Microsoft released a preview build of Windows Package Manager that introduces source priority controls to help manage search result ordering more effectively. Trusted repositories can now be set higher than default sources like the Microsoft Store, reducing prompts for disambiguation when installing packages. Scripters will like the new no-progress flag and automatic GitHub API authentication which prevents rate limit failures in continuous integration pipelines. Users should treat this release as experimental since minor bugs might still appear before it reaches stable status.

Windows Package Manager Preview Adds Source Priority Control for Better Install Results

Microsoft has released a preview build of the Windows Package Manager that tackles some long-standing search ordering quirks. This update introduces source priority controls and fixes for automation scripts that crash on paths with spaces. Power users will want to test these changes before relying on them in production environments.

Windows Package Manager Source Priority Explained

The biggest change involves how the tool ranks search results when multiple sources return matches. Users can now assign a numerical priority value to specific sources either during addition or through an edit command. This ensures that if other matching factors are equal, the system prefers the source with the higher score. Previously, users had no direct way to influence which repository took precedence in ambiguous situations. Users often encounter confusion when the tool picks a package from a less reliable source because it ranked higher by default. With the new priority system, scripts can lock onto a specific trusted source without prompting for disambiguation every time. It also updates how REST sources like the Microsoft Store handle match criteria so they do not automatically sort to the top of the list.

Scripting Improvements and Bug Fixes

Automation workflows will benefit from a new flag that disables all progress reporting including spinners and bars. This is useful for environments where visual output creates noise or breaks log parsing. The PowerShell module now automatically uses environment variables to authenticate against the GitHub API. This significantly increases the rate limit for CI/CD pipelines that run frequently without manual intervention. There are backend fixes regarding signing tools and path handling. SignFile in WinGetSourceCreator now supports an optional timestamp server via a new property on the Signature model. When set, signtool.exe is called with specific parameters to embed a countersignature timestamp so that signed packages remain valid after the signing certificate expires. File and directory paths passed to these tools are now quoted properly. This fixes failures when paths contain spaces which often breaks batch scripts silently.

Release Windows Package Manager 1.29.140-preview

This is a preview build of WinGet for those interested in trying out upcoming features and fixes. While it has had some use and should be free of major issues, it may have bugs or usability problem.

Release Windows Package Manager 1.29.140-preview · microsoft/winget-cli

Give it a spin if you manage a large fleet of machines but keep an eye on the forums for any regressions before rolling this out everywhere.