How to See All Apps in Windows 11/10

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Windows OS consists of many apps; in fact, apps and programs are the core of any OS; from your browsers to notepads, we rely on these apps to carry on our day to day tasks, and if you are wondering about how you can see all apps in your Windows machine, you will learn that in this article. It covers both running and installed apps that you want to see in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

how to see all apps in Windows

How to See All Apps in Windows 11/10 (Running and Installed)

Here is the list of ways to view all installed apps and running apps.

  • Installed apps
    • Start Menu
    • Settings
    • PowerShell
  • Running Apps (including those in the background)
    • Alt + Tab
    • Task Manager
    • Hidden Apps

You can use any of these as a regular user except for the PowerShell command, which you may need. All these steps work in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1] Using Start Menu

see all apps start menu

  • Click on the Windows icon located on the bottom-left of your screen.
  • Scroll, and you will see all the installed apps listed in alphabetical order.

In Windows 11, when you click on the Start Menu, look for the All Apps link on the top right under the search button.  It will list down all the apps in the same alphabetical order. To find any, you can search or click on any of the alphabets to quickly jump to that section.

Windows Start Menu List Apps

2] Using Settings

Press Windows + I key to open settings and navigate to Apps > Apps and features.

Here you will see all your apps listed in one place, including the pre-installed apps that come default with your Windows OS.

Windows Apps and Features

You can search for any app from the search bar, sort them by size or name, and find apps primarily located in any of your drives; and also, if you want, you can click on any app and uninstall it directly from the settings.

3] Using PowerShell

You can find out all the programs installed on Windows 10 by querying the registry. It is possible to get a list of installed software using the registry and PowerShell.

Follow the steps below to get the list of all programs:

  • Press Windows Key + X and select the PowerShell (Admin) option.
  • Enter the following command to enable running scripts in prompt if it’s not enabled already:
Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted
  • Now copy and paste the command below to view all the apps:
Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate | Format-Table –AutoSize

This command will then output a list of programs installed on your local machine, along with its version number, publisher, and date of installation (if available).

4] Using ALT + Tab

Win Tab Alt Tab Windows Running Apps

You can use this key combination to view all the running apps as well as some browsers tabs. To do this, hold down your ALT key and press Tab Key; you can then rotate between all the running apps every time you press the Tab key.

You can also WIN + TAB to view all the apps on one screen and select any apps to switch or close the app.

5] Using Task Manager

Task Manager Running Apps

In Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can view running programs using the Task Manager app, found in the Start menu.

  • Open it by clicking the Start button or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc on the keyboard.
  • Sort apps by memory use, CPU use, etc.
  • Get more info or “End Task” when necessary

6] View All the Hidden Apps

There can be many cases when some apps run in the background that you can’t see directly and are slowing down your system. In that case, to view these hidden apps, follow the method below:

  • Press Windows Key + X and select Task Manager
  • Go to the Processes tab
  • Scroll down to see all the hidden running apps on your system.

What Is the Best Way to Access Your Windows Computer’s Programs without Using the Start Menu?

You can use the RUN prompt to launch a program if you know the shortcut or use the PowerShell mentioned above in the article. You can also create shortcuts on the desktop or pin the apps on the taskbar to use the Start menu.

When I Install a Program in Windows, How Can I Make It Visible to All or Multiple Accounts?

Unless a particular folder is installed in which the program is only visible to specific users, the program is available to all users on Windows.

You can find the folder under the start menu. You can give users access by copying the shortcut to their start menu folder. Copies can be placed in the All Users folder if you wish all users to have access.

Usually, when you install a program, it offers an option to install for all users. Make sure to check that.

I Installed an App from the Windows App Store on My Windows PC. How Can I Create a Desktop Shortcut?

  • Open the Start menu and locate the app.
  • Right-click on the app and click on the open file location option
  • From here, select the main app and right-click on it
  • Go to Send option and click on Desktop (Shortcut)

How Do I Show All Open Windows on My Desktop?

You can easily see all the windows open by pressing the ALT + Tab or Win + Tab key together. This will let you see all the running windows and allow you to choose and switch between them quickly.

How Do I Arrange Multiple Windows on My Desktop?

If you want to snap multiple windows in your desktop to multitask, you can do that by following the steps below:

  • Select your desired window to snap in the half screen, then hold and drag until the edge of the screen.
  • You can see an outline showing how much space this window will take if you decide to snap it. If you are satisfied with the position and size, let go of your mouse from the window, and it will be placed in that outlined area.

How Do I Arrange Windows Horizontally or Vertically?

If you want to snap your windows in different screen parts, you can use the keyboard shortcuts available.

  • Split window to left or right half: Win + left/right arrow
  • Split window to corner/quarter of screen: Win + left/right arrow then up/down arrow
  • Make window fullscreen: Win + up arrow until fullscreen
  • Expand ¼ window to ½ window: Win + up/down arrow

When using Windows 11, you can use the Snap Layout to arrange windows in multiple ways.

I hope the post was easy to follow, and you were able to find both the installed apps and the running apps in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Nandini Keshri
Nandini Keshri is a student, writer, and tech enthusiast. When not writing about tech, she loves to write poetry and explore the world.

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