microsoft / microsoft/winget-cli

MSIX framework uninstall reports success without removing package when matched by PackageFamilyName

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Command-Uninstall Issue-Bug
Dominant language
C++
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Description

Relevant area(s)

WinGet CLI

Relevant command(s)

winget uninstall

Brief description of your issue

I was trying to use winget to install the 2.0.1 Windows App SDK package for a test automation scenario (its manifest has a small bug in its package name which prevents the uninstall command from locating the package- I'm working on separately trying to fix that). Anyway, when testing uninstall with the private version of the manifest, winget reports success, but the packages are still installed.

WinGet’s non-elevated seems to use FindPackagesByPackageFamily(..., PACKAGE_FILTER_HEAD, ...), which does not resolve this framework package. Also, elevated lookup can encounter multiple packages under the shared package family. The installer deploys several MSIX identities (framework, Main, Singleton, and DDLM), while the WinGet manifest exposes only one PackageFamilyName.

Returning success after finding nothing to remove is independently a bug, even if framework uninstall is unsupported, IMO.

Steps to reproduce

winget uninstall --manifest C:\data\test\wasdk-2.0.1-corrected --version 2.0.1 --disable-interactivity --silent --verbose-logs

where the corrected manifest has this edit:

diff --git a/manifests/m/Microsoft/WindowsAppRuntime/2/0/2.0.1/Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2.0.installer.yaml b/manifests/m/Microsoft/WindowsAppRuntime/2/0/2.0.1/Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2.0.installer.yaml
index 399985db33e..baf7279229e 100644
--- a/manifests/m/Microsoft/WindowsAppRuntime/2/0/2.0.1/Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2.0.installer.yaml
+++ b/manifests/m/Microsoft/WindowsAppRuntime/2/0/2.0.1/Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2.0.installer.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ InstallerSwitches:
   Silent: --quiet
   SilentWithProgress: --quiet
 UpgradeBehavior: install
-PackageFamilyName: Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2.0_8wekyb3d8bbwe
+PackageFamilyName: Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2_8wekyb3d8bbwe
 AppsAndFeaturesEntries:
 - DisplayName: WindowsAppRuntime.2.0
   DisplayVersion: 2.0.1
Expected behavior

WinGet removes WASDK 2.0.1, or returns a clear unsupported or ambiguous-package error.

Actual behavior
Found WindowsAppRuntime.2 [Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2]
Starting package uninstall...
Successfully uninstalled

Exit code is 0 , but the package remains installed:

Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2 2.0.1.0 x86
Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.2 2.2.0.0 x64

The verbose log contains:

No package found with family name:
microsoft.windowsappruntime.2_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Environment
Windows Package Manager v1.29.290
© 2026 Microsoft. All rights reserved.

Windows: Windows.Desktop v10.0.26689.1002
System Architecture: X64
Package: Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller v1.29.289.0

WinGet Directories
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logs                               %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\DiagOutputDir
User Settings                      %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json
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
Configuration Modules              %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Configuration\Modules

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
ConfigurationProcessorPath                Disabled
DefaultProxy                              Disabled

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the issue with the provided winget uninstall command and corrected manifest, then inspect the uninstall entry point and the FindPackagesByPackageFamily lookup described in the report. Compare the verbose log and exit status with the installed package list. Done means the package is removed, or the command reports a clear unsupported or ambiguous-package error instead of success when nothing was removed.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
cli
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
52/100

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