winget export -o <file> && winget import -i <file> JSON file is not valid

[theking2]

Relevant area(s)

WinGet CLI

Relevant command(s)

winget import

Brief description of your issue

Doing an winget export -o win11.json on one Windows 11 machine, copy this file to another and do winget import -i win11.json results in : JSON file is not valid.

win11-vm.json

Steps to reproduce

1. winget export -o win11.json
2. winget import -i win11.json

Expected behavior

packages are installed

Actual behavior

JSON file is not valid

Environment

Windows Package Manager v1.29.280
© 2026 Microsoft. All rights reserved.

Windows: Windows.Desktop v10.0.26200.8875
System Architecture: X64
Package: Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller v1.29.280.0

WinGet Directories
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logs                               %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\Diag…
User Settings                      %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\sett…
Portable Links Directory (User)    %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Links
Portable Links Directory (Machine) C:\Program Files\WinGet\Links
Portable Package Root (User)       %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages
Portable Package Root              C:\Program Files\WinGet\Packages
Portable Package Root (x86)        C:\Program Files (x86)\WinGet\Packages
Installer Downloads                %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
Configuration Modules              %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Configuration\Modules

Links
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Privacy Statement   https://aka.ms/winget-privacy
License Agreement   https://aka.ms/winget-license
Third Party Notices https://aka.ms/winget-3rdPartyNotice
Homepage            https://aka.ms/winget
Windows Store Terms https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/storedocs/terms-of-sale

Admin Setting                             State
--------------------------------------------------
LocalManifestFiles                        Disabled
BypassCertificatePinningForMicrosoftStore Disabled
InstallerHashOverride                     Disabled
LocalArchiveMalwareScanOverride           Disabled
ProxyCommandLineOptions                   Disabled
ConfigurationProcessorPath                Disabled
DefaultProxy                              Disabled

[github-actions]

Possible duplicate(s):

Thank you for submitting this issue.

The issue(s) below may already track your request or bug. Please take a look — if one of them matches, give that issue a 👍 and close this one as a duplicate. Older or curated issues are preferred as the canonical one to follow.

• winget import says json file is not valid. #4556 — Reports the identical symptom: winget import returns "JSON file is not valid" after exporting packages with winget export.

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