Windows Package Manager Integration Guide

Topic

This article discusses using WinGet (Microsoft Windows Package Manager) with NinjaOne.

Environment

NinjaOne Patching

Description

WinGet is the command-line tool for the Windows Package Manager. In NinjaOne, the WinGet integration installs and upgrades applications on Windows 10 or later devices and configures patch settings for selected software. NinjaOne currently supports WinGet version 1.8.

• About WinGet
• Known Issues
• Using WinGet in NinjaOne
• Adding WinGet Software 
• Configuring WinGet Software for Patch Management
• Scanning for Software Updates
• Automatically Upgrading all Applications
• Additional Resources

About WinGet

Microsoft WinGet allows users to discover, install, upgrade, remove, and configure applications on  Microsoft Windows computers. It serves as the interface to Microsoft's Windows Package Manager service. Here are some key points to note about WinGet.

• Windows 10 2004 (build 19041) or higher is required to support NinjaOne's Windows Package Manager integration. The Windows Package Manager is available on Windows 11, modern versions of Windows 10, and Windows Server 2025 as a part of the app installer.
• Not all products in the default WinGet repository will be available within NinjaOne.
• When you've enabled software patching for a policy and the product list includes WinGet products, the NinjaOne agent will deploy a WinGet engine component to Windows 10 and later workstations.
• All packages submitted to the Windows Package Manager repository undergo an approval process to ensure they comply with Windows Package Manager policies and are not known to be malicious. WinGet runs each submission through several antivirus programs. NinjaOne does not validate software packages in the repository and cannot guarantee their authenticity, security, or integrity.

To learn more about WinGet, read Microsoft's Use the WinGet tool to install and manage applications article (external link).

Known Issues

Per-user application installs cannot be installed or updated. NinjaOne currently only supports system-wide installers. We will address this issue in a future release.

Using WinGet in NinjaOne

Follow the steps below to enable, add, and configure software through WinGet, and manage patching for WinGet-managed applications. 

Enabling WinGet

Here are a few important things to consider when using WinGet.

• The application can only be enabled, disabled, or removed. There are no additional configuration options except within policy software patching and installation settings. Once WinGet is enabled, disabling or removing the application will also remove all WinGet settings.
• When WinGet is deactivated, you cannot use the WinGet engine for scans and patch applications.
• WinGet does not support force close.
• You cannot install or update per-user application instances. NinjaOne currently only supports system-wide installers.

Procedure

1. In Administration → Apps, click Add, then select WinGet.
2. Click Enable (this should be the default setting). 

Adding WinGet Software

Once you've enabled WinGet for the policy, users can search for any application across the WinGet and NinjaOne engines by vendor name, product name, or source.

Navigate to Administration → Policies and open a policy editor that supports Windows. 

Click Software in the configuration options, ensure the Software tab is selected, then click the Add Software button. 

Open the Source drop-down menu on the Software Library modal and select winget to filter the results. Use the available Search field to find results by software or publisher name. Select the desired WinGet software and click Add. 

Click Save at the top of the policy editor page to set the changes. 

Configuring WinGet Software for Patch Management

Once you have added the software to the policy, you can modify it for patch management. 

Select the Software

1. Navigate to Administration → Policies and open a policy editor that has WinGet software added, or use the process described in Add WinGet Software at the Policy Level, above, to add the software.
2. Click Software in the configuration options, ensure the Software tab is selected, and check the checkboxes for one or more applications. Then click the Edit button. 

Configure the software

1. Update the patch configuration fields to your preference, then click Save.

2. Click Save at the top of the policy editor page to set the changes. 

Scanning for Software Updates

1. In the device dashboard for any endpoint with WinGet software added, click the action button and select Software Update → Scan. 
   NinjaOne performs the Windows patch management scan and updates the Activities section.
2. View patch activities in Patching → Software → Approved/Rejected/Installed.

Automatically Upgrading all Applications

You can now enable automatic updates for all WinGet-supported applications, saving you administrator time and enhancing application security.

In your policy, click Software in the configuration options, make sure the General tab is selected, then scroll down to the WinGet card and check the Update all available software to the latest version checkbox.

Checking the optional Attempt to update even if the software's current version is unknown checkbox makes WinGet run with the --include-unknown command, which will upgrade packages even if the system cannot determine the current installed version.

Additional Resources

Refer to Microsoft’s Use the WinGet tool to install and manage applications (external link) article for more WinGet learning resources.