Windows Package Manager 1.8.924-preview release now available

The Windows Package Manager, also known as winget, is a tool that allows users to discover, install, upgrade, remove, and configure applications on Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers. The release of Windows Package Manager 1.8.924-preview marks the second development build after the 1.7 build for Windows 10 (1809+) and Windows 11.

Windows Package Manager 1.8.924-preview key features and changes

Although no blog post was provided, Demetrius Nelon announced the release in a post on X (formerly Twitter) with a link to the GitHub.

https://twitter.com/DenelonMs/status/1775226698700906543

Here are the features and changes of the new Windows Package Manager release:

• Experimental features: This preview build introduces experimental features that can be enabled by modifying the settings file using winget settings. Some of the experimental features include support for multiple installed versions of a package, initiating a reboot if a package requires one to complete an installation, and a new feature called winget resume which supports resuming an installation after a reboot.
• PowerShell module: A prerelease version of the Microsoft.WinGet.Client PowerShell module has been published to the PowerShell Gallery. This module requires the App Installer (winget) to be installed and provides a Repair-WinGetPackageManager cmdlet, which is designed to install or repair the App Installer.
• Configuration schema updates: The release includes updates to the configuration schema property descriptions and the initial YAML schema manifest for version 1.7.0.
• Code refactoring and fixes: The release also includes various code refactoring and fixes, such as making the SQLite wrapper more resilient, updating the Triage Triggers, and fixing test errors and pipeline issues.

Installation and usage

To install the preview version of winget, users can download the latest winget preview version or sign up for the Windows Insider Dev Channel or the Windows Package Manager Insiders Program. Once the preview version is installed, users can run winget features to see which experimental features are enabled or disabled.

For developers and users who want to try the latest features, the preview build provides an opportunity to test and provide feedback on the new functionalities before they are released to the general public. It is important to note that since this is a preview build, it may contain bugs and is intended for testing and feedback purposes.

Community and feedback

The winget-cli repository on GitHub is open source, and the Windows Package Manager team encourages contributions from the community. Users can submit issues, feature requests, and feedback through the repository’s issue tracker and discussions.

The Windows Package Manager 1.8.924-preview release is a significant update that brings new experimental features and improvements to the tool. It demonstrates Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the package management experience on Windows and engaging with the developer community to refine and improve winget.