How to install CAB file for updates and drivers on Windows 10

• To install the CAB file on Windows 10, open “Command Prompt” (admin) and run the DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:”PATHTOCAB” command.

UPDATED 12/2/2023: On Windows 10, you can install “.cab” files using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command-line tool available with Command Prompt, and in this tutorial, I will explain how. A “.cab” extension file refers to the cabinet archiving file format that efficiently packages and compresses multiple files in a file library.

Developers often use cabinet files to build their app installers, and Microsoft, for example, sometimes uses the format to distribute standalone updates for Windows 10 and other packages.

If you have a Windows 10 update in a CAB format, you can use the DISM command-line tool to quickly install packages on your device.

This tutorial will teach you how to install a cabinet file on Windows 10.

Install CAB file using DISM command 

To install a “.cab” file with Command Prompt on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start on Windows 10.

2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to install the CAB file and press Enter:

   dism /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:"PATHTOCAB"

   For example, this command installs the update KB4562830 on Windows 10:

   dism /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:UsersusernameDownloadswindows10.0-kb4562830.cab"

   

Once you complete the steps, the package will be installed on the system. You might need to restart your device to complete the installation if this is an update.

Although you may have received a “.cab” file, it doesn’t mean you have to install it. Some developers may use the cabinet container as a compressed folder to distribute specific content.

To extract a “.cab” file on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Browse to the folder with the cabinet file.

3. Double-click the “.cab” file.

4. Select all the contents (“Ctrl + A” keyboard shortcut).

5. Right-click the selection and select the Extract option.

   

6. Select the folder destination to extract the files.

7. Click the Extract button.

   

After you complete the steps, you can use the files to install the app, set up a new driver, or apply a system update.

Install CAB file for driver update

If the package fails to install using the DISM tool during the installation of a driver, you might be able to extract the contents of the CAB file to install the driver manually.

To update a driver using a CAB file on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Navigate to the folder with the achieve file.

3. Double-click the CAB file to open it.

4. Select all the contents (“Ctrl + A” keyboard shortcut).

5. Right-click the selection and select the Extract option.

   

6. Select the folder destination to extract the files.

7. Click the Extract button.

8. Open Start.

9. Search for Device Manager and select the top result.

10. Right-click the device and select the Update driver option.

    

11. Click the “Browse my computer for drivers” option.

    

12. Click the Browse button.

    

13. Select the folder with extracted files from the CAB file.

14. Click the OK button.

15. Click the Next button.

16. Click the Close button.

After you complete the steps, Device Manager will detect and install the driver components to set up the device.

Update December 2, 2023: This tutorial has been updated to ensure correctness and reflect changes.