microsoft / microsoft/winget-pkgs

[Package Issue]: WinMerge.WinMerge 2.16.58.2 - WinGet uses user-scoped installer for machine scope.

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Description

### Please confirm these before moving forward

- [x] I have searched for my issue and not found a work-in-progress/duplicate/resolved issue.
- [x] I have not been informed if the issue is resolved in a preview version of the winget client.

### Category of the issue

Installation issue.

### Brief description of your issue

WinMerge is installed in C:\Program Files\WinMerge
but WinGet wants to use user-scope installer for upgrade
( https://github.com/microsoft/winget-pkgs/pull/425269 )

### Steps to reproduce

- (about a year ago) (i think) i used `winget install WinMerge.WinMerge` and it was installed in C:\Program Files\WinMerge
- from time to time i used `winget upgrade --all` to upgrade everything, including WinMerge
- today i see that WinMerge has a new version listed for upgrade on WinGet and i use `winget show WinMerge.WinMerge` to see what exactly is the installer URL like... and i get shown the link to the per-user scoped installer... hmmm, what the...?

### Actual behavior

Image

Image

WinGet tries to use per-user scoped installer
https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.58.2/WinMerge-2.16.58.2-x64-PerUser-Setup.exe

### Expected behavior

expected: since i installed WinMerge with WinGet as administrator, in machine scope, it should use https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.58.2/WinMerge-2.16.58.2-x64-Setup.exe
(machine-scope instaler)

### Environment

```raw
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> winget --info
Windows Package Manager v1.29.290
© 2026 Microsoft. All rights reserved.

Windows: Windows.Desktop v10.0.26200.9168
System Architecture: X64
Package: Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller v1.29.290.0

WinGet Directories
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logs %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\DiagOutput…
User Settings %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.j…
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
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
```

### Screenshots and Logs

screenshots: see above

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Search the WinMerge.WinMerge package manifest and review the installer scope entries against the machine-scope and per-user installer URLs in the issue. Check pull request 425269 first, since it may already contain the proposed change. Done means the manifest selects the machine-scope installer for the reported upgrade scenario and passes the repository's validation checks.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Domain
cli, tooling
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
2/5
Estimated time
1-3 hours
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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