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ZDNET's key takeaways
- Most of the Windows apps you use are in the Store or the WinGet repository.
- UniGetUI is a free, open-source app that's easy to use.
- It's also a great way to back up and transfer a collection of apps.
If you want to keep your Windows PC safe from malware, spyware, and ransomware, you should stop downloading random installers and only use digitally signed packages from trusted sources.
That's what every security expert on the planet says, but I can hear the screams of protest. Your apps come from everywhere, and you have a carefully curated collection of EXE files that you guard like the crown jewels. You tried the Microsoft Store years ago, found it useless, and haven't been back since. And there's no way you're going to find your apps in some Microsoft-managed repository. Right?
Also: How to check your Windows PC for expiring security certificates – a big one ends in June
Oh, do I have good news for you. Most of the Windows apps you're using today are already available through either the Microsoft Store or the WinGet package repository. Using those sources is both safer and more reliable than fetching random EXEs from developer websites.
Best of all, I've found a marvelous free, open-source app that can help you install, manage, and update all those apps and more. It's called UniGetUI, and it's a game-changer.
Put those two pieces together, and you've solved the biggest problem with the Windows ecosystem. And, of course, it's in the Microsoft Store. From Windows 11, type “unigetui download” in the search box, and you'll get this link to install it directly.
UniGetUI is available from the Microsoft Store. Or from the Winget repository. Or as a download. Take your pick.
Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET
Most of your Windows apps are already in a trusted repository
Executable installers are the top malware delivery vector on Windows. Even legitimate developer sites get compromised, and…