How to Check any Program / Application Installation Date in Windows 10

This article helps you to check and know the date on which a particular program or application was installed in your system. Generally, the system contains two types of applications  :

  • Windows Apps : The apps that are installed from the Microsoft Windows Store. For Example , One Drive , Skype , Microsoft Teams
  • Desktop Apps : The apps that are installed directly by  running the exe file . For Example , Anydesk , Quick Time Player , Evernote.

Method 1 : From File Explorer

Step-1 : Hold Windows+R  keys to open run window and type explorer and Press OK. Alternatively , you can even press Windows+E together to open file explorer

 

 

Explorer Cmd

 

 

Step-2 : This Opens File Explorer Window. Now in the left-hand side corner of the window , Choose This PC –> Windows (C:) 

Generally , the 32-bit apps are in the Program Files(x86)  folder and the 64-bit apps are in the Program Files folder.



Lets say, the app we want is Adobe and it is in Program(x86) folder , So we double Click on the Program(x86) folder

 

 

 

Explorer Window

 

Step-3 : In the Program Files(x86) folder ,

Way 1 : Date is shown in Pop-up Window

When we Click and hover the mouse over the folder that we want ( example Adobe) the Creation date is shown in the pop-up window.

 

 

Explorer Window With Date

 

 

Way 2 : Date is shown under the column Date Created

  1. Right Click on any of the columns in the top
  2. Click to tick Date Created Option.

 

Date Creted Settings

 

 

Now , we can see that Date created Column is shown in the window. Date corresponding to the folder name tell us the date when the the program was Installed.

 

 

Date Created Column Present

 

 

Method 2 : From Settings

Step-1 : Press Windows+R keys together to open run window and type ms-settings:appsfeatures and Press OK

 

 

Mssettingsappsfeature Command

 

 

Step-2 :  This opens Settings Windows under Apps & features tab, the date is shown as in below image.

 

 

Settings

 

 

Limitations of this Method :

  • In the above image Windows Apps ( Eg 3D Builder,3D Viewer ) are the ones that have Microsoft Corporation written under their name. For these applications, the date displayed is the date of their last update.
  • Even for most of the Desktop Apps , the date shown is the date these apps were updated.
  • For very few this date signifies their Creation Date.

Method 3 : From  Control Panel

Step-1 : Hold Windows+R  keys to open run window and type appwiz.cpl and Press OK

 

 

Appwiz Cmd

 

Step-2 : Program and Features Window Opens, The Installed On Column will have the date when the application was Created.

 

 

Program Features Window

 

 

Limitations of this Method :

  • For Windows Apps ( The ones which have Microsoft Corporation under the Publisher Column in the above image )the date shown is the date when these apps were updated.
  • Even for most of the Desktop Apps , the date shown is the date these apps were updated.
  • For very few this date signifies their Creation Date.

Method 4 : From Command Prompt

Step-1 : Press Windows+R to open Run Window, type cmd and Press OK

 

 

Cmd In Run Window

 

 

Step-2 : In the command Prompt Window , enter the following command

wmic product where name="<Name of the Application>" get InstallDate

 

For example, if you want to find the installation date of the application named “iCloud”, enter the following command :

wmic product where name="<Name of the Application>" get InstallDate

 

 

Date From Command Prompt

 



 

The Installation date will be displayed in YYYYMMDD format

Method 5 : From Power Shell

Step-1 : Press Windows+R to open Run Window, type powershell and Press OK

 

 

Powershell In Run

 

 

Step-2 : Enter the following command,

Get-ItemProperty hklm:\software\wow6432node\microsoft\windows\currentversion\uninstall\* | select-object DisplayName, InstallDate

 

A list of programs with name and Install Date are displayed , look out for required application

 

Date From Powershell

 

 

Limitations of this Method :

  • As shown in the above image , not all the programs would contain the value for date.
  • The results here are same as Control panel method ( Method 3 ) and will have the same limitations.

 

Hope this helps !!