Knowing how to find all installed apps on your PC can help you manage storage, troubleshoot software problems, identify unfamiliar programs, and decide which applications you no longer need. Whether you are using Windows 11 or Windows 10, there are several ways to view the programs installed on your computer.
You can use Command Prompt (CMD), PowerShell, Task Manager, the Settings app, or Control Panel to find installed applications. Each method provides different information. For example, Settings makes it easy to review and uninstall applications, while PowerShell can help you create a list of installed desktop programs.
In this guide, we will walk through each method step by step.
Find All Installed Apps on This PC Using CMD, PowerShell, Task Manager, Etc.
To find installed applications on a Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, follow these steps:
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11 or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10 to view your applications.
- Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features to see many installed desktop programs.
- Open Command Prompt (CMD) and run winget list to list applications recognized by Windows Package Manager.
- Open PowerShell and use Get-AppxPackage to view installed app packages for your user account.
- Use PowerShell’s registry commands to retrieve many desktop programs registered as installed.
- Open Task Manager > Processes to identify applications currently running on your PC.
- Check the Start menu or File Explorer when you need to locate an app or inspect its installation folder.
1: Find Installed Apps Using Windows Settings
The easiest way to find installed applications is through the Windows Settings app. This method is ideal for beginners because it provides a searchable list and lets you manage applications without typing commands.
On Windows 11, press Windows + I to open Settings. Select Apps > Installed apps. You will see a list of applications available on your computer. Use the search box to find a particular program, or sort the list by name, size, or installation date when those options are available.
On Windows 10, open Settings > Apps > Apps & features. The page displays installed applications and offers options to search, sort, and uninstall supported programs.
This method is particularly useful when you want to find an application before removing it. However, the list may not include every portable application or every component installed on the system. Some applications may also appear under a publisher’s name rather than the name you expect.
2: Find Installed Programs Using Control Panel
Control Panel provides another straightforward way to view traditional desktop software. It is especially helpful if you want to check which programs have registered themselves with Windows.
Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box. Type appwiz.cpl and press Enter. Windows will open the Programs and Features window.
Alternatively, navigate to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Review the displayed list to see program names, publishers, installation dates, and version information when available.
You can select a program to access its uninstall or change options. This is useful when troubleshooting older desktop applications that do not appear in the same way as Microsoft Store apps.
Keep in mind that Control Panel does not show every application type. Portable programs, certain Store apps, and software that has not registered an uninstall entry may be missing.
3: List Installed Applications Using Command Prompt (CMD)
Command Prompt lets you retrieve application information using text commands. One convenient option is Windows Package Manager, commonly known as winget.
First, press Windows + S, type Command Prompt, and open it. You can usually run the following command without administrator privileges:
winget list
Press Enter and wait for the results. Windows Package Manager displays applications it can identify, along with available information such as their names, IDs, versions, and sources.
You can also search for a specific program by running:
winget list “Google Chrome”
Replace Google Chrome with the name of the application you want to find. The results depend on how the application is identified on your system.
If Windows reports that winget is not recognized, Windows Package Manager may not be available or properly registered on your computer. Check whether the App Installer package is installed and updated.
Remember that winget list is not a guaranteed inventory of every file or executable installed on your PC. Its results depend on the applications and package records it can recognize.
4: Find Installed Apps Using PowerShell
PowerShell provides more flexibility than Command Prompt for inspecting Windows application packages. It is especially useful when you want to retrieve information in a format you can filter or export.
Press Windows + S, search for PowerShell, and open Windows PowerShell or PowerShell. To list app packages registered for your current user, run:
Get-AppxPackage | Select-Object Name, Version
Press Enter to display the package names and versions. These results commonly include Microsoft Store apps and other applications distributed through Windows app packages.
If you want to inspect packages registered for all users, open PowerShell as an administrator and run:
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Select-Object Name, Version
This command can return a larger set of package information, although access and visibility may vary by package and Windows configuration.
It is important to understand that Get-AppxPackage does not list every traditional desktop application. Programs installed through standard EXE or MSI installers generally require a different method.
5: Find Traditional Desktop Programs Using PowerShell
If your goal is to find many traditional desktop programs, PowerShell can query the Windows Registry for registered uninstall entries.
Open PowerShell and run the following command:
$paths = @(‘HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*’,’HKLM:\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*’,’HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*’); Get-ItemProperty $paths -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Where-Object DisplayName | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher
The command checks common registry locations for installed program records and displays the application name, version, and publisher when available.
The registry locations serve different purposes. The first commonly contains 64-bit machine-wide software entries, the second commonly contains 32-bit software entries on 64-bit Windows, and the third contains software registered for your current user.
This approach is useful when Settings or winget list does not provide the information you need. However, the results depend on how each program registers itself. Portable apps and applications without uninstall registry entries may not appear.
Avoid deleting registry entries just because a program looks unfamiliar. Use this command to inspect information, not to remove software records manually.
6: Find Running Apps Using Task Manager
Task Manager helps you identify applications that are currently running. Although it is not a complete inventory of installed software, it can help you locate a program that is using memory, CPU resources, or other system resources.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. If the simplified view appears, select More details. Open the Processes tab to review running apps and background processes.
Look for the application name in the list. You can right-click a process and choose Open file location, when available, to locate its executable file. You can also select Properties in supported cases to inspect additional file details.
To check applications configured to start automatically, select the Startup apps tab in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10.
Task Manager is most helpful when you are investigating an unfamiliar running process or trying to identify a program that launches when Windows starts. It will not show applications that are installed but currently closed.
7: Check Installed Applications Through the Start Menu
The Start menu offers another simple way to locate applications without opening command-line tools.
Press the Windows key to open Start. In Windows 11, select All or All apps, depending on the interface displayed. In Windows 10, select All apps when available. Scroll through the alphabetical list or use Windows Search to look for a program by name.
This method is convenient if you remember the application’s name but do not know where it is installed. You can also right-click an application and review the available options.
However, the Start menu does not display every installed program. Some applications do not create Start menu shortcuts, and portable applications may not appear unless you add shortcuts manually.
8: Locate Installed Applications Using File Explorer
File Explorer can help you inspect common installation folders when you want to find application files rather than just application names.
Press Windows + E to open File Explorer. Navigate to C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86) if those folders exist. These locations commonly contain desktop applications installed for all users. You can also check %LocalAppData%\Programs for certain applications installed within your user profile.
Look through the folders for the software you want to locate. If you know the application name, use File Explorer’s search box to search relevant directories.
Be aware that these folders are not complete inventories. Applications can be installed on another drive or in a custom directory, and some apps store files in several locations. Finding an executable file does not necessarily mean Windows has registered the application for uninstalling.
FAQs
Can I find all installed applications using CMD alone?
You can use commands such as winget list to identify many installed applications, but CMD does not provide one universal command that reliably lists every type of installed app. Combining several methods provides better coverage.
Which method is best for beginners?
The Settings app is generally the easiest choice. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11 or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10 to search for applications and manage supported uninstall options.
How can I list installed programs with their versions?
You can use winget list in Command Prompt or PowerShell. For traditional desktop applications, you can also query uninstall registry entries with PowerShell to retrieve names and version information when those records exist.
Does Task Manager show every installed application?
No. Task Manager primarily displays running applications, processes, and startup programs. It cannot provide a complete list of applications that are installed but not currently running.
Why is an installed application missing from the list?
An application may be portable, installed in a custom location, registered only for a different user, or missing a standard uninstall record. Try checking Settings, Control Panel, PowerShell, the Start menu, and common installation folders.
Can I export a list of installed applications?
Yes. You can save PowerShell results to a text file. For example, run the following command to export many registered desktop program names to a CSV file:
$paths = @(‘HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*’,’HKLM:\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*’,’HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*’); Get-ItemProperty paths-ErrorActionSilentlyContinue|Where-ObjectDisplayName|Select-ObjectDisplayName,DisplayVersion,Publisher|Export-Csv”env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\InstalledApps.csv” -NoTypeInformation
After the command finishes, check your desktop for InstalledApps.csv. You can open the file in Excel or another spreadsheet application.
The exported list contains registered desktop program entries, not necessarily every app package or portable application on the computer.