Setting up a new computer used to be a tedious process, a gauntlet of individual downloads and frustrating installations. For years, a tool called Ninite offered a brilliant solution: a single, streamlined process to install dozens of applications with just a few clicks. It felt like a small miracle, and it always seemed surprising that a tech giant hadn't replicated its simplicity.
Now, Microsoft has answered that call with a new offering called App Pack. This web-based tool mirrors Ninite’s core functionality, allowing users to select desired applications from a list and install them all at once via a single installer. The experience is remarkably similar, promising to save users significant time and effort.
The key difference lies in the underlying mechanism. While Ninite downloads and installs applications directly, Microsoft’s App Pack leverages the Microsoft Store. The downloaded installer essentially instructs the Store to handle the downloads and installations, which has a significant benefit: automatic updates managed through the Store itself.
However, this reliance on the Microsoft Store also introduces a limitation. App Pack can only offer applications available within the Store’s catalog. Ninite, with its broader reach, boasts a library of over 90 applications, while App Pack currently features 32 across four categories.
This difference is immediately apparent when considering browser choices. App Pack cannot install Google Chrome, a popular alternative to Microsoft Edge. Surprisingly, it also excludes Firefox, despite its availability in the Microsoft Store. For many users, replacing Edge is a priority, making this a notable drawback.
Ninite, in contrast, readily supports Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers like Opera and Brave, even offering Edge itself. But App Pack isn’t solely focused on Microsoft’s ecosystem. It includes popular applications like Zoom, Apple’s iCloud, Music, and TV, and essential social media apps like TikTok, Facebook, and Discord.
The App Pack selection also extends to customization tools like TranslucentTB and F.lux, alongside media creation and editing software such as Photoshop, Audacity, and OBS Studio. While it doesn’t match Ninite’s extensive list of power-user tools – VLC, WinDirStat, 7-Zip, and Handbrake are notably absent – it provides a solid foundation for a fresh Windows setup.
For users who don’t require those specialized applications, App Pack offers a convenient and time-saving solution. The one-click installation process is a welcome addition to the Windows experience, simplifying a task that was once unnecessarily complex.
