Winget CDN Issue

A common issue when connecting to the Winget CDN

When using Windows Package Manager (winget), either directly or via a deployment tool like Pckgr, you might come across the error "Failed when searching source: winget". This guide delves deeper into the specifics of this error, its root cause, and steps to validate it.

UPDATE

Microsoft has released a resolution. Please update the Winget client on your devices to 1.6 (latest) to resolve the CDN issues.

We have made Winget available as an application from Pckgr, this will ensure that Winget is updated to the latest version. You can deploy this to impacted devices to resolve the issue.

1. Understanding the Error

This error message indicates that winget is having trouble connecting to its Content Delivery Network (CDN) for fetching package details. When this connectivity issue arises, package installations and updates, whether initiated from Pckgr or directly via winget, may fail.

2. Root Cause

The issue typically arises intermittently, often due to:

• Maintenance Work: Microsoft might be performing maintenance on the CDN or on winget-related components.

• CDN Outages: Any outages or disruptions in the CDN service can lead to this error.

3. Verifying the Issue

To validate if you're affected by this issue:

1. Open PowerShell on the affected device.

2. Run the command: winget source update.

3. If winget is unable to connect to the CDN, the error "Failed when searching source: winget" will be displayed.

Please note that sometimes using winget source reset --force in an administrative PowerShell terminal can resolve the issue.

4. Addressing the Error

While Pckgr doesn't have a direct fix for this issue, it's important to note:

• Pckgr reports such occurrences to Microsoft for resolution.

• Microsoft is proactive in addressing such issues and is often quick to resolve them.

• Microsoft is currently working on enhancing the CDN's reliability and establishing a fallback mechanism to prevent such disruptions in the future.