microsoft · denelon · Jun 17, 2026 · Trenly · Jun 17, 2026 · Trenly
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+---
+author: Demitrius Nelon denelon, GitHub Copilot Copilot
+created on: 2026-06-17
+last updated: 2026-06-17
+issue id: 147
+---
+
+# Release Channels
+
+For [#147](https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/issues/147).
+
+## Abstract
+
+Add support for release channels (stable, beta, dev, canary, LTS, etc.) to the WinGet package model. Users subscribe to a channel for a package and receive upgrades only within that channel. This eliminates accidental cross-channel upgrades and enables proper management of packages with multiple concurrent release streams.
+
+## Inspiration
+
+Many popular packages publish multiple concurrent release streams:
+
+- **Google Chrome** — Stable, Beta, Dev, Canary
+- **Microsoft Edge** — Stable, Beta, Dev, Canary
+- **VS Code** — Stable, Insiders
+- **Node.js** — Current, LTS (multiple active LTS lines)
+- **Firefox** — Release, Beta, Developer Edition, Nightly
+
+Today in `winget-pkgs`, these are handled inconsistently:
+- Some use separate package IDs (`Google.Chrome` vs `Google.Chrome.Beta` vs `Google.Chrome.Dev`)
+- Some publish only the stable channel, with beta users unable to track updates
+- `winget upgrade --all` may cross channel boundaries (beta→stable "downgrade")
+- No way to express "keep me on LTS" without pinning to a specific version
+
+This is one of the oldest open feature requests ([#147](https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/issues/147), opened 2020) and relates to side-by-side package support ([#2129](https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/issues/2129)).
+
+## Solution Design
+
+### Manifest Schema Extension (v1.29.0)
+
+Add a `Channel` field to the version manifest:
+
+```yaml
+PackageIdentifier: Google.Chrome
+PackageVersion: 127.0.6533.0
+Channel: Dev
+ManifestType: version
+ManifestVersion: 1.29.0
+```
+
+**Schema:**
+
+| Property | Type | Required | Default | Description |
+|----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
+| `Channel` | string | No | (empty = stable) | Channel name for this version |
+
+- If `Channel` is omitted or empty, the version belongs to the implicit `stable` channel
+- Channel names are case-insensitive, publisher-defined strings
+- Recommended vocabulary: `stable`, `beta`, `dev`, `canary`, `lts`, `preview`, `insiders`, `nightly`, `rc`
+- Maximum length: 32 characters
+- Allowed characters: `[a-zA-Z0-9._-]`
+
+### Version Resolution Logic
+
+The version resolver gains channel awareness:
+
+**Current behavior (no channel specified by user):**
+1. Only versions with no `Channel` field (or `Channel: stable`) are considered
+2. Backwards compatible — existing behavior unchanged
+
+**Explicit channel subscription:**
+1. `winget install Google.Chrome --channel dev` — installs from the `dev` channel
+2. The channel subscription is recorded in the local tracking database
+3. Subsequent `winget upgrade Google.Chrome` only considers versions in the `dev` channel
+
+**Channel switching:**
+1. `winget install Google.Chrome --channel stable` while `dev` is subscribed → prompts: "Switch from Dev to Stable? This may install an older version."
+2. With `--force`, switches without prompting
+
+### Tracking Database
+
+WinGet stores channel subscriptions in the installed packages database:
+
+| Column | Type | Description |
+|--------|------|-------------|
+| `PackageId` | TEXT | Package identifier |
+| `Channel` | TEXT | Subscribed channel (NULL = stable/default) |
+| `SubscribedOn` | DATETIME | When the subscription was set |
+
+This is stored alongside existing installation tracking data (ARP correlation, source, installed version).
+
+### CLI Commands Affected
+
+#### `winget install`
+
+```
+winget install <package> [--channel <channel>]
+```
+
+- New `--channel` argument selects the channel to install from
+- If the package is already installed on a different channel, prompt for confirmation (or require `--force`)
+- Records channel subscription on successful install
+
+#### `winget upgrade`
+
+```
+winget upgrade [<package>] [--channel <channel>] [--include-channel]
+```
+
+- Default: only shows upgrades within subscribed channel
+- `--channel` temporarily overrides for this operation (does not change subscription)
+- `--include-channel` adds a Channel column to output
+
+Behavior of `winget upgrade --all`:
+- Each package is upgraded within its subscribed channel only
+- Packages without channel subscription only see stable versions
+- No cross-channel upgrades occur
+
+#### `winget show`
+
+```
+winget show <package> [--channels] [--channel <channel>] [--versions]
+```
+
+- `--channels` lists all available channels with their latest version
+- `--channel <channel>` shows versions within that channel
+- `--versions` combined with `--channel` lists all versions in that channel
+
+#### `winget list`
+
+```
+winget list [--include-channel]
+```
+
+- `--include-channel` adds Channel column showing subscribed channel per package
+
+#### `winget export` / `winget import`
+
+Export includes channel information:
+
+```json
+{
+  "Sources": [{
+    "Packages": [{
+      "PackageIdentifier": "Google.Chrome",
+      "Channel": "Dev"
+    }]
+  }]
+}
+```
+
+Import respects channel — installs from the specified channel.
+
+### Settings
+
+```json
+{
+  "installBehavior": {
+    "defaultChannel": "",
+    "showChannelInList": false,
+    "showChannelInUpgrade": true
+  }
+}
+```
+
+| Setting | CLI Argument | Description |
+|---------|-------------|-------------|
+| `defaultChannel` | `--channel` | Default channel for new installations (empty = stable) |
+| `showChannelInList` | `--include-channel` | Always show channel column in `winget list` |
+| `showChannelInUpgrade` | `--include-channel` | Always show channel column in `winget upgrade` |
+
+### Group Policy
+
+| Policy | Type | Default | Description |
+|--------|------|---------|-------------|
+| `AllowedChannels` | MultiString | Empty (all allowed) | Restrict which channels users can subscribe to |
+| `DefaultChannel` | String | Empty (stable) | Override default channel for managed devices |
+| `PreventChannelSwitching` | Bool | False | Block users from changing subscriptions |
+
+### COM API Surface
+
+```idl
+// Extended PackageCatalogReference
+interface IPackageVersionInfo2 : IPackageVersionInfo
+{
+    String Channel { get; };
+}
+
+// Install options
+interface IInstallOptions2 : IInstallOptions
+{
+    String PreferredChannel { get; set; };
+}
+
+// Package channel enumeration
+interface IPackageChannelInfo
+{
+    String Name { get; };
+    PackageVersionId LatestVersion { get; };
+    UInt32 VersionCount { get; };
+}
+```
+
+### PowerShell Cmdlets
+
+```powershell
+# Install on a channel
+Install-WinGetPackage -Id "Google.Chrome" -Channel "Dev"
+
+# List with channel info
+Get-WinGetPackage -IncludeChannel
+
+# See available channels
+Show-WinGetPackage -Id "Google.Chrome" -Channels
+
+# Upgrade within channel (automatic)
+Update-WinGetPackage -Id "Google.Chrome"  # uses subscribed channel
+```
+
+### Migration Path for Existing Packages
+
+Packages currently using separate IDs for channels (e.g., `Google.Chrome.Beta`):
+
+**Phase 1 — Introduction (v1.29.0):**
+- Add `Channel` field to the unified package ID in parallel with existing separate-ID packages
+- Both `Google.Chrome` with `Channel: Beta` AND `Google.Chrome.Beta` exist simultaneously
+
+**Phase 2 — Transition (v1.30.0):**
+- `Google.Chrome.Beta` marked as deprecated alias pointing to `Google.Chrome` channel `Beta`
+- Installing `Google.Chrome.Beta` shows: "This package ID is deprecated. Use 'winget install Google.Chrome --channel beta' instead."
+- Upgrades of `Google.Chrome.Beta` transparently resolve to `Google.Chrome` channel `Beta`
+
+**Phase 3 — Deprecation (v1.31.0+):**
+- `Google.Chrome.Beta` stops receiving new version submissions
+- Existing installs continue to work (alias resolution)
+- `winget upgrade` for aliased packages offers migration
+
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> WinGet 1.X does not make breaking changes. Aliased packages continue to resolve indefinitely. The community repository schema version policy (n/n-1) drives publisher adoption of the unified model.
+
+### WinGet Configuration / DSC
+
+```yaml
+resources:
+  - resource: Microsoft.WinGet/Package
+    settings:
+      id: Google.Chrome
+      channel: Dev
+      ensure: latest
+```
+
+The `channel` property is added to the `Microsoft.WinGet/Package` resource schema.
+
+### Validation Pipeline Impact
+
+- `winget-pkgs` validation must handle manifests with `Channel` field
+- Channel names are validated against the allowed character set
+- Multiple versions of the same package with different channels can exist (this is the point)
+- Existing submission workflows unchanged for packages not using channels
+
+### Cross-Repository Impact
+
+- **winget-cli** — Channel-aware version resolver, tracking database, CLI arguments, settings, GPO
+- **winget-pkgs** — Schema validation for `Channel` field, parallel versions per channel allowed
+- **winget-create** — Support `Channel` field in manifest creation/update
+- **winget-cli-restsource** — REST API filter/query by channel
+
+### Schema Version
+
+Requires manifest schema version 1.29.0 for the `Channel` field.
+
+## UI/UX Design
+
+### `winget show --channels`:
+
+```
+> winget show Google.Chrome --channels
+Google Chrome [Google.Chrome]
+
+Available channels:
+  Channel    Latest Version     Versions
+  ─────────────────────────────────────────
+  Stable     127.0.6478.0       152
+  Beta       127.0.6500.0       48
+  Dev        127.0.6533.0       51
+  Canary     128.0.6550.0       203
+```
+
+### `winget upgrade` with channels:
+
+```
+> winget upgrade --include-channel
+The following packages have updates available:
+
+Name           Id               Channel   Installed       Available       Source
+──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+Google Chrome  Google.Chrome    Dev       127.0.6510.0    127.0.6533.0    winget
+Node.js        OpenJS.NodeJS    LTS       20.13.0         20.14.0         winget
+VS Code        Microsoft.VS..   Insiders  1.91.0          1.92.0          winget
+
+3 upgrades available (within subscribed channels).
+```
+
+### Channel switch prompt:
+
+```
+> winget install Google.Chrome --channel stable
+Google Chrome [Google.Chrome] is currently installed from the Dev channel (127.0.6533.0).
+The latest Stable version is 127.0.6478.0 (older than currently installed).
+
+Switch from Dev to Stable? This will not downgrade the current installation,
+but future upgrades will come from the Stable channel. [y/N]:
+```
+
+### `--disable-interactivity` with channel switch:
+
+Channel switch fails with error — explicit user consent required. Use `--force` to override.
+
+## Capabilities
+
+### Accessibility
+
+- Channel information is text-based, screen-reader accessible
+- No color-only indicators for channel status
+- Channel names are simple strings — no special characters that screen readers might misread
+
+### Security
+
+- Channels do not bypass security validation — all versions undergo the same SmartScreen/hash/signature checks
+- GPO `AllowedChannels` prevents users from subscribing to unstable channels on managed devices
+- No security regression from supporting multiple channels
+
+### Reliability
+
+- Eliminates accidental cross-channel upgrades (the primary reliability improvement)
+- `winget upgrade --all` becomes safe for users on non-stable channels
+- Channel subscription persists across WinGet updates
+
+### Compatibility
+
+- **Fully backwards compatible** — packages without `Channel` field behave exactly as today
+- Older clients ignore the `Channel` field and see all versions in a flat list (they may offer cross-channel "upgrades" — existing behavior)
+- The separate-ID pattern (`Google.Chrome.Beta`) continues to work indefinitely
+- Schema version 1.28.x manifests without `Channel` are implicitly on `stable`
+
+### Performance, Power, and Efficiency
+
+- Channel filtering is a lightweight in-memory operation on the version list
+- No additional network calls — channel is part of manifest metadata in the source index
+- Tracking database addition is a single column — negligible storage impact
+
+## Potential Issues
+
+1. **Publisher adoption** — Requires publishers to add `Channel` fields. Until they do, separate-ID patterns persist. Community PRs can backfill.
+2. **Channel name inconsistency** — Publishers may use `beta` vs `Beta` vs `preview`. Case-insensitive matching helps; recommended vocabulary in docs provides guidance.
+3. **ARP correlation complexity** — Detecting which channel is installed from registry entries is hard (Chrome Dev and Chrome Stable have different ARP entries, but some apps don't differentiate). May need manifest-level `AppsAndFeaturesEntries` per channel.
+4. **Version ordering** — A Dev version (128.0.x) is numerically "higher" than Stable (127.0.x). Channel filtering prevents cross-channel comparison, but UI must make this clear.
+5. **REST source compatibility** — REST sources need schema updates to support channel-filtered queries efficiently. Until updated, REST sources serve all versions and client filters locally.
+6. **Side-by-side installation** — This spec does NOT address installing multiple channels simultaneously (that's [#2129](https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/issues/2129)). A user subscribed to Dev cannot also have Stable installed via WinGet.
+
+## Deprecation Path
+
+For packages migrating from separate IDs to unified ID + Channel:
+
+| Phase | Timeframe | Behavior |
+|-------|-----------|----------|
+| Introduction | v1.29.0 | Both old (separate ID) and new (Channel) exist |
+| Transition | v1.30.0 | Old ID shows deprecation notice, alias resolution added |
+| Deprecation | v1.31.0+ | Old ID stops receiving new submissions |
+| Removal | Never in 1.X | Old IDs continue resolving via alias |
+
+Adoption will be driven by the winget-pkgs schema version policy (n/n-1) which encourages publishers to use the latest schema.
+
+## Future Considerations
+
+- **Channel-aware pinning** — `winget pin add --channel stable` prevents channel drift
+- **Side-by-side channels** — Install both Stable and Dev simultaneously (separate feature, requires different approach)
+- **Channel notifications** — Alert when a new channel becomes available
+- **Automatic channel fallback** — If a channel stops publishing, suggest switching to next-stable
+- **REST API channel filtering** — Server-side filtering for efficiency
+
+## Resources
+
+- Original issue: https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/issues/147
+- Side-by-side packages: https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/issues/2129
+- npm dist-tags (similar concept): https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/dist-tag
+- Chrome release channels: https://www.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel/
+- Node.js release schedule: https://nodejs.org/en/about/releases/