How to check installed app sizes and install dates in Windows 11 settings

Using the Settings App

You can check installed apps on your device Windows using the Settings ⚙️ app to see the exact storage space and install dates for every program. Open Settings by pressing the Win and the I key together, select Apps from the left sidebar, and click on Installed apps to view your full software list.

1. Open Settings ⚙️ by pressing the Win and the I key together.

   

2. Select Apps from the left sidebar.
3. Click on Installed apps to open the complete inventory of software on your machine.

   

4. Review the list, which sorts your programs alphabetically alongside their publisher name and exact file size.
5. Use the search 🔍 bar at the top of the page to find a specific application instantly.

Using the Control Panel

Open the Start menu ⊞ search bar 🔍, type Control Panel 🎛️, press Enter, and click on Programs and Features to see your full software list.

1. Open the Start menu ⊞ search bar 🔍, type Control Panel, and press Enter.

   

2. Click on Programs and Features under the main category view. If your view is set to large or small icons, select Programs and Features directly.
3. View the loaded inventory, which displays program names, publishers, installation dates, and file sizes.

   

4. Click on any column header—such as Name, Installed On, or Size—to sort the software list according to your preferences.

Using PowerShell

You can list installed apps using PowerShell (a command-line tool for managing computer settings) to pull a complete record of every modern package and hidden system component on your computer. Right-click the Start button ⊞, select Terminal or PowerShell, and type the app command to see everything.

1. Right-click the Start button ⊞ and select Terminal or PowerShell.
2. Type the following command to retrieve all modern packages and press Enter: Get-AppxPackage | Select-Object Name
3. To export a complete text file containing every traditional desktop application installed via the registry, type Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate | Format-Table -AutoSize and press Enter.

Using Command Prompt

Open the Start menu ⊞ search bar 🔍, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, and run the query command to view your installed applications.

1. Open the Start menu search bar, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator. [Requires administrator privileges]
2. Type wmic product get name, version and press Enter.
3. Wait for the system to query the database and populate the list of installed software directly inside your command window.

Auditing Hidden and Background Applications

You can check hidden startup apps (programs that run automatically when your computer turns on) using Task Manager to find background services and helper tools that do not appear in standard software lists. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl, Shift, and Esc simultaneously, then click on the Startup apps icon.

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl, Shift, and Esc simultaneously.
2. Click on the Startup apps icon on the left sidebar to view applications configured to run automatically when Windows boots up.
3. Examine the publisher and status columns to identify unknown background utilities running on your device.
4. Switch to the Processes tab and expand any running application to view its associated background helper tasks and helper executables.

Exporting Your Installed Apps List

You can export an installed apps list to a text file using PowerShell to document your system configuration before troubleshooting performance issues or reinstalling Windows. Open PowerShell with administrative privileges by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Terminal (Admin) to run your export command.

1. Open PowerShell with administrative privileges by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Terminal (Admin). [Requires administrator privileges]
2. Type the export command designating a destination path, such as Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName | Out-File -FilePath C:\installed-apps.txt, and press Enter.
3. Open your C drive using File Explorer to verify that the text file was created successfully with your complete application inventory.

What to do next

Proceed to clear out unwanted programs using Storage Sense to reclaim valuable disk space on your device.