Msiexec is Microsoft's command-line tool for installing and managing Windows Installer (MSI) packages. It can be used to install, uninstall, repair, update and troubleshoot MSI-based applications.
What is Msiexec?
Msiexec is Microsoft's command-line utility for installing and managing Windows Installer (MSI) packages. It provides a standard way to install, modify, repair, update and uninstall MSI-based applications from the command line.
IT administrators, application packagers and software deployment teams commonly use msiexec to automate software deployments, run silent installations, generate installation logs and troubleshoot installation issues. Because it is built into Windows, msiexec is the standard tool for working with MSI packages across enterprise and development environments
Common Msiexec Commands
| Task | Command |
| Install an MSI | msiexec /i MyApp.msi |
| Silent Install (No UI) | msiexec /i MyApp.msi /qn |
| Silent Install with Log | msiexec /i MyApp.msi /qn /l*v install.log |
| Uninstall | msiexec /x MyApp.msi |
| Silent Uninstall | msiexec /x {GUID} /qn |
| Repair Installation | msiexec /f MyApp.msi |
| Apply MSP Patch | msiexec /p Update.msp |
| Administrative Installation | msiexec /a MyApp.msi |
Popular Msiexec Switches
/i - Specifies normal installation
/x - Uninstalls the package.
/a - Performs an Administrative Installation, which creates an administrative image of the MSI package, typically on a network share for enterprise deployment. It does not install the application on your computer for normal use.
/passive - Specifies unattended mode, which means the installation only shows a progress bar. No buttons to configure installation. Useful when you want users to know software is being installed.
/qn - Silent Installation. Specifies there's no UI during the installation process.
/norestart - Stops the device from restarting after the installation completes.
/forcerestart - Restarts the device after the installation completes.
/lv - Turns on logging and includes verbose output in the output log file.
/update - Installs one or more patches to an installed product. If you're applying multiple updates, you must separate them using a semi-colon (;).
Using Msiexec with InstallShield
InstallShield creates standards-based MSI packages that can be installed and managed using Microsoft's msiexec utility. This allows software vendors and IT teams to deploy InstallShield-built applications using the same Windows Installer commands used across enterprise environments.
Common use cases include:
- Installing an MSI package from the command line
- Running silent installations for automated deployments
- Creating installation logs for troubleshooting
- Repairing damaged installations
- Uninstalling applications across multiple devices
For organizations deploying software at scale, InstallShield and msiexec work together to support automated delivery, enterprise deployment tools and repeatable installation processes. InstallShield creates the MSI package, while msiexec executes the installation, repair or removal commands on target systems.
Try it for yourself with a two-week free trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Msiexec is the Windows Installer command-line utility used to install, modify, repair, update and uninstall MSI packages. It acts as the interface between users, deployment tools and the Windows Installer service.
Msiexec executes the instructions contained in an MSI package, including software installation, repair, modification, patching and removal.
Yes. MSI packages built with InstallShield can be installed, repaired, modified and uninstalled using Microsoft's msiexec utility.
Msiexec works by passing commands to the Windows Installer service, which then installs, repairs, updates or removes the software defined in an MSI package. When a user or deployment tool runs a msiexec command, Windows reads the instructions stored in the MSI file and performs the requested action automatically.
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