The HowTo NetworkTech

How to Generate a Complete Windows App Inventory

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
Difficulty
Beginner
Tested on
Windows 11 Pro - Version 23H2
You will need
Administrative access, Windows Terminal

Step by step

  1. 30 sec

    Open Windows Terminal as Administrator

    Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin). Confirm the User Account Control prompt if it appears to grant elevated privileges.

    Note: Ensure you are using the PowerShell profile within the Terminal tab.
  2. 1 min

    Query the installed application registry

    Copy and paste the following command into the terminal window: Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher | Sort-Object DisplayName. Press Enter to view the list.

    Note: This command targets the registry keys where 64-bit and 32-bit application installers register their existence.
  3. 1 min

    Capture both 64-bit and 32-bit entries

    Run the command: Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*, HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher | Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -ne $null} | Sort-Object DisplayName. This ensures your list includes both system architectures.

    Note: The Where-Object filter removes empty registry keys that would otherwise clutter your report.
  4. 1 min

    Save the inventory to a CSV file

    Use the Export-Csv cmdlet to save your data. Run: Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*, HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher | Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -ne $null} | Sort-Object DisplayName | Export-Csv -Path "$HOME\Desktop\AppInventory.csv" -NoTypeInformation.

    Note: The generated file will be located on your Desktop named AppInventory.csv.
  5. 30 sec

    Open and format the file

    Navigate to your Desktop and open AppInventory.csv using Microsoft Excel or any text editor. Verify that all columns are populated and data is accurate.

    Note: Use 'Format as Table' in Excel to easily sort or filter your inventory list.