architecture from settings.json not used

[foxtrottNB]

Hi,

lets see what Installer WinMerge i.e. support :

winget install WinMerge.WinMerge --architecture x86
-> https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-Setup.exe

winget install WinMerge.WinMerge --architecture x64
-> https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-x64-Setup.exe

winget install WinMerge.WinMerge --scope user
-> https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-x64-PerUser-Setup.exe

So, there are 32 and 64 bit installers and a per user. it seems there ist no x86 for user

winget install WinMerge.WinMerge --architecture x86 --scope user
-> error

Now :
my settings.json looks like this :
{
"$schema": "https://aka.ms/winget-settings.schema.json",

// For documentation on these settings, see: https://aka.ms/winget-settings
// "source": {
//    "autoUpdateIntervalInMinutes": 5
// },
"installBehavior": {
    "requirements": {
        "architecture": "x86",
        "scope": "user"
    },
    "preferences": {
        "architecture": "x86",
        "scope": "user"
    }
},
"visual": {
    "progressBar": "rainbow"
}

}

When i switch both scopes from user to machine and back, i can see that perUser-Setup.exe is used or not.
But changing architecture does not have an result in using a different installer?

Why's that?

Regards form Germany
Ronny

[florelis]

If you add --verbose-logs, the log file will tell you how the installer was selected in each case. You can have the logs open automatically after an install by adding --open-logs.

When i switch both scopes from user to machine and back, i can see that perUser-Setup.exe is used or not.
But changing architecture does not have an result in using a different installer?

Could you be a bit more specific about this? What options are you passing to install when you change the settings, and what installer was selected?

[foxtrottNB]

Hi florelis,

thx for your response.

Using winget with this setting
{
"$schema": "https://aka.ms/winget-settings.schema.json",

// For documentation on these settings, see: https://aka.ms/winget-settings
// "source": {
//    "autoUpdateIntervalInMinutes": 5
// },
"installBehavior": {
    "requirements": {
        "architecture": "x64",
        "scope": "machine"
    },
    "preferences": {
        "architecture": "x64",
        "scope": "machine"
    }
},
"visual": {
    "progressBar": "rainbow"
}

}
results to :
winget install WinMerge.WinMerge
Download läuft https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-x64-Setup.exe

Using winget with this setting
{
"$schema": "https://aka.ms/winget-settings.schema.json",

// For documentation on these settings, see: https://aka.ms/winget-settings
// "source": {
//    "autoUpdateIntervalInMinutes": 5
// },
"installBehavior": {
    "requirements": {
        "architecture": "x64",
        "scope": "user"
    },
    "preferences": {
        "architecture": "x64",
        "scope": "user"
    }
},
"visual": {
    "progressBar": "rainbow"
}

}
results to :
winget install WinMerge.WinMerge
Download läuft https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-x64-PerUser-Setup.exe

So so cann see that the scope setting is taken from the setting properly, as the installer changes.
The architecture is not use from the settings file

Using winget with this setting
{
"$schema": "https://aka.ms/winget-settings.schema.json",

// For documentation on these settings, see: https://aka.ms/winget-settings
// "source": {
//    "autoUpdateIntervalInMinutes": 5
// },
"installBehavior": {
    "requirements": {
        "architecture": "x86",
        "scope": "machine"
    },
    "preferences": {
        "architecture": "x86",
        "scope": "machine"
    }
},
"visual": {
    "progressBar": "rainbow"
}

}
results to :
winget install WinMerge.WinMerge
Download läuft https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-x64-Setup.exe

where as with the cli it is :
winget install WinMerge.WinMerge --architecture x86 --scope machine -i
Download läuft https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-Setup.exe

So the architecture can be changed by the CLI but not the settings file.

For the case were the wrong installer was selcted the logs is like this :
2026-01-22 12:58:08.100 [CORE] WinGet, version [1.12.440], activity [{17FA0739-CA6C-496D-BC8E-11320E9DFE71}]
2026-01-22 12:58:08.100 [CORE] OS: Windows.Desktop v10.0.26200.7623
2026-01-22 12:58:08.100 [CORE] Command line Args: "C:\Users\ronsch\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\winget.exe" install WinMerge.WinMerge --verbose-logs --open-logs
2026-01-22 12:58:08.100 [CORE] Package: Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller v1.27.440.0
...
...
...
2026-01-22 12:58:09.471 [YAML] Detected UTF-8
2026-01-22 12:58:09.472 [CORE] Reading cached file [C:\Users\ronsch\AppData\Local\Temp\WinGet\cache\V2_M\Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe\manifests/w/WinMerge/WinMerge/2.16.52.2/1993]
2026-01-22 12:58:09.472 [YAML] Detected UTF-8
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Starting installer selection.
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Installer [X86,inno,Machine,] is current best choice
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Installer [X64,inno,User,] not applicable: Installer scope does not match required scope: User != Machine
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Installer [X64,inno,Machine,] is better [strong] than [X86,inno,Machine,] due to: Machine Architecture
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Installer [X64,inno,Machine,] is current best choice
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Installer [Arm64,inno,Machine,] not applicable: Machine is not compatible with Arm64
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Completed installer selection.
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Selected installer Architecture: 2
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Selected installer URL: https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-x64-Setup.exe
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Selected installer InstallerType: inno
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Selected installer Scope: Machine
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Selected installer Language:
2026-01-22 12:58:09.473 [CLI ] Manifest fields: Name [WinMerge], Version [2.16.52.2]
2026-01-22 12:58:09.666 [CLI ] Generated temp download path: C:\Users\ronsch\AppData\Local\Temp\WinGet\WinMerge.WinMerge.2.16.52.2\f0b8094da0df8f3b6ed02ddda01b8c6264a48d7db0d1ccafb09a16e9090cbe8a
2026-01-22 12:58:09.666 [CLI ] Installer download headers:
2026-01-22 12:58:09.667 [CORE] Downloading to path: C:\Users\ronsch\AppData\Local\Temp\WinGet\WinMerge.WinMerge.2.16.52.2\f0b8094da0df8f3b6ed02ddda01b8c6264a48d7db0d1ccafb09a16e9090cbe8a
2026-01-22 12:58:09.668 [CORE] DeliveryOptimization downloading from url: https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.52.2/WinMerge-2.16.52.2-x64-Setup.exe
2026-01-22 12:58:09.680 [CORE] DO State 1, 0 / 0, Error 0x00000000, extended error 0x00000000
2026-01-22 12:58:10.103 [FAIL] C:__w\1\s\external\pkg\src\AppInstallerCommonCore\DODownloader.cpp(85)\WindowsPackageManager.dll!00007FF8D00107BB: (caller: 00007FF8D0011C76) LogHr(1) tid(34f8) 80D02013
2026-01-22 12:58:10.285 [CLI ] Terminating context: 0x80004004 at C:__w\1\s\external\pkg\src\AppInstallerCLICore\Workflows\DownloadFlow.cpp:1c0

Regards.
Ronny

[florelis]

Instead of "architecture": "x86", it should be "architectures": [ "x86" ]

[foxtrottNB]

If you need anything else, please let me know, also if its a missunderstanding from my side about the settings.

Regards
Ronny