If you have a Windows PC, you will most likely have a list of permanent software that you use all the time, be it Chrome, Outlook, or Steam Besides these favorites, there will be other programs that you have forgotten or never even used. This can be problematic – forgotten software takes up disk space and can pose a security risk.
We strongly recommend that you properly uninstall programs in Windows that you are not using, but this will not help you if you do not know what software you have installed, especially if you are managing multiple computers at the same time. Here are some ways to create a list of installed programs in Windows 10.
Using Windows PowerShell (Get-RemoteProgram)
If you need a list of installed programs in Windows 10 that can be exported, the best solution would be to use the built-in tool to create one. Few tools exist for this, but one option is to use Windows PowerShell (or Command Prompt if you feel old school).
For those who don’t know, PowerShell has pretty much replaced the Command Prompt as the default terminal on Windows PCs. For PowerShell users, there is a script to automatically list all installed programs called Get-RemoteProgram. In this case, a complete and complete list of software installed on your computer is requested in the Windows registry.
- First, you must download the Get-RemoteProgram script for PowerShell from Microsoft TechNet. Download this, then place the file in C: Windows System32 folder.
- Then you need to open a PowerShell window. You can do this by right-clicking the Windows Start menu and clicking Windows PowerShell (Admin) to open a new PowerShell window.
- You need to make sure Windows can run these kinds of scripts: type Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted to make sure you can, press Enter, then press A to confirm.
- If successful, type Get-RemoteProgram to run the script, then press Enter. If you want to export the list to a file, enter Get-RemoteProgram> list.txt instead.
Using Windows PowerShell (WMIC)
You can use PowerShell or cmd to run the Windows Management Instrumentation Command Line Utility (WMIC) to create a list of installed programs in Windows 10. Since PowerShell is the default command line tool for Windows 10 users, we use that here.
Using the WMIC tool to view or export the list of Windows software you have installed will create a list similar to the Get-RemoteProgram script.
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- In an open PowerShell window or in a command prompt terminal with administrative privileges, enter wmic. When the WMIC prompt opens, type /output:C:list.txt, product name, version, then press Enter. You can replace C: list.txt with a different filename or output directory.
- Enter exit to close the WMIC tool when finished. The list of software you have installed should be available in a text file at the location you specify for the output file.
Using Print Screen (Applications & Features)
If you need a visual list of installed software, you can use the print screen key to take a screenshot in Windows of the Apps & Features menu in Windows Settings, where Windows displays a list of installed software that you can change or remove.
- To open this menu, right-click the Windows Start menu and click Settings. From here click Apps> Apps & Features. The list of software you have installed will be displayed in a scrolling list.
It is unlikely that the software installed on your PC will fit in just one screenshot. You will need to press the PrtScrn button on your keyboard (or use third-party screenshot tools like Snagit) and then paste the screenshots into a third-party image editor to save (or a Word document).
You will need to review the list and repeat this step to ensure that you have kept a complete and complete list of the installed software on your computer.
Using NirSoft UninstallView
NirSoft UninstallView is a fast third-party alternative that can help you create a list of installed programs in Windows 10. Like the Get-RemoteProgram script, it asks for a complete list of installed software in the Windows registry.
- First, download NirSoft UninstallView and unzip the ZIP file (64-bit recommended). Then run the extracted UninstallView.exe file.
- UninstallView will scan your computer for installed software. After completing this process, a complete list of software will be available in the UninstallView window. To export the list, click View> HTML Report – All Items.
- A file named report.html is created in the same folder as the UninstallView.exe file, displaying a formatted list of installed software. Clicking the HTML Report – All Items button will open this file in your default web browser.
Use Bellark’s Advisor
Belarc Advisor has been an indispensable tool in the arsenal of local PC repair shops for years and remains a useful tool for Windows 10 users. It generates an analysis of your PC software, hardware, settings, installed updates and more so you can fully verify your Windows installation.
Like UninstallView, this will be visible in a formatted HTML file that can be exported elsewhere.
- First, download Belarc Advisor and install it. Once installed, Belarc Advisor will immediately start auditing your PC – this will take a few minutes.
- Your default web browser will open after Belarc finishes auditing your PC. To view a list of installed software, click the Software Versions and Usage link in the side menu, or manually scroll to this section. This file will be available in the C: Program Files (x86) Belarc BelarcAdvisor System tmp folder if you wish to export it.
Using Geek Uninstaller
Geek Uninstaller is a third party software removal tool. However, like UninstallView, it also allows you to view and export a list of installed programs on Windows 10.
- Download Geek Uninstaller to get started – you can choose the free or paid Pro version. It comes as a ZIP file, so unzip its contents, then run geek.exe to run the tool.
- The Geek Uninstaller displays the installed software in an alphabetical list. To export the list, click File> Export To HTML or press Ctrl + S on your keyboard.
- Geek Uninstaller will ask you where to save the file – select a location and filename, then click Save to save the file.
- The generated list of the software you have installed will be saved and the file will automatically open in your default web browser for viewing.
CCleaner (last resort option)
There are many reasons why you should no longer download CCleaner. Once an indispensable part of Windows customer service software, many of its core features have become useless or ineffective due to changes in Windows, or have been incorporated into Windows itself (or other more advanced third-party applications).
CCleaner also experienced a rather unfortunate incident back in 2017, when the malware-embedded version of CCleaner’s installer was downloaded and installed by millions of users. Most users lack trust and the message is clear – avoid CCleaner.
However, CCleaner can export a list of installed programs, but we would not recommend downloading it for that. This is the last option, but if you already have CCleaner installed, you can use it to create and export a list of installed programs. This is, of course, before you rush to remove it.
- To do this, open CCleaner and click the Tools tab on the left, then click Uninstall. At the bottom of the window, click the Save to Text File button. This will allow you to export a list of the software you have installed.
- Select a location and filename for the exported list, then click Save to save it.
This will export the installed files as a tab-delimited file. Opening the file with Microsoft Excel will allow you to view the list in a more convenient way.
Remove or Update Windows Software
If you prefer to stay organized or have too many computers to maintain, creating a list of installed programs in Windows 10 can help you find software that needs to be removed or updated to free up disk space and improve your security.
If you don’t need to uninstall it, make sure you find ways to automatically update your software to get the latest security fixes and bug fixes. However, you can get software that you just don’t need on your computer. In such a case, be sure to remove the unwanted software from your computer as soon as you find it.
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