How to install a CAB file in Windows 11 and 10

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10. You need an administrator account. Only use CAB files from Microsoft (for example the Microsoft Update Catalog) or your PC or device maker.

What kind of CAB file do you have?

A .cab (cabinet) file is a compressed archive. What you do with it depends on what’s inside:

What’s in the CAB	How to install it
A Windows update, feature or language pack (often named like Windows10.0-KB...cab or ...-Package...cab)	DISM or PowerShell (Methods 1 and 2)
A driver (contains .inf, .sys and .cat files)	Extract it, then Device Manager or pnputil (Method 3)
Ordinary files from an older installer	Open and extract it in File Explorer

Not sure? Double-click the CAB in File Explorer to look inside. If you see an .inf file, it’s a driver. If you see files like update.mum or many .manifest files, it’s a Windows package.

Method 1: Install an update CAB with DISM

1. Copy the CAB to a simple path, for example C:\Updates.
2. Search for cmd, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Run the command below, replacing the path with your file:

dism /online /add-package /packagepath:"C:\Updates\file.cab"

Wait for The operation completed successfully. If DISM asks to restart, type Y or restart yourself. To install several packages at once, point /packagepath at a folder that contains them, or repeat /packagepath: for each file.

To check that it installed, list the installed packages and look for the KB number:

dism /online /get-packages /format:table

Most CAB packages can be removed later with dism /online /remove-package /packagename:<name>, using the name shown by /get-packages. For more DISM and Windows Update commands, see Windows Update from the command line.

Method 2: Install with PowerShell

PowerShell does the same job. Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin), and run:

Add-WindowsPackage -Online -PackagePath "C:\Updates\file.cab"

If the result shows RestartNeeded : True, restart the PC to finish the install.

Method 3: Install a driver CAB

Driver CABs, such as those from the Microsoft Update Catalog, aren’t installed with DISM on a running PC. Extract them first:

1. Create a folder such as C:\Drivers\MyDevice.
2. In an administrator Command Prompt, run the command below to extract every file:

expand -F:* "C:\Downloads\driver.cab" C:\Drivers\MyDevice

Then install the driver in one of two ways:

• Device Manager: right-click Start > Device Manager, right-click the device, choose Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers, pick C:\Drivers\MyDevice, tick Include subfolders and click Next.
• pnputil: in an administrator Command Prompt, run pnputil /add-driver C:\Drivers\MyDevice\*.inf /subdirs /install.

Just want to see what’s inside?

Double-click the CAB file. File Explorer opens it like a folder. Select the files you want, then drag them to another folder or right-click and choose Extract. This is fine for viewing or copying files, but it doesn’t install updates or register drivers.

If the CAB file won’t install

• “The specified package is not applicable to this image” (0x800f081e): the package is for a different Windows version, edition or architecture (x64 vs ARM64), or it’s already installed. Check Settings > System > About and download the matching file.
• Error 87 or “option is unknown”: a typing mistake in the command. Make sure there’s no space after /packagepath: and that paths with spaces are in quotes.
• Error 740 or “elevated permissions are required”: the window isn’t running as administrator.
• 0x800f0831 or other servicing errors: the component store may be missing an earlier update or be damaged. See 0x800f0831 Windows Update error and Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.
• Windows Update itself is stuck: see we couldn’t connect to the update service.

If you downloaded an .msu file instead, double-click it to run the Windows Update Standalone Installer, or use the same DISM command with the .msu path on Windows 11.

Related guides

• Windows Update from the command line
• 0x800f0831 Windows Update error: how to fix it
• Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation
• We couldn’t connect to the update service

Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s own documentation:

• Microsoft Learn: DISM operating system package servicing command-line options
• Microsoft Learn: expand command reference

Frequently asked questions

Can I install a CAB file by double-clicking it?

No. Double-clicking only opens the archive in File Explorer. Update packages need DISM or PowerShell, and drivers need Device Manager or pnputil.

Is a CAB file safe?

A CAB is just an archive, but what’s inside runs with system rights once installed. Only install CAB files from Microsoft or your hardware maker, never from random download sites.

Where do I get official CAB files?

The Microsoft Update Catalog offers many Windows updates and drivers as CAB or MSU files. Search it for the KB number or device name, and pick the version that matches your Windows build and architecture.

What’s the difference between CAB and MSU?

An MSU is a Windows Update package that usually contains one or more CAB files plus installer information. You can run an MSU by double-clicking it; a CAB update needs DISM.