Windows has a process called Silent Software installation, and many of you may know about it. However, if you have no clue what Silent installation is and how you can use it, then it’s okay. In this article, we are going to talk about Silent installation and how software is ‘silently’ installed on your computer.
What is Silent Installation in Windows 11/10?
By Silent Software Installation, we mean that you won’t have to do a single thing in the process whatsoever. At the time of installation, you won’t have to set the folder location or tweak any user’s settings and it will be done ‘silently’. Silent installation is also known as automated or unattended installation whereas Standard installation is known as interactive installation as it needs you to complete the process.
One of the best things about this is that it speeds up the tedious task of installing the Operating System and also comes in handy when you want to sync settings across all your devices. If you want to install software on different devices at the same time then Silent Installation is what you should choose.
The details on how to install the software are stored in a file. During the installation process, the files will be referred to complete the installation. This way you won’t have to spend your time clicking on prompts and now you know how the process of silently installing takes place on your windows pc.
How is software silently installed?
To do a silent installation, the first thing you need to create is a response file. After installing the app, you have to record its installation process and then save it in the response file. You can find the installation process in the Advance option of the installer utility.
Keep in mind that not all software allows you to record the installation process, therefore in such cases, you have to write it on your own as per the parameters specific to that particular software. And one needs to have some knowledge of advanced system administration or otherwise, it will be difficult to do the same.
In order to install the software you can use the command line that refers to the response file that you have created or is stored on your computer. You first need to open the command prompt with administrative privileges then enter the following command:
setup.exe -r C:\<parent_folder>\<response_file_name>.ini InstallDir="C:\<parent_folder>\<destination_folder>"
If you don’t want to use the command line interpreter, opt for a silent install builder or alternative apps as that would be much easier than constructing a command. These programs will allow you to create one or multiple silent-install packages.
Which type of software can be silently installed?
Although apps with less custom installation are recommended when opting for Silent installation, almost any kind of software can be installed silently on your PC. And that in itself can be a boon or a bane as you may save time this way but it is also installing software without your knowledge. More often than not hackers use the saved installation process to get into your pc so using it sometimes is better than doing it all the time.
Read: RuckZuck: Free Software Package Manager for Windows
What does a Silent Install do?
The silent installation allows the automatic installation of certain software, in this way, there will be no interaction between the user and the UI. It is especially helpful when you are trying to install software for all the client computers. This ensures a synchronized setting across all devices thus reducing work and saving time.
Also Read: Install multiple Programs at once using free Bulk Software Installer for PC.
