all

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

OutputCopy

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:

Windows Command PromptCopy

winget source list --name Contoso

Returns the following output:

OutputCopy

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:

Windows Command PromptCopy

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

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:

Windows Command PromptCopy

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

For example: winget source remove --name Contoso 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:

Windows Command PromptCopy

winget source reset --force

export

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

For example:

Windows Command PromptCopy

winget source export winget

Returns the following output:

OutputCopy

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

Options

The source command supports the following options.

Option	Description
-n,–name	The name to identify the source by.
-a,–arg	The URL or UNC of the source.
–force	Used by reset to ensure that a reset is desired.
-t,–type	The type of source.
–accept-source-agreements	Accepts the source license agreement, and avoids the prompt.
–header	Optional Windows-Package-Manager REST source HTTP header.
–verbose-logs	Overrides the logging setting and creates a verbose log.
-?, –help	Gets additional help on this command.