winget list shows uninstalled applications

Brief description of your issue

The list command of the winget tool displays a list of the applications currently installed on your computer. The list command will show apps that were installed through the Windows Package Manager as well as apps that were installed by other means.

Based on https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/winget/list , winget list should not list any application that is not installed.

The issue seems to be due to contents of C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\.

Steps to reproduce

1. Not exactly sure why winget thinks WinMerge is installed.

Expected behavior

Uninstalled app should not be listed by winget list based on C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\.

Actual behavior

winget list lists any application that is not installed:

PS C:\Users\Anutrix> winget list Winmerge
Name     Id                                           Version
-------------------------------------------------------------
WinMerge MSIX\WinMerge_1.0.7.0_neutral__83g614hpn1ttr 1.0.7.0

PS C:\Users\Anutrix> winget list Notepad++
Name                   Id                                                  Version Available Source
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notepad++ (64-bit x64) Notepad++.Notepad++                                 8.7     8.7.1     winget
Notepad++              MSIX\NotepadPlusPlus_1.0.0.0_neutral__7njy0v32s6xk6 1.0.0.0

I don't have any 1.0.0.0 version of Notepad++ either.

Environment

Windows Package Manager v1.9.25180
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Windows: Windows.Desktop v10.0.26100.2161
System Architecture: X64
Package: Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller v1.24.25180.0

Winget Directories
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logs                               %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\Diag…
User Settings                      %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\sett…
Portable Links Directory (User)    %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Links
Portable Links Directory (Machine) C:\Program Files\WinGet\Links
Portable Package Root (User)       %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages
Portable Package Root              C:\Program Files\WinGet\Packages
Portable Package Root (x86)        C:\Program Files (x86)\WinGet\Packages
Installer Downloads                %USERPROFILE%\Downloads

Links
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Privacy Statement   https://aka.ms/winget-privacy
License Agreement   https://aka.ms/winget-license
Third Party Notices https://aka.ms/winget-3rdPartyNotice
Homepage            https://aka.ms/winget
Windows Store Terms https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/storedocs/terms-of-sale

Admin Setting                             State
--------------------------------------------------
LocalManifestFiles                        Disabled
BypassCertificatePinningForMicrosoftStore Disabled
InstallerHashOverride                     Disabled
LocalArchiveMalwareScanOverride           Disabled
ProxyCommandLineOptions                   Disabled
DefaultProxy                              Disabled

Start with the winget list command and inspect how entries from C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\ are treated as installed. Reproduce the WinMerge and Notepad++ examples, then trace the relevant list-handling entry point. Done means uninstalled applications no longer appear in list results while installed applications and available upgrades remain visible.