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Check installed apps on your device windows

Check Installed Apps on Your Device Windows

Keeping track of the software installed on your Windows device is crucial for managing storage, ensuring security, and optimizing performance. Whether you’re trying to free up space, uninstall unwanted programs, or simply see what’s on your system, Windows provides several straightforward ways to view your installed applications. This guide will walk you through the most common methods to check installed apps on your device running Windows.

Accessing Installed Apps via Settings

One of the simplest ways to see your installed applications, especially on modern versions of Windows (like Windows 10 and Windows 11), is through the Settings app.

  1. Click on the Start button.
  2. Select the Settings icon (it often looks like a gear).
  3. In the Settings window, click on Apps.
  4. You should now see a section often titled Apps & features. This screen will display a list of most of the applications installed on your device. You can scroll through this list, search for a specific app using the search bar, and sort the apps by name, size, or install date.

From here, you can also click on an individual app to see more options, such as modify (if available) or uninstall.

Using the Control Panel

For users who are more accustomed to older versions of Windows, or for accessing certain types of installed programs, the Control Panel remains a reliable option.

  1. Click on the Start button.
  2. Type “Control Panel” into the search bar and select it from the results.
  3. In the Control Panel, look for an option named Programs. Click on it.
  4. Under Programs, click on Programs and Features.
  5. A window will open displaying a list of your installed desktop programs. Similar to the Settings app, you can see the publisher, installed date, size, and version of the applications. You can also uninstall or change programs from this list.

Finding Apps Through the Start Menu

A quick way to see many of your installed applications is by simply opening the Start menu.

  1. Click on the Start button.
  2. You will typically see an “All apps” list or an alphabetically sorted list of applications directly in the Start menu. You can scroll through this to find installed software.
  3. You can also start typing the name of an app when the Start menu is open, and Windows search will try to find it.

This method is great for quickly launching apps but might not show every single installed program or offer detailed management options like Settings or Control Panel.

Advanced Method: Using PowerShell

For users who require a more detailed or scriptable way to list installed software, Windows PowerShell is a powerful tool.

  1. Right-click on the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
  2. To get a list of installed programs, you can use a command like: Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate | Format-Table -AutoSize For 64-bit applications on a 64-bit system or 32-bit applications on a 32-bit system, you might also check: Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate | Format-Table -AutoSize
  3. Another useful command, especially for apps installed via PackageManagement, is: Get-Package | Select-Object Name, Version, Source

PowerShell provides a comprehensive way to retrieve software information, which can be especially useful for IT professionals or advanced users.

By using these methods, you can effectively check installed apps on your device running Windows, helping you stay organized and in control of your system’s software.